Notice is hereby given that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District (the “District”) will conduct a public hearing to consider the imposition of fire protection and emergency rescue assessments for the provision of Fire Protection and Emergency Rescue Services within the District for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2016, and for future fiscal years until discontinued by the District.
The hearing will be held at 5:00 p.m. on August 30, 2016, at the Microtel Inn & Suites, Main Conference Room, 1320 Business Way, Lehigh Acres, Florida 33936, for the purpose of receiving public comment on the proposed assessments. All affected property owners have a right to appear at the hearing and to file written objections with the District within 20 days of this notice. If a person decides to appeal any decision made by the District with respect to any matter considered at the hearing, such person will need a record of the proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be made. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this proceeding should contact the District Fire Chief’s office at (239) 303-5300, at least two days before the meeting.
The total annual fire protection assessment revenue to be collected within the District is estimated to be $12,337,998 for fiscal year October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017. The total annual emergency rescue assessment revenue to be collected within the District is estimated to be $2,232,200 for fiscal year October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017.
The assessment for each parcel of property will be based upon each parcel’s classification and the total number of billing units attributed to that parcel. The following tables reflect the proposed schedules of assessments for fire protection and emergency rescue services.
FIRE PROTECTION ASSESSMENTS
| Residential Property
Use Category |
Rate Per Dwelling Unit |
| Residential |
$239.00 |
| Non-Residential Property
Use Categories |
Rate Per Square Foot |
| Commercial |
$0.31 |
| Industrial/Warehouse |
$0.05 |
| Institutional |
$0.41 |
| Agricultural/Vacant Property
Use Category |
Rate Per Acre |
| Land (Minimum of 1 acre; Maximum of 10 acres) |
$21.00 |
EMERGENCY RESCUE ASSESSMENTS
| Residential Property
Use Category |
Rate Per Dwelling Unit |
| Residential |
$53.00 |
| Non-Residential Property
Use Categories |
Rate Per Square Foot |
| Commercial |
$0.04 |
| Industrial/Warehouse |
$0.01 |
| Institutional |
$0.11 |
Copies of the Procedural Resolution, the Initial Assessment Resolution, the Final Assessment Resolution, the Preliminary Rate Resolution, the plat map of the District, and the preliminary Assessment Roll for the Fiscal Year commencing October 1, 2016 are available for inspection at the Office of the Administrator, located at 636 Thomas Sherwin Avenue, South, Lehigh Acres, Florida between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The assessments will be collected by the tax collector on the ad valorem tax bill to be mailed in November 2016, as authorized by section 197.3632, Florida Statutes. Failure to pay the assessments will cause a tax certificate to be issued against the property which may result in a loss of title.
If you have any questions, please contact the District Fire Chief’s Office at (239) 303-5300, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or go to www.lehighfd.com for additional information.
I do not want my name disclosed, as I am not a permanent resident. My comment concerns the fire department assessment notice of a public hearing. I note that it will NOT be held in L. A. and the time of 5:00 PM will prevent a lot of employed homeowners from attending. Certainly, homeowners should attend, since the assessment arrived at will affect them the most. Although I spoke against authorizing the department to set their own assessments without county approval, voters (of whom I am not one) chose to do so. While homeowners pay the largest assessments, they receive the same level of protection as the single lot owner, the commercial buildings, etc. I would like to know the number of lots and buildings owned by real estate firms, banks, investment firms,holding companies, -whatever- which are receiving the lowest assessments on their lots. I would also like to see figures on how many lots have been burned this year as compared to home fires and what it cost, per lot. I look at it this way – a fire is a fire. Some are minor and some are major. I would also like to know more about the exemptions -or lower assessments- on retirement homes and warehouse facilities as to just who owns these facilities and actually receives this benefit. Do you know of any source which has compiled this information? I will attend the hearing if I am here on that date. Lastly, I enjoy your site. It has shown great improvement.
If you should choose to use this, please withhold my name.