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Council adopts amended public art master plan rule tying fees to ICC valuations
Summary
Council approved an amendment to the town’s public art master plan that standardizes how development valuations are calculated for art‑fund fees, directing the town to use International Code Council valuations rather than submitted construction receipts.
The Fountain Hills Town Council on a unanimous vote approved an amendment to the Public Art Master Plan and its funding rubric, clarifying that the town will use International Code Council (ICC) valuations — updated semiannually — to determine the property valuation used to calculate public art fees.
Director Kevin Snipes told council staff had found a provision that allowed developers to submit construction receipts to establish a lower valuation; staff recommended removing that option to create a consistent, level playing field. "We've always used the International Code Council to come up with those valuations," Snipes said, adding that ICC figures are updated every six months and are the standard used across other town valuations.
Why it matters: by tying the public art obligation to ICC valuations only, the town aims to ensure identical treatment across projects of similar size and to avoid inconsistent fee outcomes where submitted receipts produced materially lower valuations.
What was decided: Councilmember McMahon moved to approve Resolution 2025‑14, amending the Public Art Master Plan and Public Art Guidelines; the motion was seconded and carried 7‑0.
Process: The change does not alter the fee rate itself but standardizes the valuation base used in fee calculations. Staff said the ICC valuations have been used for other building valuations in town and shifting exclusively to ICC numbers avoids ad hoc receipt audits and differing outcomes based on reported costs.
Ending: The council adopted the amended public art guidelines by resolution; staff will apply the ICC valuation method for future development fee calculations.
