In its latest effort to promote economic development, the Leesburg City Commission on Monday unanimously agreed to waive city impact fees up to $100,000 for each new project developed within municipal limits.

The waiver is approved for one year. It applies to several city fees charged for new development to offset impacts to water, sewer and other municipal services.

The change will benefit new construction such as residential, commercial and industrial projects. Though Leesburg now will absorb the cost of impact fees, the city hopes to encourage development during the challenging national recession by bringing in new businesses and jobs, homes for families and also expand its tax base to help fund important public services.

"Hopefully it will speed up construction and people will pull building permits and build homes and businesses," said City Commissioner John Christian.

City Commissioner Bill Polk: "I think it's a good idea."

The decision waives only Leesburg's impact fees up to $100,000 per project. Much larger developments with greater impacts and benefits to the community could be considered separately for extra potential waivers.

The waiver does not cover Lake County's own impact fees, which also are charged for new development in Leesburg. In March, however, the county opted to waive transportation impact fees.

Nearby Tavares also waived impact fees, which successfully led to new business development around that city.

Leesburg is a progressive city of more than 20,000 residents in northwest Lake County. The city government serves twice as many people with its electric, gas, water, wastewater and fiber-optic public utilities. Leesburg also is a central hub for commerce, attracting 50,000 people to work each weekday. For more information, visit www.leesburgflorida.gov.

LEESBURG -- Beacon College received the go-ahead Wednesday from the city's historic preservation board to tear down the school's Main Street administration building.

"I wish the college success," said Robert Bone, chairman of the preservation board. "I hate to see it go."

But before the college can tear down the building, it must get approval from city commissioners.

The 89-year-old Craftsman-style house has been the home of the college's administrators for the past 20 years.

College officials tried to save the historic structure by selling it for $10 to anyone who would pay to move it. Even the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce looked into moving the house.

But the price tag to move the house -- more than $200,000 -- deterred many interested buyers.

That figure doesn't include the cost to rehabilitate the house after the move. The front and back porch would have to be removed in order to transport the house to another location.

While the house looks like it's in great condition, College President Deborah Brodbeck said parts of the building are leaning, columns are deteriorating and areas of the foundation are sinking.

Brodbeck said the college would not demolish the house until they're ready to build the new administration building.

So there's still time to find an interested buyer to save the house. The college plans to break ground on their new digs no later than August. Plans for the new administration offices show a three-story brick and stucco building that incorporates architectural features from some of downtown Leesburg's notable historic buildings.

Plans call for stone pillars, beams and stained glass windows to be salvaged before the demolition and be incorporated into the new administration building's interior decor, Brodbeck said.

A new education building proposed for the vacant lot to the west of the administration building would complete the downtown campus. A garden between the new buildings would link the two.

"I welcome this opportunity to improve downtown," said Jane Sewell, historic preservation board member. "Let's go for it."

Lake & Sumter Counties, Florida's Heartland, a 332-page coffee table book, showcasing the beauty that is Lake and Sumter counties, is now available for purchase at the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce office.