Port Orchard adopts per‑bedroom park impact fee ordinance; council debate centers on revenue assumptions and multifamily data

The Port Orchard City Council voted to adopt an ordinance adding a bedroom definition to the municipal code and establishing a per‑bedroom park impact fee, with a per‑bedroom rate set at $1,616.73 and the new fee scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025.

Director Nick Bond told council members that the ordinance implements 2023 changes in state law requiring jurisdictions to calculate impact fees using one of several alternative methods — for example, by square footage, number of bedrooms, or trips generated. Bond said state law also limits impact fees on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to no more than 50% of the fee for the principal unit; the ordinance language was drafted to ensure the city’s ADU fees comply with that limit. Bond recommended the per‑bedroom approach after a council work-study directed staff to bring…