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Buena Vista Fire District reports steady call volume, explores impact fees and outreach events
Summary
The Buena Vista Fire District reported year-to-date call volume for 2025 and said it is exploring a new one‑time impact fee revenue source permitted by recent legislation; staff described outreach events and budget planning assumptions, and said the district plans a modest tax‑revenue increase in 2026 within legislative limits.
The Buena Vista Fire District updated the Board of Trustees on Oct. 14 with a summary of 2025 activity and funding options.
Fire leadership said year‑to‑date calls in 2025 were 485 compared with 474 in the prior year, with slightly fewer calls inside the town limits (104 this year vs. 134 last year). The district described staffing, apparatus and service-area responsibilities, and noted it has operated without a mill‑levy increase for decades.
The district reported it is exercising a newly available option under state legislation to implement one‑time impact fees to provide an additional funding source targeted at development impacts (staff described these as a one‑time fee, not a recurring revenue stream). District officials said details such as which structures will be assessed and how to treat additions or accessory structures remain under development, and that the approach does not apply to the town of Buena Vista (it applies in the district’s unincorporated areas).
Fire staff also highlighted several community engagement activities: participation in back‑to‑school events, a homecoming bonfire with school partners, a new monthly Coffee with the Fire Department program to increase community familiarity with crews, and an after‑action review with county officials on a large events response. The district said it will submit comments to the county regarding proposed event scheduling and burn‑ordinance amendments that could affect regional first‑responder resource demands.
Budget planning: For 2026 the special district said legislation limits allowable revenue increases from property tax to 10.5 percent over two years; the district proposed a conservative 5.25 percent increase to 2026 tax revenue in its draft planning figures.
Ending: Fire leadership asked trustees to note the district’s outreach activities and said it would return with further details on the impact‑fee framework as it is developed.
