City May Approve That A Portion of Local Anti-Abortion Ministry's Impact Fees Be Paid by City Through Its Not-for-Profit Impact Fee Assistance Program

UPDATE Jan 15, 2017 - We submitted an inquiry with Commissioner Patty Sheehan and received a response from Lillian Scott-Payne from the Economic Development Department. 


Choices Women’s Clinic, Inc. (website) is asking the City of Orlando to pay 50% of its Impact Fees when it relocates from College Park to 1851 West Colonial (MAP).

They will be renovating 2800 sf of that building's existing office space, including restroom renovations and converting a portion for medical use. The total capital investment for these improvements is approximately $150,000.

$10,301.56 is the total eligible fees for Choices under City of Orlando's Not-for-Profit Impact Fee Assistance Program.  The program will pay fifty percent of eligible impact fees ($5,150.78). The fee breakdown is as follows: Transportation Impact Fee @ 50% = $5,150.78.

But here's the thing:
  1. Choices Women's Clinic is run by Choices Ministries, a Christian anti-abortion ministry.
  2. According to City of Orlando's website, "hospitals, churches and religious institutions" are currently not eligible for impact fee assistance. 
However the Recommended Action for this City Council Agenda Item is to "Approve the Not-for-Profit Impact Fee Assistance Program Agreement between Choices Women's Clinic, Inc. and the City of Orlando, and authorizing the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem and City Clerk to execute same, subject to review and approval by the City Attorney's Office."

City Council meets January 11th. The original January 9th meeting was postponed due to a Day of Mourning called by Mayor Buddy Dyer after the tragic loss of Master Sergeant Debra Clayton of the Orlando Police Department and an Orange County Deputy Sherriff, both killed today in the line of duty.

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