Crucial impact fee discussion in Manatee gets costly, complicated

Manatee County is set to increase the amount of money it collects from developers working on certain projects at some point next year — part of an effort to begin offsetting the cost of rapid growth and to bring what it collects closer to a more realistic amount.

The money will come from an increased collection of impact fees, which are charged on projects that add to the demand for infrastructure. The county, and other localities across the state, charge these fees to meet a demand for roads, law enforcement and park needs that come with population growth.