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Fee Waivers Expire In 2008

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By LENORA LAKE, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 21, 2007

UNIVERSITY AREA - A program that encourages redevelopment of the community west of the University of the South Florida will come to a crossroads in October.

The area is designated by Hillsborough County as an impact fee-free zone, where fees for rights of way, transportation and water and sewage capacity are waived. That designation is set to expire Oct. 26.

The county staff will make a recommendation to the Hillsborough County commissioners as to whether the designation should be continued or dropped.

"I am not sure what it will be at this time," said Shawn Perrine, the county's impact fee administrator.

For the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the county waived $341,769 in fees on 34 parcels in the University Area.

The University Area is one of two such zones in the county; the other is in Ruskin, and its designation is set to expire in November 2009, Perrine said.

Perrine said the Planning and Growth Management staff will do an analysis of the effect on economic growth from having waived the fees. That will help in the recommendation to the commissioners, who can approve or reject it.

The University Area also is a state-designated enterprise zone where businesses can receive tax refunds when they purchase equipment, build or expand, as well as tax credits for hiring its residents.

Matt Davis, who recently resigned as coordinator for the enterprise zone, said the impact fee waivers helped draw new businesses.

"I had business owners actually call me about the area because of the impact fee-free designation," Davis told the Enterprise Zone Development Agency at a recent agency board meeting.

He said he recently spoke with a developer who wants to develop parcels along Fletcher Avenue. That developer is concerned as to whether he can get the projects under way before the fee waiver expires.

Other members of the development agency, a volunteer group of community leaders, said they also believe it is one aspect that is helping the area improve.

Tom Locke, the agency chairman and general manager of University Mall, said the enterprise zone designation and the fee waivers are assisted by the "dominance and recognition" of the University of South Florida. He said the university's growth in athletics, academics and research shows that the university "has made it to the big time."

"I would hate to lose one element of it," Locke said.

Julian Garcia, executive director of the University Area Community Development Corp., which seeks funding to redevelop the community, said the development corporation will lobby to keep the designation. "We will definitely be there when it comes up again. We will be there, as will constituents. We have our own bus," Garcia told his fellow agency members.

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

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