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Council sets fee-in-lieu of water at $4,500 per acre-foot for 2025; staff to revisit if market changes
Summary
Wellsville City set its fee-in-lieu for water dedication at $4,500 per acre-foot for the coming year and said staff will research market values and return if a higher figure is warranted.
The Wellsville City Council on June 18 set the fee in lieu of water dedication at $4,500 per acre-foot for 2025–26.
Scott (staff member) said the city historically sets a number annually and that water values have been volatile; he noted an acre-foot can reach far higher amounts in other markets and that he could not reach his usual expert before the meeting. “So I left it at $4,500 so that we had a number on the books, for this next fiscal year,” Scott said. He added the council can revisit and change the number following a public hearing if market research supports an adjustment.
Council voted to keep the fee at $4,500. Staff and council members discussed the differences between irrigation/secondary water and transferable well rights (which can command higher prices), and emphasized the fee exists primarily to give the city a published amount for future developments that might request water dedication alternatives.
Ending: The fee is now on the books at $4,500 per acre-foot; staff will pursue additional research and may return with a revised recommendation.
