North Logan council adopts updates to master fee schedule after public hearing

North Logan City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Aug. 6 to amend fees in the city’s master fee schedule following a public hearing and staff presentations.

City staff said the updates revise development review fees, construction inspection rates, stormwater charges and other miscellaneous fees to better reflect actual costs. Alan (city staff) told the council the city last updated many development fees five to six years ago and that the current package aims to bring several fees closer to regional norms while limiting large, one-time increases for residents on fixed incomes.

During the public hearing resident Susan Coles urged the council to ensure fee comparisons were with other Cache Valley cities such as Hyde Park, Logan and Providence. "It would be a concern of mine that our fees be compatible with other Cache Valley cities," Coles said.

Staff described several specific changes: a modest increase to a construction inspection fee (from 2.75% to 3% of infrastructure improvement cost), a clarified “costs incurred” provision to pass through extraordinary attorney or contracted engineer review costs to applicants, a new zoning-clearance consolidation to simplify small applications, and an increase to certain miscellaneous copying and special-request fees. Jordan (public works/utilities staff) explained stormwater fees are being raised modestly after the stormwater program ran slightly in the red; the proposal keeps the single-family monthly stormwater charge at $5, well below some neighboring cities’ rates.

Council members discussed particular line items during the hearing. They asked staff to clarify wording for public-record (GRAMA) request charges and to reflect a recent library board decision that sets nonresident library user fees at $125 per year and $35 for a three-month period. Staff agreed to revise wording for clarity and to align the fee table with the library board’s April decision.

Council Member Emily moved to approve the resolution as edited; Council Member Buzzy seconded the motion. The council voted to approve the resolution unanimously.

The council and staff said the amended master fee schedule is intended to cover more of the city’s service costs while spreading increases across multiple departments rather than concentrating large hikes in a single year. Staff will provide the final, clerk-certified fee schedule for public access after incorporating the wording edits discussed at the meeting.