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Auburn staff outline purpose of traffic impact fees, propose downtown modeling and schedule for fee updates
Summary
City engineers and public works staff explained how traffic impact fees (TIF) fund growth-related capacity projects, described current downtown reductions and fee levels, and laid out a schedule for code and fee updates this summer and fall following recent state law changes and council feedback on transparency and flexibility.
City staff presented an overview of Auburn’s traffic impact fee (TIF) program on May 27, telling the City Council the fee helps pay for transportation capacity projects needed to serve growth and that the program cannot, by law, cover every trip or every development.
Jacob Sweeting, assistant director of public works, said traffic impact fees are designed to charge development proportionally for the peak-hour trips it generates and to apply those fees to a program of capacity projects. “Traffic impact fees help pay for the transportation projects that help provide for those trips that are needed to serve that growth and development,” Sweeting said.
Nut graf: staff emphasized TIF is only one of several funding tools — statutory rules prevent collecting fees for development outside the city and for some existing development, meaning TIF alone typically covers about 35% of modeled needs; other funding (grants, utility taxes, Transportation Benefit District revenue and general funds) make up the remainder.
Staff described how Auburn’s current program works: Auburn’s TIF program is defined in Auburn City Code Chapter 19.04 and was first adopted in 2001; it uses trip-generation rates to compute fees and offers credits for existing uses and a deferral option required by state law. The downtown area receives a reduced per-trip rate reflecting modal split; staff said the downtown per-trip fee averages about $4,500 while the citywide per-trip fee is about $6,000. That difference yields lower example fees for single-family homes and reduced per-square-foot fees for commercial development within downtown compared with citywide rates.
Staff presented historical context: the downtown was fully exempted from TIF in 2001 and the exemption narrowed in 2007 to catalyst blocks; in 2008 the city instituted a general downtown reduction approach (about 25% on average) to reflect higher transit/walk/bike mode share downtown. The presentation included a comparison to peer cities: Auburn’s per-trip fee is near the statewide average (slightly above $5,700), with neighboring cities showing a range above and below Auburn’s level.
Jacob Sweeting laid out an update schedule: June 9 — discussion of updates required by a recent housing proportionality bill; June 16 — code/fee schedule adoption item; July 28 — presentation of proposed 2026 fees and proposed code revisions; Aug. 4 — ordinance consideration to implement new code; fall 2025 — full 2026 fee schedule consideration. He also said staff are modeling downtown as a separate district rather than applying a simple top-line reduction.
Council members pressed staff on transparency and flexibility. Council member Baldwin asked staff to prioritize clearer, earlier communication so prospective applicants aren’t surprised by initial fee estimates; Baldwin later apologized for tone during the meeting after a council discussion. Multiple council members requested clearer public materials and options such as payment plans, and staff said they had heard that request and will return with proposals. Jacob Sweeting said staff would present updated modeling and fee proposals at the July meeting.
Ending: No vote occurred; staff will return with the proportionality update in June and a fuller fee-schedule proposal in July for council consideration and ordinance action later in the summer and fall.
