Sec. 327.106. - Incentives.

The incentives contained in this Section are intended to encourage the construction of sustainable buildings. For any program participant seeking sustainable building certification for new residential or commercial construction, residential or commercial retrofitting/remodeling or new City-owned buildings, the following incentives shall be made available: (a) Fast track development review: (1) Development services, including preliminary site plan review (including 10-set review), submitted or resubmitted for review, for Sustainable Building Program projects shall be given priority over projects which are not Sustainable Building projects by all City departments reviewing such applications. (2) Applications for administrative deviations pursuant to Section 656.109 , when submitted to facilitate sustainable building certification, shall be given priority over other applications which are not Sustainable Building Program projects, to the extent possible consistent with the time requirements of Section 656.109 . (3) Applications for plat approval pursuant to Chapter 654 shall be given priority over other applications provided the developer records on the public records of Duval County covenants or other restrictions sufficient to require that all homes in the subdivision will be constructed so as to qualify for sustainable building certification. (4) Requests for relief from the requirements of Section 656.607 (i), when submitted to facilitate sustainable building certification, shall be liberally construed to promote such certification. (5) Applicants who obtain priority status pursuant to this Section shall provide proof of sustainable building certification to the Department within 180 days of construction completion, as defined by Certificate of Occupancy issue date. Application forms for sustainable building certification and agreements with property owners or developers seeking priority status may provide that property owners or developers who obtain priority status but fail to obtain sustainable building certification may be denied future priority status by the Director of the Public Works Department. (b) Designation: The Department shall coordinate a program of recognition, on the internet or through other additional means, identifying permitted construction as a sustainable building project with benefits to the community and the environment. (c) Refund of certification expenses: Subject to, and within the limits of, funds appropriated by the Council for the purposes set forth in this subsection, owners or developers of Sustainable Building Program projects may receive a refund of the actual costs of sustainable building certification pursuant to the Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grant Program administered through the Environmental Protection Board. (Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1; Ord. 2025-30-E , § 13)