City staff moves to accelerate impact‑fee study; Raftelis engagement and a special meeting eyed to meet new state timeline

City staff told the commission on Aug. 21 that the firm Raftelis is completing a study of impact fees and utility rates and that recent state legislation has shortened the window for municipalities to adopt updated fees without having limits imposed by the new law.

City Manager Tom Corino and staff reported that to preserve the city's ability to adopt unconstrained impact‑fee increases, the city must complete an advertised adoption process that allows a 90‑day public notice period with final adoption before January 1, 2026. To meet that timeline staff proposed bringing the study to the commission at the regular Sept. 18 meeting for workshop discussion and to hold a date‑certain special meeting in late September (tentatively Sept. 29 or Sept. 30) for final adoption and to meet state deadlines.

Raftelis is under contract to analyze current impact fees for police, fire, parks, utilities and related categories. Staff noted that a separate mobility or transportation/multi‑modal impact fee (to fund sidewalks, trails and non‑roadway mobility) is not included in the current Raftelis scope and would require an additional study and policy direction.

The commission indicated support for an accelerated schedule and asked staff to set the special meeting for a date when a full commission could attend. Staff said more public notice and a workshop will precede any adoption and that the special meeting would follow a regularly scheduled hearing so public advertising requirements are met.

Discussion only; no ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Staff will return a draft ordinance, supporting analyses from Raftelis, and public‑notice materials for the Sept. 18 meeting and a special meeting in late September if the commission confirms availability.

Why this matters: impact‑fee rates affect future development costs and revenue available for infrastructure including utilities and potentially trails; a compressed legal schedule means the commission must act quickly to preserve adoption options under state law.