Chester County council adopts ordinance allowing county fees for municipal services

Chester County Council on April 7 approved the third reading of Ordinance 2025-9, a measure that authorizes the county to impose fees for services it provides within municipal limits and clarifies how those fees may be structured.

The measure, described by County Administrator Michael Hester during the council meeting, replaces language referencing "developmental fees" with the broader term "fee" and expressly allows the county, at its sole discretion, to charge an initial fee and an annual recurring fee for services. Hester said the ordinance also allows fees to be set as a per-unit charge or an annual recurring assessment depending on the service and council’s future decisions.

The ordinance applies countywide and, if used, will require the county to coordinate with municipalities. Councilmember Corey Guy asked that staff and the town of Richburg coordinate directly after the ordinance’s passage. "If we're gonna provide services for them, we need to tell them what those are gonna be," Guy said during the discussion.

Hester told council that a consultant is conducting a fiscal-impact analysis of every service the county provides; council will use that study to decide later whether and how to impose fees when annexation occurs. He also noted that prior annexations by the City of Chester are grandfathered under the county’s existing framework.

The ordinance passed on third reading. Council directed staff to communicate with municipal leaders, including Richburg officials, about implementation and next steps.