On March 24, City Commissioners approved a multi-pronged incentive package aimed to provide immediate financial relief to Daytona Beach residents and business owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The projected value of the program, which offers three different incentives, is about $5.65 million.
The first method of financial assistance will be to fund a significant portion of utility bills next month using $4 million of General Fund reserves. Utility bills in April will be automatically adjusted or credited for the 22,858 billing accounts within the city of Daytona Beach. Specifically, a credit will be shown for the amount of water, sewer, recycling, and public service tax. Not included in the credit will be fees associated with storm water, solid waste and the landfill.
The next incentive will be to suspend fees for building permits for the next 90 days, beginning on March 25. (This does not include impact fee payments and doesn’t waive the need to apply for a permit.) All residential and commercial permits for projects will be included for anything from fences, roofs and swimming pools to the construction of new homes and commercial buildings.
Waiving commercial tenants’ rent at city-owned facilities such as Joe’s Crab Shack at the Daytona Beach Pier, Jackie Robinson Ballpark, the Golf Club’s restaurant, tenants at the Marina Plaza, etc. for up to 90 days is the final incentive. City Manager Jim Chisholm will review options with each lessee.