§ 15-233. Eligible uses of economic incentive funds; economic incentive payments.

Economic incentive funds awarded to a company may be used for the following expenses associated with the expansion or relocation of the company to the City of Fort Lauderdale:

(1)

Payment of impact, permitting, licensing, and special assessment fees, including impact, permitting, licensing, and special assessment fees assessed by the city.

(2)

Land improvement costs, including:

a.

Infrastructure design and construction plan preparation costs;

b.

Off-site land improvement;

c.

Road improvements;

d.

Landscaping and road beautification costs;

e.

Water and sewer connection fees;

f.

Telecommunication connection fees and costs;

g.

Drainage facilities in conjunction with new roadway construction or on-site improvements;

h.

Construction of new curbs, curb cuts, medians, shoulders and sidewalks;

i.

Relocating utilities to accommodate new roadway construction;

j.

Facade redevelopment in eligible community redevelopment agency or downtown development agency designated areas subject to prior approval; or

k.

Other types of expenses that may be approved by the city.

(3)

Environmental compliance:

a.

Costs associated with design and installation of equipment needed for compliance with existing federal, state, and local environmental standards; or

b.

Costs associated with asbestos removal.

(4)

The costs of improvements to leased property required by the expansion or relocation, including wiring and other installation costs involving communication and computer systems.

(5)

Employee hiring, training, and daycare facilities:

a.

The costs associated with employee hiring and training specifically related to company expansion or relocation, including transportation costs for employee recruitment and training. The costs associated with ongoing staff development training are excluded; or

b.

The costs associated with starting company-sponsored day care facilities.

(6)

The costs associated with relocation of company assets to new facilities.

(7)

Local match for state tax refund program. A local match equal to twenty (20) percent of the state tax refund provided under the qualified target industry tax refund program, subject to the provisions in F.S. § 288.106, and the procedures established pursuant to this program.

a.

Payment of economic incentive claims.

1.

Payment of incentives will be made after the company submits a claim each year for the scheduled amount according to the terms of the job growth incentive agreement. The agreement will specify payment allocations over a period not to exceed six (6) years. The annual allocations will represent one-quarter (¼) or one-fifth ( 1/5 ) of the total incentive award, provided the total of the annual incentive payments does not exceed fifty (50) percent of the annual city tax revenue received from the company.

2.

The company must agree to submit to an audit of hiring and training records, and other records determined by the city to be necessary, in carrying out the provisions of this article.

3.

A company receiving an economic incentive award shall submit its requests for payments in the form and detail prescribed by the city's sustainable development department.

4.

Payments under the state tax refund program for qualified target industries are made by the State of Florida through Enterprise Florida and the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. Any local match approved by the city is paid into the economic development trust fund. Accordingly, the state will serve as the appropriate contact for the processing payments pursuant to F.S. § 288.106. The company must submit a claim each year for the scheduled tax refund to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development as required by F.S. § 288.106. The city shall pay any approved portions of their local match into the economic development trust fund.

( Ord. No. C-07-42, § 1, 6-5-07 ; Ord. No. C-17-28 , § 82, 9-13-17)