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Flagstaff proposes two‑tier EV charging fees: 39¢/kWh plus higher 'idling' fees to encourage turnover
Summary
Staff proposed a two‑tier fee for the city’s EV chargers: an energy charge covering cost plus 10% (about 39¢/kWh), and an idling fee if vehicles remain after charging — $1 per minute at high‑demand sites and $2 per hour at the Aquaplex — aimed at improving turnover and recovering operations costs.
City climate staff presented a proposed fee structure for Flagstaff’s municipal electric‑vehicle chargers at the Feb. 14 retreat that would move the stations from free to a two‑tier pricing plan designed to recover energy and operating costs and encourage drivers to move vehicles when charging is complete.
Jenny Newman, climate action section director, said the city currently operates 18 chargers at four locations — the Aquaplex, City Hall, the visitor center and the airport — and that the stations were built in partnership with Arizona Public Service (APS). The stations have been free since installation; the council previously directed staff to design a fee structure timed after a short free period.
Staff recommended a two‑tier approach: a charging fee to cover electricity plus a 10% surcharge and an idling fee for vehicles that remain plugged in after charging. Newman said the energy fee amounts to about 39¢ per kilowatt‑hour under current APS rates. The idling fee would be location‑sensitive to reflect parking demand: $1 per minute at City Hall, the visitor center and the airport, and $2 per hour at the Aquaplex. For the airport, staff proposed a three‑hour total time limit and an idling fee that would kick in at that threshold.
Staff projected electricity costs for the current fiscal year of as much as $60,000. They estimated the new fee structure could produce between about $40,000 (if idling nearly eliminated) and $76,000 (if current behavior continues) in revenues, covering ChargePoint subscription and maintenance fees and contributing to operations and maintenance costs.
Newman said staff would run communications through the ChargePoint platform and would return with an ordinance in May so new fees could take effect July 1. Council members asked about vendor maintenance, lost‑ticket procedures and the plan to educate users about idling fees; staff said ChargePoint handles hardware maintenance under contract and the city will develop outreach materials.
