Cape Coral to consider impact fee increase
Higher fees on new construction to help pay for park, police, fire and emergency services infrastructure
Parks & Public Safety Impact Fees Presentation 3.25.2026
Business Impact Estimate Ordinance 11-26
Impact Fee Justification Study
Proposed increases in the city of Cape Coral’s levy on new construction are set for first public hearings Wednesday.
Recreational facilities impact fees, as well as public safety impact fees – for fire, police and advanced life support – will be discussed during Wednesday’s Cape Coral City Council meeting with Ordinance 11-26, which addresses recreational facilities impact fees, and Ordinance 12-26, public safety impact fees, set for the first of hearings.
Impact fees are one-time charges on new construction to help pay for infrastructure needs necessitated by growth.
The city retained a professional consulting firm, DTA Public Finance, Inc. to prepare a Development Impact Fee Justification Study related to recreational facilities impact fees “to determine the proportionate demand that new residential development generates for additional parks and recreation facilities.”
The recreation facilities impact fee was first implemented in 1987 and last updated in 2002, according to the presentation to be made Wednesday. The fire rescue impact fee was also implemented in 1987 and last updated in 2006. The police and advanced life support fee was implemented in 2006.
An example for standard single family residential, the fee for police services is proposed at $671.12, compared to the current fee of $596.55. For fire services, the proposed fee is $646.83, compared to the current fee of $574.96. For advanced life support, the proposed fee is $39.54, compared to the current $35.15.
The proposed fee for parks is $1,254.38 compared to $1,115.
The collective difference for all four is an increase of $290.21.
The commercial construction example provided was for 65,000 square feet. For police, the proposed fee is $11,284, compared to the current $10,029.52. For fire, the proposed fee is $11,186.50 compared to $9,945. For advanced life support, the proposed fee is $663 compared to $591.50. The total difference is $2,567.50.
Public hearings include citizen input with a limit of 3 minutes per individual.
The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, in City Council Chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. The meeting is open to the public.
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