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Manatee County raises impact fees to the state maximum for housing
Manatee County commissioners voted June 5, 2025 to lift impact fees from about $13,442 to $16,328 per unit, with some categories reaching $33,875.
HousingWire reports that Manatee County, Florida, raised its impact fees to the state maximum on June 5, 2025, a move that developers say could put new Live Local Act projects at risk while lawsuits play out. The change is tied to how the county applies an “extraordinary circumstances” exception in its impact fee framework for hurricane related areas.
According to HousingWire, the fee schedule increased from roughly $13,442 to $16,328 per unit, and the higher rates can be substantially larger in some categories, reaching up to $33,875 per unit. The outlet also reports that depending on housing type, the increases range from 69% to 169%.
HousingWire says the county invoked the impact fee increase to fund infrastructure needed for growth, despite Senate Bill 180 freezing major fee increases through October 2027. Developers and housing advocates argue the higher charges offset the financial incentives that make Live Local projects attractive, including workforce housing.
The story adds that Manatee County officials raised the fees after state lawmakers closed loopholes in earlier Live Local provisions, including those related to preempting local zoning. HousingWire reports that developers sued the county over the fee hike, and the county joined a lawsuit against the state over SB 180.