Fees are one-time charges imposed on new development to assist with funding of roads and other transportation-related facilities
On Feb. 1, 2026, Sarasota County’s Mobility Fee rates will rise by the maximum amount of 3%, a formal county notice says.
The basis for the annual increase is the most recent Transportation Cost Report Construction Cost Inflation Factors, produced by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT); the Producers Price Index for Transportation Projects; and the Consumer Price Index annual inflation adjustments, “which are being projected at a higher rate” than 3%, the notice points out.
As a county webpage explains, “Impact fees are one-time charges levied by local governments on new developments to assist with funding the infrastructure required by new growth. The concept behind impact fees is that while development can bring many benefits, it also affects infrastructure needs.
“New development adds people, which means more traffic [on] roadways and other transportation infrastructure,” the webpage adds. “To accommodate this growth, additional capital investment is required.”
A report that FDOT issued for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which ended on June 30 of this year, says, “[W]inning contractor bids tracked under industry benchmark input prices over the last quarter, at 25% higher than November 2020, according to preliminary June 2025 data for winning bids. The industry benchmark was 33% higher than November 2020 levels through June 2025. Average bid prices fell from 39% higher than pre-pandemic levels in May 2025 to 29% in June 2025 according to preliminary data. The gap between average bid prices (calculated from all bids received) and winning (awarded) bid prices widened over the last three months, indicating more competitive bidding activity. The FDOT Cost Index is calculated by assessing awarded and average bids. The share of aggregate, asphalt, concrete, and steel dollars spent on FDOT projects is compared to a baseline index that is calculated from regional industry prices …”
The same report adds, “U.S. inflation was 2.7% in June 2025, year-over-year.” It also notes that the core Consumer Price Index (CPI), “which excludes food and energy [prices], was 2.9% in June 2025. According to the July 2025 National Association for Business Economists (NABE) Business Conditions Survey, 56% of respondents report rising material costs over the last quarter, 42% unchanged, and only 2% falling. Respondents expect similar changes in material costs next quarter. Fifty-one percent of businesses report passing on some or all of their cost increases to customers.”
A Florida Tax Watch report issued on Sept. 10 notes, “Construction is a cornerstone of Florida’s economy, contributing $97 billion (5.7 percent) to the state’s GDP [gross domestic product] in 2024. However, rising material costs are presenting significant challenges to the industry, impacting everything from large-scale infrastructure projects to residential home building and affordability for Florida taxpayers.”
Section 70-13 of the County Code does call for an annual review of the county’s impact fees, with the impact fee administrator having to prepare a report to the County Commission that recommends any changes to the fee rates or schedules.
In pulling that report together, the County Code says that the impact fee administrator “shall obtain and review the following information:
- “A statement from the County Finance Department, summarizing Impact Fees collected and disbursed during the preceding fiscal year by facility;
- “A statement from the County Department or Constitutional Officer associated with each respective Impact Fee system summarizing all Public Facility Projects initiated and completed during the preceding fiscal year by the County;
- “A statement from the Planning and Development Services Department” summarizing the Certificates of Occupancy issued, “by type of Principal Use, during the preceding fiscal year;
- “A statement from the Planning and Development Services Department that the Public Facility Projects undertaken with Impact Fee funds are consistent with the adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Comprehensive Plan.”