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R22-117 l 2 3 4 5 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH,FLORIDA 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ANNUAL FIRE RESCUE ASSESSMENT RESOLUTION 13 14 15 16 17 18 ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 8,2022 19 20 21 1 22 RESOLUTION NO. R22-117 23 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, 24 RELATING TO THE PROVISION OF FIRE RESCUE SERVICES, 25 FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, 26 FLORIDA; IMPOSING FIRE RESCUE ASSESSMENTS AGAINST 27 ASSESSED PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY FOR THE 28 FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2022; APPROVING THE 29 RATE OF ASSESSMENT; APPROVING THE ASSESSMENT ROLL; 30 CONFIRMING AND CONTINUING A PROCEDURE FOR HARDSHIP 31 WAIVERS OR DEFERRALS OF ALL OR PART OF THE CITY'S FIRE 32 RESCUE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT INCLUDING APPLICATION AND 33 REVIEW BY THE CITY'S FINANCE DIRECTOR OR DESIGNEE, AND 34 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SUCH WAIVERS; PROVIDING FOR 35 CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN 36 EFFECTIVE DATE. 37 38 WHEREAS, the City Commission of Boynton Beach, Florida (the "City Commission"), 39 has enacted Ordinance No. 08-017 (the "Ordinance"), which authorizes the imposition of Fire 40 Rescue Assessments each Fiscal Year for the fire rescue services, facilities, and programs against 41 Assessed Property located within the City; and 42 WHEREAS, the imposition of a Fire Rescue Assessment for fire rescue services, 43 facilities, and programs each fiscal year is an equitable and efficient method of allocating and 44 apportioning the Fire Rescue Assessed Cost among parcels of Assessed Property; and 45 WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to continue a Fire Rescue Assessment 46 program and impose a Fire Rescue Assessment in the City using the procedures provided by the 47 Ordinance, including the tax bill collection method, for the Fiscal Year beginning on October 1, 48 2022; and 49 WHEREAS, the City Commission, on July 1, 2008, adopted Resolution No. R08-067 50 (the "Initial Assessment Resolution"); and 51 WHEREAS, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. R22-097 (the "Preliminary 52 Assessment Resolution") on July 19, 2022, which set forth the preliminary assessment rates for 2 53 Fiscal Year 2022-23, and which contains and references a brief and general description of the fire 54 rescue services, facilities, and programs to be provided to Assessed Property; describes the 55 method of apportioning the Fire Rescue Assessed Cost to compute the Fire Rescue Assessment 56 for fire rescue services, facilities, and programs against Assessed Property; confirmed the rates of 57 assessment; and directs the updating and preparation of the Assessment Roll and provision of the 58 notice required by the Ordinance; and 59 WHEREAS, in order to impose Fire Rescue Assessments for the Fiscal Year beginning 60 October 1, 2022, the Ordinance requires the City Commission to adopt an Annual Rate 61 Assessment Resolution, which confirms and establishes the rates of assessment, and approves the 62 Assessment Roll for the upcoming Fiscal Year, with such amendments as the City Commission 63 deems appropriate, after hearing comments and objections of all interested parties; and 64 WHEREAS, the Assessment Roll has heretofore been made available for inspection by 65 the public, as required by the Ordinance; and 66 WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing has been published and mailed, as required by the 67 terms of the Ordinance; and 68 WHEREAS, the City Commission recognizes that the special assessment may work a 69 hardship on certain residential property owners in the City, and desires to continue to provide a 70 means whereby affected property owners may request a total or partial waiver of the special 71 assessment for hardship; and 72 WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on September 8, 2022, and comments and 73 objections of all interested persons have been heard and considered as required by the terms of the 74 Ordinance. 75 NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE 76 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH,FLORIDA THAT: 3 77 78 SECTION 1. AUTHORITY. This resolution is adopted pursuant to Ordinance No. 08- 79 017; Resolution No. R08-076; Resolution No. R22-097; Article VIII, Section 2, Florida 80 Constitution; Sections 166.021 and 166.041, Florida Statutes; and other applicable provisions of 81 law. 82 SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION. This resolution constitutes 83 the Annual Rate Resolution as defined in the Ordinance. All capitalized words and terms not 84 otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Ordinance, the Initial 85 Assessment Resolution and the Preliminary Assessment Resolution. 86 SECTION 3. IMPOSITION OF FIRE RESCUE ASSESSMENTS. 87 (A) The parcels of Assessed Property described in the Assessment Roll, which is 88 hereby approved, are hereby found to be specially benefited by the provision of the fire rescue 89 services, facilities, and programs described or referenced in the Preliminary Assessment 90 Resolution, in the amount of the Fire Rescue Assessment set forth in the Assessment Roll, a copy 91 of which was present or available for inspection at the above referenced public hearing and is 92 incorporated herein by reference. It is hereby ascertained, determined, and declared that each 93 parcel of Assessed Property within the City will be specially benefited by the City's provision of 94 fire rescue services, facilities, and programs in an amount not less than the Fire Rescue 95 Assessment for such parcel, computed in the manner set forth in the Preliminary Assessment 96 Resolution. Adoption of this Annual Rate Resolution constitutes a legislative determination that 97 all parcels assessed derive a special benefit in a manner consistent with the legislative 98 declarations, determinations and findings as set forth in the Ordinance, the Preliminary 99 Assessment Resolution, and this Annual Rate Resolution from the fire rescue services, facilities, 100 or programs to be provided and a legislative determination that the Fire Rescue Assessments are 4 101 fairly and reasonably apportioned among the properties that receive the special benefit as set forth 102 in the Preliminary Assessment Resolution. 103 (B) The method for computing Fire Rescue Assessments described and referenced in 104 the Preliminary Assessment Resolution is hereby approved. The Parcel Apportionment 105 methodology described in Appendix F of the Preliminary Assessment Resolution, and adopted in 106 Section 7 of the Preliminary Assessment Resolution, is hereby approved. 107 (C) For the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2022, the estimated net Fire Rescue 108 Assessed Cost to be assessed is $8,307,859.00. The Fire Rescue Assessments to be assessed and 109 apportioned among benefited parcels pursuant to the Cost Apportionment and Parcel 110 Apportionment to generate the estimated Fire Rescue Assessed Cost for the Fiscal Year 111 commencing October 1, 2022, are hereby confirmed and established as follows: Property Use Category Rate Per Dwelling Unit Residential $120.00 Non-Residential Property Use Categories Rate Per Square Foot Commercial $0.27 IndustriaUWarehouse $0.06 Institutional $0.30 Nursing Home $0.30 112 113 (D) The above rates of assessment are hereby approved. Fire Rescue Assessments for 114 fire rescue services, facilities, and programs in the amounts set forth in the Assessment Roll, as 115 herein approved, are hereby levied and imposed on all parcels of Assessed Property described in 116 such Assessment Roll for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2022. 117 (E) As authorized in Section 2.14 of the Ordinance, no Fire Rescue Assessment shall 118 be imposed upon a parcel of Government Property, except as provided in the Preliminary 119 Assessment Resolution, or upon Institutional Use buildings on a parcel of Institutional Property 120 whose building use is wholly exempt from taxation under Florida law. 5 121 (F) Any shortfall in the expected Fire Rescue Assessment proceeds due to any 122 reduction or exemption from payment of the Fire Rescue Assessments required by law or 123 authorized by the City Commission shall be supplemented by any legally available funds, or 124 combination of such funds, and shall not be paid for by proceeds or funds derived from the Fire 125 Rescue Assessments. 126 (G) As authorized in Section 2.13 of the Ordinance, interim Fire Rescue Assessments 127 are also levied and imposed against all property for which a Building Permit is issued after 128 adoption of this Annual Rate Resolution based upon the rates of assessment approved herein. 129 (H) Fire Rescue Assessments shall constitute a lien upon the Assessed Property so 130 assessed equal in rank and dignity with the liens of all state, county, district, or municipal taxes 131 and other non-ad valorem assessments. Except as otherwise provided by law, such lien shall be 132 superior in dignity to all other liens, titles and claims, until paid. 133 (I) The Assessment Roll, as herein approved, shall be delivered to the Tax Collector 134 for collection using the tax bill collection method in the manner prescribed by the Ordinance. The 135 Assessment Roll, as delivered to the Tax Collector, shall be accompanied by a Certificate to Non- 136 Ad Valorem Assessment Roll in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix A. 137 (J) No Emergency Medical Services shall be funded from the Fire Rescue 138 Assessment revenues. 139 SECTION 4. CONFIRMATION OF PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT 140 RESOLUTION. The Preliminary Assessment Resolution, as may be amended herein, is hereby 141 confirmed. 142 SECTION 5. EFFECT OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION. The adoption of this 143 Annual Rate Resolution shall be the final adjudication of the issues presented (including, but not 6 144 limited to, the determination of special benefit and fair apportionment to the Assessed Property, 145 the method of apportionment and assessment, the rate of assessment, the Assessment Roll and the 146 levy and lien of the Fire Rescue Assessments), unless proper steps shall be initiated in a court of 147 competent jurisdiction to secure relief within 20 days from the date of this Annual Rate 148 Resolution. 149 SECTION 6. HARDSHIP WAIVERS OR DEFERRALS. 150 (A) The City Commission of the City of Boynton Beach, Florida hereby continues its 151 program for qualified individuals who need financial assistance to pay all or part of the Fire 152 Rescue Assessment levied on their property or who seek deferral of payment of all or part of the 153 Fire Rescue Assessment on their property. 154 (B) The City's program for financial assistance shall be commonly referred to as 155 H.E.L.P., Hardship Extension Loan Program. The following types of financial assistance are 156 available, based upon need: 157 1. Relief from all payments of an annual Fire Rescue Assessment. 158 2. Relief from a portion of payments of an annual Fire Rescue Assessment. 159 160 3. Deferral of payments of an annual Fire Rescue Assessment. 161 4. Deferral of a portion of payments of an annual Fire Rescue Assessment. 162 163 (C) The following individuals are eligible for financial assistance. 164 1. Residential Property Owners who meet 2022 HHS Poverty Guidelines. 165 166 2. Residential property owners that are exempt from ad valorem taxation 167 pursuant to the following Florida Statutes are eligible to apply for a 168 Hardship Waiver or Deferral: 169 170 a. Section 196.081, Florida Statutes (totally disabled veterans and 171 surviving spouses of veterans); 172 7 173 b. Section 196.081, Florida Statutes (surviving spouses of first 174 responders who died in the line of duty); 175 c. Section 196.091, Florida Statutes (disabled veterans confined to 176 wheelchairs); 177 178 d. Section 196.101, Florida Statutes (totally and permanently disabled 179 persons); 180 181 e. Section 196.102, Florida Statutes (totally and permanently disabled 182 first responders). 183 184 3. Residential Property Owners that qualify for the additional homestead 185 exemption for persons 65 and over authorized pursuant to Section 186 196.075, Florida Statutes are also eligible to apply for the Hardship 187 Waiver. 188 189 4. Residential Property Owners that are qualified under the Florida 190 Homestead Property Tax Deferral Act, Section 197.242, et al., Florida 191 Statutes. 192 193 (D) Eligible Residential Property Owners may submit an application for a Hardship 194 Waiver or Deferral, on a form prepared by the City, with the Finance Department. The 195 Application shall include the following: 196 1. Documentation demonstrating eligibility for the Hardship Waiver or 197 Deferral through one of the criteria from exemptions listed in Section C 198 above; 199 200 2. A copy of the Tax Bill for the subject property; 201 3. Description of the facts and circumstances of the hardship. 202 (E) All Applications for the Hardship Waiver or Deferral must be received by the 203 City's Finance Department on or before October 17, 2022. 204 (F) Once received, all applications shall be reviewed by the City's Finance Director, 205 or his or her designee ("Reviewing Official"). The Reviewing Official shall review the facts and 206 circumstances to determine whether a hardship exists to warrant a partial or total waiver of the 8 207 special assessment levied upon the applicant's real property or a deferral of payment of such. The 208 decision of the Reviewing Official is final. 209 (G) The Reviewing Official shall render a written decision and provide such to the 210 applicant. 211 (H) If a partial or total waiver or deferral is granted by the Reviewing Official, the 212 Finance Director shall ensure appropriate documentation is provided to the Tax Collector as to the 213 revised amount of the assessment as to the applicant. 214 (I) An applicant may apply for a Hardship Waiver as to one property only. 215 (J) An applicant must apply for the Hardship Waiver on an annual basis. 216 (K) A deferral may be granted for no longer than the end of the then current fiscal 217 year. 218 (L) When financial assistance is granted pursuant to the H.E.L.P. program, any 219 shortfall in the expected Fire Rescue Assessment proceeds due to any reduction or exemption 220 from payment of the Fire Rescue Assessments authorized by this Section shall be supplemented 221 by any legally available funds, or combination of such funds, and shall not be paid for by 222 proceeds or funds derived from the Fire Rescue Assessments. 223 SECTION 7. MOBILE HOME VACANCY ADJUSTMENT. As authorized in 224 Section 5(L) of the Preliminary Rate Resolution, there shall be a Mobile Home Vacancy 225 Adjustment procedure for Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Park Property, using the 226 procedures established in Resolution R11-089. Any shortfall in the expected Fire Rescue 227 Assessment proceeds due to any adjustment for vacancy shall be supplemented by any legally 228 available funds and shall not be paid for by proceeds or funds derived from Fire Rescue 9 229 Assessments. Failure of the Owner to timely provide the information to the City will result in no 230 Vacancy Adjustment for the special assessment. 231 SECTION 8. CONFLICTS. All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith 232 are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. 233 SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY. If any clause, section, other part or application of this 234 resolution is held by any Court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, in part 235 or application, it shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of this 236 Resolution. 237 SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall become effective 238 immediately upon its passage and adoption. 239 PASSED AND ADOPTED this 8'h day of September,2022. 240 241 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA 242 YES NO 243 / 244 Mayor—Ty Penserga ✓ 245 ✓ 246 Vice-Mayor—Angela Cruz 247 1.7 248 Commissioner— Woodrow L. Hay 249 67 250 Commissioner—Thomas Turkin 251 252 Commissioner—Aimee Kelley 253 254 VOTE Sr 0 255 A = T: 256 257 ' Mi,t. ' 11 f4,---W, 258 Maylee D; -sus, PA MC Ty Pen 259 City Cl r, Mayor 260 261 APP: 2" !- S F� 262 (Corporate Seal) =INTO / : O �' F9 263 �%�t��.�QowitF•e �'i� 264 t •0 I,, Michael D. Cirullo, Jr., City Attorney EAL . . , 1%, �-'.)°, .)° 1111 .........••OP r/ 10 FLORA APPENDIX A FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL CERTIFICATE TO NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL I HEREBY CERTIFY that I am the Mayor of the City of Boynton Beach, or authorized agent of the City of Boynton Beach, Florida(the "City"); as such, I have satisfied myself that all property included or includable on the non-ad valorem assessment roll for fire rescue services (the"Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll") for the City is properly assessed so far as I have been able to ascertain; and that all required extensions on the above-described roll to show the non-ad valorem assessments attributable to the property listed therein have been made pursuant to law. I FURTHER CERTIFY that, in accordance with the Uniform Assessment Collection Act,this certificate and the herein described Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll will be delivered to the Palm Beach County Tax Collector by September 15, 2022. IN WITNESS WHEREOF,I have subscribed this certificate and directed the same to be delivered to the Palm Beach County_Tax Collector and made part of the above described Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll,this 10 day of cF t,/ ,2022. CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH,FLORIDA BY: .Z• TITLE: A [To be delivered to Palm Beach County Tax Collector by September 15] 11 \I _,_ City of Boynton Beach, Florida�: Fire Assessment Application for Determination of Eligibility for H.E.L.P. FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 APPLICATION DEADLINE OCTOBER 17, 2022 NAME: (LAST) (FIRST) TELEPHONE # ADDRESS: (STREET) (CITY) (STATE) (ZIP) FOR EACH PERSON WHO RESIDES WITH YOU AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS, LIST THEIR NAME, AGE AND RELATIONSHIP TO YOU BELOW OR ON AN ATTACHED SHEET, IF NEEDED: (NAME) (AGE) (RELATIONSHIP) (NAME) (AGE) (RELATIONSHIP) I CERTIFY THAT I AM A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNER AND I MEET ONE (1) OF THE CRITERIA CHECKED IN THE BOX BELOW FOR WHICH I AM REQUESTING ELIGIBILITY FOR H.E.L.P. (Provide a copy of your 2022 Notice of Ad Valorem Taxes and Non-Ad Valorem Assessments) (PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX FOR WHICH YOU ARE REQUESTING ELIGIBILITY FOR H.E.L.P.) ❑ I qualify for the additional homestead exemption for persons 65 and over as noted on the attached Notice of Ad Valorem Taxes and Non-Ad Valorem Assessments authorized pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 196.075. ❑ I qualify for the Florida Homestead Property Tax Deferral Act as noted on the attached Notice of Ad Valorem Taxes and Non-Ad Valorem Assessments authorized pursuant to Section 197.242, et al., Florida Statutes ❑ I am a totally disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran AND I am exempt from ad valorem taxes pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 196.081. (Provide copy of disability letter from the government or a physician) ❑ I am a surviving spouse of first responder who died in the line of duty AND I am exempt from ad valorem taxes pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 196.081. (Provide copy of disability letter from the government or a physician) ❑ I am a disabled veteran confined to a wheelchair AND I am exempt from ad valorem taxes pursuant to Florida Statutes Section196.091. (Provide copy of disability letter from the government or a physician) ❑ I am permanently and totally disabled AND I am exempt from ad valorem taxes pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 196.101. (Provide copy of disability letter from the government or a physician) ❑ I am permanently and totally disabled first responder AND I am exempt from ad valorem taxes pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 196.102. (Provide copy of disability letter from the government or a physician) ❑ I meet the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Poverty Guidelines listed on Page 2 of this Application. (Provide a copy of your last two (2) years (2020 & 2021) Federal Income Tax Returns - AGI) OR IF YOU DID NOT FILE INCOME TAXES FOR THE PAST(2) YEARS (Provide a copy of your last three (3) months bank and investment statements for all accounts) NOTE: The City may require additional information to determine eligibility. (Please complete and sign Page 2 of this Application) Fire Assessment Application for Determination of Eligibility for H.E.L.P. Page 2 Please explain the financial hardship that makes it difficult or impossible for you to pay this year's Fire Assessment Amount as levied on the attached Notice from Palm Beach County. Under penalty of perjury, I hereby swear or affirm that the information I am submitting is true, complete and correct in order to determine my eligibility for H.E.L.P. Applicant's signature Date DETERMINING IF YOU MEET HHS POVERTY GUIDELINES 2021 HHS Poverty Guidelines PLEASE NOTE WHAT INCOME TO INCLUDE Size of Poverty Income used to calculate if you meet poverty Family Unit Guideline level status includes the following sources: 1 $ 13,590 2 $ 18,310 Wages, unemployment compensation, Social 3 $ 23,030 Security, Supplemental Social Security 4 $ 27,750 Income, public assistance, veterans' 5 $ 32,470 payments, survivor benefits, pension or 6 $ 37,190 retirement income, interest, dividends, rents, 7 $ 41,910 royalties, income from estates, trust, 8 $ 46,630 educational assistance, alimony, child support, For each additional person, add $ 4,720 assistance from outside the household, and Source: Federal Register, Vol. 87, No. 14, other miscellaneous sources. January 21, 2022, pp. 3316 CITY REVIEW PROCESS: Applicant submits application to City of Boynton Beach, Financial Services Department, P.O. Box 310, Boynton Beach FL 33425-0310 delivered no later than October 17, 2022 The Hardship Waiver will be reviewed by the City's Finance Director or his or her designee (Reviewing Official). Once the Reviewing Official makes a determination, the applicant will be notified in writing of the Reviewing Official's decision. The decision of the Reviewing Official is final. PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THIS COMPLETED APPLICATION, ALONG WITH YOUR 2022 TAX NOTICE FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR THE BOX CHECKED ON PAGE 1 OF THIS APPLICATION TO: City of Boynton Beach Financial Services Department P.O. Box 310 Boynton Beach, FL 33425-0310 (561) 742-6310