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Derby council approves broad fee updates including temporary-structure, permit and fingerprint charges
Summary
The Derby City Council adopted a fee-resolution updating multiple permitting and service fees, and directed staff to research a possible local-business contractor discount to return in the fall.
The Derby City Council voted 5-0 on July 8 to adopt a resolution updating city fees for permits, inspections and select utility services, city Finance Director Megan Pater said.
The updates change existing charges and add several new fees across planning, engineering, fire, court and utilities. The council approved the resolution as presented and directed staff to return in the fall with research on a local-business discount for contractor licenses.
Pater told the council the last comprehensive fee resolution was adopted in April 2024 and that departments review fees periodically to ensure they reflect costs. Among the changes the council approved: a temporary membrane-structure permit fee of $75 per structure per event for tents and similar structures 400 square feet or larger; a mobile-sales/vending vehicle inspection fee (fire-safety inspection only, separate from state food-safety reviews); and an adjusted fingerprinting fee structure for court and walk-in services that raises the resident rate from $20 to $30 and establishes a $40 fee for non-Derby residents.
On contractor licensing, the council approved raising the Class A contractor license to $500 and many trade licenses to $180 every two years; the city will remove the obsolete Class D contractor license. The council also approved increasing the permit reinspection fee from $30 to $50 to better offset inspector time and travel when inspections fail.
Fire-related fee changes include higher issuance fees for extinguishing-system permits ($75) and revised tiering for sprinkler-system review charges (including a new top tier for very large systems at $575 for more than 900 devices). New permits and fees were added for storing flammable or combustible liquid tanks at construction sites ($75 for tanks under 1,000 gallons; $200 for tanks over 1,000 gallons) and for storing explosive material (annual fees: $150 for outdoor units, $200 for indoor units).
Utility-service fees previously listed in El Paso Water Company manuals were moved into the city fee resolution ahead of the planned dissolution of El Paso Water Company. Those include a $25 utility-account connection/transfer fee, a same‑day service premium (an extra $30) and a $30 delinquency fee for accounts shut off for nonpayment.
Council members pressed staff on whether local Derby contractors could receive a discount. Council member Coleman asked whether a 10% in-city contractor discount was legal and appropriate; staff responded they would research legal limits and return findings in the fall. City staff noted that contractors who hold a city-issued contractor license already receive a waiver of the separate city business-registration fee.
Fire Chief Turner and Fire Marshal Marr participated in fee discussions where fire-safety inspections or plan reviews formed the basis of several proposed new or modified fees. Pater also told the council the city is considering honoring inspections from a regional coalition to avoid duplicate inspections for mobile vendors who already are inspected elsewhere.
The council approved the resolution on a voice vote, recorded as 5-0. Staff will return with follow-up information about a possible local-business discount and bring additional fee updates in the fall.
