Committee selects three ECC representatives for joint electrification fee committee; council to set policy direction Oct. 22

City staff updated the Bend Energy and Climate Committee on the city's process for exploring an electrification fee intended to encourage electrification of new construction, then the committee nominated and approved representatives to serve on a joint committee with other advisory bodies.

Cassie, the staff liaison, said staff made a presentation to the City Council and will return for council direction at a work session scheduled for Oct. 22. A consultant procurement is underway to provide modeling and options and staff plan to convene a joint committee comprising representatives from three advisory groups plus ex officio utility and trades representation and additional roundtables for builders and other stakeholders.

Committee members were told the city's permitting data show most new single-family houses in recent years included gas systems (staff cited about 95 percent of new single-family permits showed gas). Townhomes and duplexes were also predominantly gas-equipped; larger multifamily projects tend to be primarily electric. Staff said permit intake will now require more detail about space-heating type to improve the city's baseline data.

The committee then nominated and voted to recommend three ECC members and two alternates for the joint electrification-fee committee. Motion and vote

- Motion: "I move to recommend Ray, Robin, and Neil to be our representatives to the joint electrification fee committee and for Scott to be the first alternate and then Ken to be the second alternate." (moved and seconded by committee members).

- Vote: The motion passed by unanimous voice/hand vote of members present.

Why it matters: The joint committee will advise council on how a potential fee should be structured, definitions and exemptions, the size of the disincentive and a package of incentives designed to offset costs. Council's Oct. 22 work session will define the council's objectives for the fee and the joint committee will work to translate those objectives into specific design recommendations.

What the council said and next steps

Staff told the committee the council had expressed general support for the approach of procuring a consultant, convening a joint committee with ex officio utility participation and holding builder and community roundtables. Staff noted the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB/BDAB) had expressed concerns about additional fees and asked for representation of trades groups; EDAB planned to send a letter requesting an additional ex officio trades seat.

Staff described the joint committee's likely scope: define the policy objective the fee should meet (council will set this at the Oct. 22 work session), develop fee calculations and exemptions if any, propose an incentive program to offset costs for developers or affordable housing providers, and identify needed data inputs. The staff presentation previewed an outreach sequence that will include subject-specific roundtables and public-facing committee meetings.

Nut graf: The committee approved three ECC delegates and two alternates to represent the committee on a multi-advisory joint committee that will advise the City Council and staff as they develop options for an electrification disincentive fee. Staff will bring modeling and design options informed by a consultant and stakeholder roundtables back to the council after the joint committee's work.

Ending: The committee's selected delegates are Ray (primary), Robin (primary), and Neil (primary) with Scott (first alternate) and Ken (second alternate). Staff asked the delegates and committee to expect work to begin after council direction in late October.