Method of Funding Citizen-Initiated Localized Capital Projects or Services
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines regarding the method of funding citizen initiated projects or services that benefit limited geographic areas within the unincorporated area, that exceed the current general level of service provided to residents of unincorporated area by Hillsborough County and have not been previously provided by the County.
Policy
It is the policy of the Board of County Commissioners that it will use non-ad valorem assessments to fund the full cost of citizen initiated capital projects or services that will benefit limited areas within the unincorporated area, that exceed the current general levels of services provided to residents of unincorporated area by Hillsborough County and have not been previously provided by the County. These non ad valorem assessments will be imposed through Municipal Service Benefit Units (MSBU) the BOCC may establish under Chapter 125.01(1)(q) of the Florida Statutes.
- The area to be included in an MSBU is compact and amenable to the efficient and effective delivery of service.
- A fair and reasonable methodology can be developed to apportion the full cost of the capital project or service to those properties benefiting.
- The citizen initiated project or service is not the remediation of a tangible action of the Hillsborough County Charter Government
This policy does not apply to the County’s existing MSBU programs such as residential streetlighting, reclaimed water, transportation impact fee assessment units, water and sewer capacity fee assessment units, or infrastructure assessment units, etc. It also does not apply to existing localized programs that are available through established processes to all unincorporated area communities such as residential and neighborhood traffic control or the neighborhood mini-grant program.
Additionally, if the BOCC uses grants or other funds from intergovernmental and/or private agreements to pay all or part of a localized capital project or service that conforms to #1 above, this action does not obligate the BOCC to fund all or part of the future costs of projects or services of this type or service level with ad valorem taxes or other local non-grant resources.
Oversight Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the County Administrator to manage compliance with this policy.