Maitland City Talk

Over the years, even though Maitland’s demographics have been very attractive to new development and redevelopment, many developers have avoided doing projects in our city. The ones who have built projects in Maitland found it a real challenge getting their projects approved. This is largely due to the expensive and time-consuming permitting process that had been in place. With the decline of the economy the last few years, our city can no longer afford to continue doing business that way. The economic downturn has caused a substantial decrease in our property values as well as our ability to collect various state and local fees. All of this translates into a major reduction in our city’s tax revenues.

Our City Council and city staff have been working hard to offset this loss of tax revenue wherever possible by reducing overhead, increasing government efficiency and applying for federal, state and local grants. However, these alone will not be enough to make up for our tax revenue loss. In addition, we need to increase our tax base. This is, by far, the best and most substantial way to offset our declining tax revenues.

To accomplish this, Maitland has created a positive “open for business” policy that will attract quality development to our city by making our permitting process more efficient and less costly for developers. The basic key principles that we have implemented to make our permitting process more attractive to development are:

• Instill a positive proactive (find solutions) attitude in our city staff when reviewing new and redevelopment projects in our city.

• Establish a pre-application project review team that will provide initial project feedback and promote an upfront positive working relationship between city staff and the developer.

• Minimize upfront costs during the permit approval process.

• Minimize the steps necessary to the developer for project approval by providing different options depending on the type and size of the development.

• Establish aggressive timelines for project approvals.

After project approval, minimize the steps and time for project amendments and/or revisions.

This will afford the following benefits to our city:

• Create a positive atmosphere for development.

• Create incentives to attract development by saving the developer time and money.

• Create jobs that are so sorely needed (temporary and permanent).

• Substantially increase our tax base, therefore increasing our tax revenues.

In addition, along with the revision of our land development code that is presently in process, it will improve the quality of our community by developing and/or redeveloping the areas of our city that have been in decline, especially our downtown area.

With the continued cost saving efforts by our City Council and city staff and the commitment to attract new quality development to our community, in part by streamlining our permitting process and promoting an “open for business” attitude, we will greatly reduce the future prospect of either having to raise taxes or cut services. Neither of those alternatives is acceptable. We must continue to move forward and make every effort to improve the quality of life in our city as well as continue the high quality of services that our citizens have come to expect and deserve. Attracting new quality development to increase our tax base and, therefore, our tax revenues, is a major step forward to achieving those goals.

Nov. 14 meeting

The next City Council meeting is scheduled to be held Monday, Nov. 14. For more information, visit www.itsmymaitland.com