About 200 Deltona property owners might have to foot eye-popping bills to fund the city's dream of a commercial megacenter off Interstate 4.

The bills averaging nearly $4,000 per acre annually for three decades have stunned those who own the mostly vacant land targeted for development in southwest Volusia.

Outraged, they have enlisted attorneys and property-rights advocates to fight the City Commission's plan to make them pay $83 million for roads, utilities, sidewalks, landscaping, benches and other projects.

It's common for governments to levy such special assessments. But the Coalition for Property Rights in Orlando says these owners could lose their land.

Effect on an owner

Gloria Shapiro, 84, of Tamarac in Broward owns 12 acres, valued at $412,425. The fees would cost her:

$412,403

as a one-time lump sum or . . .

$1,508,790

in 30 annual payments of $50,293, including interest and fees

"I don't think they thought through what it will do to little people," said the retired interior designer who inherited the land from her father, who bought it a half-century ago.

What they get

City officials said it's only fair to place the cost of developing property on the owners because they will benefit through increased property values.

"If you're sitting on a valuable piece of property, you'd think you would expect to pay more taxes," Commissioner Janet Deyette said. Most of the money would pay for four-laning and realigning Normandy Boulevard and expanding other roads.

What's next?

Owners can meet with officials at 5 p.m. Monday in the City Commission chambers at City Hall. Commissioners will vote at 6:30 p.m.

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