Cape Coral Sets FY2027 Millage Cap; Stormwater Fee Would Rise

Cape Coral City Council set a not-to-exceed FY2027 millage rate and approved preliminary caps for several property-related assessments on Wednesday, July 22. The clearest proposed increase is the stormwater fee, which would rise by $7 to $163 per equivalent residential unit.

The action gives property owners an early view of the maximum city rates under consideration. It does not establish the final FY2027 millage rate or complete the city’s budget process.

What council approved

The council set a not-to-exceed millage rate of 5.1988 mills. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. A property owner’s actual city tax depends on taxable value, exemptions and the final rate adopted by the council.

The proposed millage figure applies only to Cape Coral’s city government. Property owners also receive charges from other taxing authorities, including Lee County, the School Board and independent districts such as mosquito control.

Cape Coral Breeze reported that Councilmember Derrick Donnell was the only council member to vote against the millage cap. The council also approved resolutions covering stormwater, fire protection, solid waste and lot-mowing assessments.

Assessment changes for FY2027

The proposed stormwater assessment would be $163 per equivalent residential unit, compared with $156 in FY2026. Stormwater is a non-ad valorem assessment, meaning it is a service-related charge placed on the property tax bill rather than a tax based on the property’s appraised value. The amount can vary based on a parcel’s equivalent residential unit calculation.

The fire protection assessment is capped at 81% recovery. The city estimates an average single-family assessment of $515.43, with an estimated annual reduction of about $25 for that type of home. That estimate will not necessarily apply identically to every property.

Residential solid waste would remain $384.25 per total dwelling unit.

Lot-mowing assessments would increase by district to $75.89 in District 1, $52.99 in District 2, $56.95 in District 3 and $48.43 in District 4 per equivalent lot unit. A typical building site is treated as two lots, so the listed amount is not necessarily the full annual charge for every building site.

What property owners should watch

The city’s final assessment rates are scheduled for approval at the August 26 meeting. Property owners should also watch for August TRIM notices, which show proposed property taxes before final votes are taken.

The first public hearing on the tentative FY2027 millage rate and budget is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. September 10. The final public hearing is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. September 24.

Those dates remain part of the scheduled process. The final bill can change because of the adopted city rates, assessed value, exemptions and charges imposed by other taxing authorities. Residents should not treat the 5.1988-mill figure as the final city tax rate until the budget and millage are formally adopted.

Key sources

• Cape Coral Breeze: City sets millage cap, July 23, 2026
• City of Cape Coral Office of Management and Budget FAQs