Subcommittee advances city ordinance to set fees and enforcement for public electric-vehicle chargers

Detroit officials moved forward with an ordinance to authorize city-managed electric-vehicle charging rates, pass through DTE electricity costs and establish idling fees and towing rules for public charging stations.

Tricia Stein, chief strategy officer for Mayor Duggan, said the proposal is part of a broader “Detroit Charging Ahead” plan that uses ARPA and other funds to plug gaps in city charging infrastructure and support local manufacturing and jobs. “We are here to prime the pump,” Stein said during the hearing.

Tim Slusser, chief of mobility innovation, explained the ordinance creates the legal authority—through the Public Lighting Department—to set a charging formula and to pass DTE electricity costs through automatically so the city would not need to return to council every time DTE changes its rates. Slusser said the ordinance also authorizes an “adder fee” that will let the city recoup operations and maintenance costs; he said officials plan to set the exact fee later by resolution and aim to keep city pricing below current market levels by leveraging federal grants.

Officials presented deployment goals and contractor information: the city is targeting 23 locations with at least four chargers each, with a goal of installing 10 sites by the end of the calendar year and two stations before summer using approved ARPA contracts. The city previously selected two vendors for ARPA-funded installations (named in the hearing as Walker Miller and MasTec) to install initial sites.

On charger power and service level, Slusser and other staff told council members the city intends to deploy a minimum of 150 kW DC fast chargers at key sites and described tradeoffs between high-power shared units and per-space redundancy. Slusser said 150 kW provides a balance of speed and future-proofing; he said “we're focused on a minimum of 150 k w.” The vice chair underscored the need for short charge times and added the ordinance includes operational standards for user experience and maintenance.

The ordinance establishes an idling fee and a grace period to prevent long-term occupation of a public EV charging spot after a vehicle reaches full charge. The vice chair noted the ordinance includes a 15-minute grace period and an eight-hour dwell time before a vehicle could be towed; Slusser confirmed the city will include fee-waiver provisions for education or temporary circumstances and that DPD will support towing enforcement for non-EVs or vehicles that remain beyond allowed time.

Officials emphasized that the ordinance will be followed by a resolution that sets the specific adder fees for operations, maintenance and any per-session charges; the ordinance was advanced to new business for an introduction and the setting of a public hearing. Public outreach and site selection work was described as focusing on corridors and neighborhood sites (rec centers and business lots) to reduce gaps in access; Josh Roberson, deputy director for the Department of Neighborhoods, said neighborhood businesses and co-ops have expressed interest in hosting stations.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the record of the subcommittee meeting and include mayoral and mobility staff and council members.