Woodland Park council adopts higher water and sewer tap fees effective April 1

Woodland Park’s City Council voted 6-0 on March 20 to adopt Resolution 931, Series 2025, raising water and sewer plant investment (tap) fees, with the increases effective April 1.

Public Works Director Kip Wiley told the council the resolution would raise tap fees to support planned capital projects including a reservoir, water treatment plant upgrades and conveyance capacity work tied to the Homestake pipeline. "Bottom line up front, the resolution 9 31 is asking for a 13% increase in tap fees and sewer and sewer tap fees as well, water and sewer," Wiley said during his presentation.

The resolution follows an annual assessment process required by municipal code; Wiley walked the council through spreadsheets showing past capital spending, projected capital needs (including a $1.7 million reservoir component and a $2.5 million Gold Hill tank), and fund-balance projections. The utility advisory committee reviewed the materials and recommended approval.

Council members pressed staff for context. One councilmember asked, "15% seems pretty high. What what's driving that?" Wiley replied that recent years and planned capital needs — especially reservoir-related debt and treatment-plant work — have pushed the need for larger upfront fee adjustments and said the increases are intended to keep rate changes steadier over time rather than fluctuate dramatically year to year.

Stakeholders in the audience urged continued outreach and technical review. Resident Skip House told the council he and other industry stakeholders would like a clearer nexus explanation and suggested staff and the utility advisory committee work with a small stakeholder group to explain fee calculations and timing to builders and property owners. Wiley and council agreed to route the more technical review to the Utility Advisory Committee so industry members can review the assumptions.

Councilmember roll call on the final motion listed McKay, Harvey, Jones, Smith, Case and one other member as voting "yes"; the motion carried 6-0. The council did not specify a mover or seconder in the public record for the motion to adopt the resolution.

The council packet and Wiley's slides (as described at the meeting) show a multi-year projection that assumes a higher tap fee increase in 2025 and 2026 with steps down in later years; Wiley said the city’s code allows an annual April 1 inflation adjustment as well. Wiley noted the city has been saving to pay for capital where possible and that projections assume moderate tap sales over the next two decades.

Council directed staff and the Utility Advisory Committee to provide clearer guidance to industry stakeholders about how the city calculates tap fees and to consider timing for publishing projected changes so builders and property owners can plan around the April 1 adjustment.