St. Petersburg Moves to Ease Post-Disaster Rebuilding with Permitโค Fee Waivers
ST.PETERSBURG, FL – The St. Petersburg City Council is considering an โคordinance change that would streamline the process of waiving permitting fees following โขnatural disasters, aiming to accelerate recovery and ensureโฃ safe reconstruction.The proposal, presented โfor first reading Thursday, would โgrant the Building Officialโ theโค authority to waive fees for Post-disaster Emergency Permits (PDEPs) without theโข need for prolongedโฃ states of emergency.
Currently, following events like Hurricanes Helene โขand Milton, the Mayor has previously utilized emergency powers to waive these fees,โข but doing so required maintaining extended local states of emergency. The proposed change seeks to avoid this by permanently codifying the Building Official’s authority.
According to an โagenda item outlining the administration’s request, performing construction without permits โcan pose risks to public safety, potentially lower property values, and even jeopardize โthe city’s benefits within the Federal Emergency Management Agency Community Rating System – a program that lowers flood insurance rates forโ residents.
“By codifyingโฃ the Building โฃOfficial’s authority to waive such โขfees,โ the City can shorten emergency declarations โฃwhileโค still โคpromoting safe, permitted reconstruction,” the agenda document states.
Theโค ordinance change would apply specificallyโ to PDEPs and would cover both initial permit fees and penalties incurred for starting work before a permit is secured. Currently, beginning work prematurely results in fees ranging from double toโค four times the original permit cost, depending on the number of prior offenses.
A businessโ impact statement notes the โฃchange wouldn’t create โadditional regulatory costs for the โcity, but could lead to a reduction in revenue from waived fees.However,the administration believes โฃtheโค change will “increase the likelihood that โwork will be performed with permits after emergencies” and provide crucial versatility during the rebuilding process.
The City Council will discuss the item โat its 1:30 p.m. meeting Thursday. If โฃapproved on first โคreading, the measure will proceed to a second readingโ at a โfuture date. The full agenda packetโ can be found here.
