Brookings council adopts 20‑year capital improvement plans ahead of SDC fee discussion

The Brookings City Council on Aug. 11 adopted a resolution containing updated 20‑year capital improvement plans (CIPs) for water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation and park systems as required under Oregon Revised Statutes 223.309.

City staff told the council that ORS 223.309 requires a local government to prepare a capital improvement plan, public facilities plan, master plan or comparable plan listing capital improvements the jurisdiction intends to fund in whole or in part with improvement fees, including estimated cost, timing and the percentage of each improvement eligible to be funded by such fees. Staff emphasized that adopting the CIPs is a procedural step required before the council can consider any legislative action adopting SDC methodology or rates.

The updated CIPs were presented and discussed at a July 28 workshop; staff emphasized the council is not bound to adopt any proposed SDC methodologies or rates by adopting the CIPs. The transcript states staff will return to the council on Oct. 27 with proposed SDC methodology and fee recommendations that would follow from the adopted capital improvement cost lists.

A motion to adopt Resolution 25‑R‑1284 adopting capital improvement plans for the City of Brookings’ water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation and park systems passed on a council roll call. Councilors and staff who were not present for the workshop said they found the workshop materials informative and supported moving forward with the infrastructure plans now, while leaving rate decisions to the later meeting.

Adoption of the CIPs allows staff to complete required analyses that determine how much of the listed capital costs could be funded by system development charges. The council did not set SDC rates at the Aug. 11 meeting; those rates will be discussed at the Oct. 27 regular meeting.