GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The Board of County Commission finally voted Tuesday night to implement an impact fee on new development, but decided to push the start date back to June.

Commissioner Kristen Burke seemed to reluctantly entered a motion to demand the collection of $121 million during the next 22 years from new construction, then she amended her motion to include a six-month delay.

That motion passed, 5-0.

The approval came after developers and builders told commissioners the new fee would cripple growth. By delaying the start, the BCC appeared to find common ground.

With the vote, Clay County became the 44th of 67 counties in Florida to charge extra fees on new development to offset the costs of building new schools, roads, infrastructure, parks, law enforcement, constitutional facilities and fire and rescue to accommodate growth.

“If there’s another way to raise the money, bring it to us,” commissioner Mike Cella said.

According to the Clay County Development Impact Fee Study and the long-range Comprehensive Plan, the county is expected to have a $400 million shortfall of funds through 2045, and consultants with Willdan Financial Services said the county will be able to collect an additional $280 million through existing taxes. As the population grows, Willdan said, the county will get more revenue from property, ad valorem, sales and gas taxes. That means the county would be short $121 million to pay for essentials.

Developers and construction companies said the current economic conditions and rising interest rates have led to a reduction of building permits. A $6,103 impact fee on a new house larger than 2,500-square-feet, would cripple the county’s growth – and lead to the collection of fewer tax dollars.

Assistant County Manager Troy Nagle worked with developers and Willdan to rework some of the collection fees – and redefine some of the long-term needs.

“I think the study is definitely an improvement. It’s getting better,” said Daniel Vallencourt, whose family owns Vallencourt Construction Company. “It still just needs a lot of work. There’s a very high possibility that when we start spending this impacted money, we have to fund it with other money. So we’re going to have to have it somehow we don’t have it now.”

Nagle reiterated the county will fund the difference by collecting more taxes as the population grows.

“If we stay on our current pace, our staff believes the ad valorem will support it,” Nagle said.

Commissioner Jim Renninger said once the First Coast Expressway is completed, Clay County should experience a boon in new businesses and residential communities.

“The First Coast Expressway will be a huge game changer as far as sales tax,” he said. Commissioners were reminded the county’s sheriff’s office and fire rescue already is operating without enough personnel and resources. And as the county’s population increases, the deficits will become direr.

“We handle about 250,000 calls for service a year,” Sheriff Michelle Cook said. “And as Chief (Loren Mock of Fire Rescue) also mentioned, we start getting more than one priority call going on in the county at a time we’re already strapped for people to respond. And as people continue to move, as more traffic comes in, as more people drive through the county, our call volume is just going to increase.”

The board meets at 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Due to the holidays, the BCC’s next meeting will be on Jan. 10.