St. Petersburg Moves to Ease Post-Disaster Rebuilding with Permit Fee Waivers
ST.PETERSBURG, FL – The St. Petersburg City Council is considering an ordinance change that would streamline the process of waiving permitting fees following natural disasters, aiming to accelerate recovery and ensure safe reconstruction.The proposal, presented for first reading Thursday, would grant the Building Official the authority to waive fees for Post-disaster Emergency Permits (PDEPs) without the need for prolonged states of emergency.
Currently, following events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Mayor has previously utilized emergency powers to waive these fees, 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 agenda item outlining the administration’s request, performing construction without permits can pose risks to public safety, potentially lower property values, and even jeopardize the city’s benefits within the Federal Emergency Management Agency Community Rating System – a program that lowers flood insurance rates for residents.
“By codifying the Building Official’s authority to waive such fees, the City can shorten emergency declarations while still promoting safe, permitted reconstruction,” the agenda document states.
The ordinance change would apply specifically 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 to four times the original permit cost, depending on the number of prior offenses.
A business impact statement notes the change wouldn’t create additional regulatory costs for the city, but could lead to a reduction in revenue from waived fees.However,the administration believes the change will “increase the likelihood that work will be performed with permits after emergencies” and provide crucial versatility during the rebuilding process.
The City Council will discuss the item at its 1:30 p.m. meeting Thursday. If approved on first reading, the measure will proceed to a second reading at a future date. The full agenda packet can be found here.