Note from Storm: I know we’ve written about Tampa’s pioneering work to boost redevelopment and limit sprawl before. But such policies are at the heart of a revitalized future for our cities and nations, so they deserve all the coverage they can get.
From the article: In facing a massive infrastructure crisis, America is learning the hard way that the cost of highways doesn’t end with their construction.
That knowledge is at the root of a policy shift that’s sweeping across Florida government. Hillsborough is one of several counties in the state that has recently made, or is considering, a shift from traditional development impact fees to so-called “mobility fees” that discourage new road construction by steering development to areas where infrastructure already exists.
The hope is the shift will keep road maintenance costs from spiraling further out of hand—and limit sprawl to boot.
“So how can we use mobility fees to incentivize redevelopment?” says chief of development and infrastructure for Florida’s Hillsborough County, Lucia Garsys. “And conversely, how do we keep them from encouraging sprawl?”
The push by Florida counties reflects a broader move away from development based on road-friendly “level of service” measures in the U.S.—with California leading the paradigm shift.