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Montezuma County staff outline state-mandated retail food fee increases tied to Senate Bill 285
Summary
Public-health staff told the Board of County Commissioners that the Colorado General Assembly passed Senate Bill 285, triggering phased increases to retail food license and plan-review fees beginning August and September; commissioners were told they could adopt the changes at the next meeting.
Montezuma County public-health staff informed the Board of County Commissioners that the Colorado General Assembly passed Senate Bill 285, which requires incremental increases to retail food license fees and related plan-review fees over a three-year period.
Public-health presenter Miss Locke summarized the changes and said the first increase affects the county’s plan-review application fee: “The plan review application fee currently sits at $100. It’ll go up to $155,” she said, adding that the plan-review change is expected to take effect Aug. 6. Locke said the retail food license fee increases for new restaurant owners will take effect Sept. 1. She told the board the increases are being phased in at 25% each year over several years because those fees had not been increased since 2015.
Locke said the county uses retail food fees “to maintain our inspection program to provide the services to prevent foodborne illnesses and ensure safe food safety across the state.” She provided draft fee schedules to the commissioners and said the state had informed the county of the requirement. A county staff member identified as Linda outlined projected rates for subsequent years under the 25% incremental increases.
One commissioner noted the fee change originated at the state level and recalled discussions at the Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) association. Another commissioner asked about impacts on small vendors; Locke and other commissioners discussed enforcement and the distinction between licensed and unlicensed vendors.
Locke said that if the board adopts the changes at its next meeting, the county will implement the plan-review fee increase beginning Aug. 6 and the retail license fee schedule beginning Sept. 1. No formal vote or ordinance was recorded in the transcript for this workshop item.
Background: Presenter referred to collaboration between the state and a food-industry association in crafting the change. The meeting record did not include the full statutory text of Senate Bill 285 or the county ordinance number that would implement the updated fees.
