Economic Development Impact Fee Mitigation

The Economic Development Impact Fee Mitigation (EDIFM) is a reduction of impact fees to encourage quality job growth in targeted high-value-added businesses. The EDIFM was designed to encourage Build-to-Suit and Speculative Building Development.

There are three ways to take advantage of the mitigation:

1. High-Wage Job Creation – build-to-suit projects adding high-wage jobs paying at or above 115% of the average annual wage in Polk County, or
2. Industrial Job Creation – build-to-suit projects adding more than 100 new jobs, or
3. Inventory Development – creating an available industrial building inventory for prospective companies.

      High-Wage Job Creation

Pre-approved applicants who build a new facility and create high-wage jobs in the City of Lakeland can receive a 50% to 90% reduction/waiver of non-utility impact fees. For businesses creating 10-50, paying at or above 115% of the average annual wage, a 50% impact fee mitigation may be received. For businesses creating 51- 100 jobs, paying at or above 115% of the average annual wage, a 70% impact fee mitigation may be received. Businesses creating 101+ jobs, paying at or above 115% of the average annual wage, may receive a 90% or full mitigation of impact fees.

Construction in the Innovation District target area that creates at least 10 permanent jobs at or above 150% of the average Polk County wage may be eligible for 100% mitigation of impact fees.

For eligible projects, 50% of the approved mitigation amount will be deducted from the impact fees due at the time the building permit is issued. The remaining 50% of the approved mitigation amount will be refunded once the total number of jobs committed for the project have been added. It is up to the recipient of the mitigation award to provide proof to the City of Lakeland that the jobs have been created to receive the remainder of the mitigation.

Eligibility:

In order to participate, the company must apply to the Community and Economic Development Department of the City of Lakeland with a letter of recommendation from the Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC) prior to pulling a building permit.

• Submit the application before making a decision to locate or expand and demonstrate that the impact fee reduction/waiver will make a difference in the company’s decision to locate or expand. Once the building permit has been issued, the company is no longer eligible.
• Create at least 10 net, new full-time jobs.
• Pay an average annual wage that is at least 115% of Polk County’s average annual wage. (Average annual wage includes overtime and bonus, but not benefits). The average annual wage changes annually, January 1^st.
• The Qualified Target Business/approved business or the owner of real property, but not both, can apply for the impact fee mitigation.

Application Process:

• Community and Economic Development and/or LEDC staff will help the applicant throughout the entire process to ensure the company understands what is required for a complete application.
• Any person seeking the EDIFM needs to file an application for mitigation with the Director of Community and Economic Development or the Director’s designee, along with $500 for the administrative review fee, prior to the Impact Fee payment date.

Approval Process:

• The Community and Economic Development Director has final approval of all projects.
• The City of Lakeland will make every effort to expedite the process to meet the applicant’s schedule and will take no more than 30 days to evaluate a completed application.

      Industrial Job Creation

Pre-approved applicants who build a new facility and create high-volume industrial jobs in the City of Lakeland will receive a 50% to 90% reduction/waiver of non-utility impact fees. For businesses creating 100-199 jobs, a 50% impact fee mitigation may be received. For businesses creating 200-299 jobs, a 70% impact fee mitigation may be received. Businesses creating 300+ jobs may receive a 90% or full mitigation of impact fees.

For eligible projects, 50% of the approved mitigation amount will be deducted from the impact fees due at the time the building permit is issued. The remaining 50% of the approved mitigation amount will be refunded once the total number of jobs committed for the project, have been added. It is up to the recipient of the mitigation award to provide proof to the City of Lakeland, that the jobs have been created to receive the remainder of the mitigation. 

Eligibility:

In order to participate, the company must apply to the Community and Economic Development Department of the City of Lakeland with a letter of recommendation from the Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC) prior to pulling a building permit.

• Submit the application before making a decision to locate or expand and demonstrate that the impact fee reduction/waiver will make a difference in the company’s decision to locate or expand. Once the building permit has been issued, the company is no longer eligible.
• Business must be a Qualified Target Industry
• Create at least 100 net, new full-time jobs.
• The Qualified Target Business/approved business or the owner of real property, but not both, can apply for the impact fee mitigation.

Application Process:

• Community and Economic Development and/or LEDC staff will help the applicant throughout the entire process to ensure the company understands what is required for a complete application.
• Any person seeking the EDIFM needs to file an application for mitigation with the Director of Community and Economic Development or the Director’s designee, along with $500 for the administrative review fee, prior to the Impact Fee payment date.

Approval Process:

• The Community and Economic Development Director has final approval of all projects.
• The City of Lakeland will make every effort to expedite the process to meet the applicant’s schedule and will take no more than 30 days to evaluate a completed application.

      Inventory Development

Preapproved applicants who construct new building inventory ­­­--- wholesale/warehouse or manufacturing/industrial space that is 70,000 square feet or greater --- are eligible for a 50% reduction of non-utility impact fees when the building permit is pulled.  

For wholesale/warehouse uses, mitigation may only be applied to a maximum of 400,000 square feet; square footage beyond that is subject to fees.Wholesale/warehouse projects are not eligible for impact fee mitigation within the Innovation District target area.

The 50% mitigation amount will be deducted from the impact fees due at the time the building permit is issued.

 Eligibility:

• In order to participate, the company must apply to the Community and Economic Development Department of the City of Lakeland with a letter of recommendation from the Lakeland Economic Development Council (LEDC) prior to pulling a building permit.
• Submit the application prior to applying for a building permit. Once the building permit has been issued, the company is no longer eligible.

Application Process:

• Community and Economic Development and/or LEDC staff will help the applicant throughout the entire process to ensure the company understands what is required for a complete application.
• Any person seeking the EDIFM needs to file an application for mitigation with the Director of Community and Economic Development or the Director’s designee, along with $500 for the administrative review fee, prior to the Impact Fee payment date.

Approval Process:

• The Community and Economic Development Director has final approval of all projects.
• The City of Lakeland will make every effort to expedite the process to meet the applicant’s schedule and will take no more than 30 days to evaluate a completed application.