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Lynnwood staff recommend 39¢/kWh public EV charging fee to cover operations and replacement
Summary
Public works staff briefed the Lynnwood City Council on a new three-station, six-port electric vehicle charging installation, user patterns since May, ongoing costs and a proposed 39¢ per kilowatt-hour rate tied to PUD changes; council members asked about program funding, equity and enforcement ahead of an ordinance scheduled next week.
Lynnwood Public Works Deputy Director Marcy McGuire told the City Council on July 7 that the city has installed three new public charging stations (six ports) at the city campus and recommends an initial public rate of 39¢ per kilowatt-hour to cover ongoing operations, maintenance and eventual replacement.
McGuire said the chargers went online in May and have recorded “over 1,300 charging sessions” and about “6,500 kilowatt hours of electricity consumed.” She described average use at roughly 45 minutes per session and estimated about 30 charging sessions per day across the six ports. “We built it. They came,” McGuire said, describing visible use during a lunchtime site visit.
The nut graf: The city installed the chargers with grant funding and some matching city funds but must cover recurring costs—daily PUD demand charges, kilowatt-hour energy charges and vendor operations fees—going forward. Staff proposed 39¢/kWh as a market-aligned rate that would also set aside revenue for replacement of the hardware in an expected 7–10 year lifespan. Council will review an administrative fee ordinance next week to add the rate to the city’s fee schedule.
Most important facts first: McGuire told council the installed equipment includes three ChargePoint pedestals (six charge heads) with a two-hour maximum parking limit per posted signage and an observed average session of about 45 minutes. ChargePoint provides the charging network and payment collection under contract; McGuire said the city pays ChargePoint approximately $1,200 per port per year for services. Energy costs from Snohomish County PUD were noted as a daily demand charge (about $1.72/day) plus per-kWh charges (around 8¢/kWh), and staff propose a clause allowing administrators to adjust the city rate to reflect PUD pass-through increases.
Council members pressed for clarifying details. Councilmember Escamilla asked whether the program had been intended to be free; McGuire said it was “never intended to be a free service” and that charging users was part of avoiding the gifting of public funds and ensuring long-term replacement funding. When Escamilla asked how many city vehicles exist and how many city chargers the city already operates, McGuire said the city’s fleet includes 17 vehicles and the government operates approximately 12 charging stations for city vehicles.
Other council concerns included equity and subsidy. Councilmember Lewyler, an electric-vehicle owner, asked whether lower public rates could be seen as a subsidy for higher-value vehicles; he suggested monitoring real-world data before making final decisions. Councilmember Bridal asked how surplus funds would be tracked. McGuire said revenue would be placed in a city fund tracked by Public Works and reserved for capital replacement and maintenance of the charging equipment.
Councilmember Decker asked about the carbon mix of the electricity used at the chargers; McGuire said the city would follow up with PUD for renewable-share and provide that information by email. Decker also asked about noise from the chargers; staff offered to provide manufacturer specification sheets to the council.
What was not decided: Council did not vote on the ordinance at the July 7 work session. McGuire said the ordinance updating the administrative fee schedule to include the 39¢/kWh rate and to allow limited administrative adjustments tied to PUD rate changes will be brought back to council next week for consideration and possible adoption.
Why it matters: The fee will shape whether public chargers remain affordable and usable while ensuring the city can maintain and eventually replace infrastructure paid for partly with grants and partly with city matching funds—critical to long-term program sustainability.
Next steps and questions staff will supply: staff will provide the matching-fund amount for the grant installation, the PUD renewable-energy mix for the electricity used at the chargers, manufacturer noise/efficiency specifications, and a two-year monitoring plan tied to the biennial budget so council can revisit the rate based on more data.
Ending: Council members generally supported the program’s fiscal prudence—tracking replacement funds and limiting use—but signaled they want more data on energy sources, vendor contract scope and usage trends before a permanent policy is adopted.
