Council approves new water and sewer tap fees effective April 1

Woodland Park City Council on March 20 voted to approve Resolution 931, Series 2025, establishing revised water and sewer plant investment (tap) fees effective April 1, 2025.

The resolution, presented by utilities staff member Kip Wiley, asks the council to adopt an increase in tap fees that Wiley described in the meeting as a 13% adjustment. Wiley told council the increase is needed to help fund planned capital projects including a reservoir and the Gold Hill storage tank and to keep the water enterprise fund balance at a level staff deems prudent.

Why it matters: The city is preparing for multi‑million dollar capital work on its water system and has been saving cash for those projects. Wiley said the 2025 budget includes about $5.07 million in capital items, of which roughly $1.7 million is tied to the reservoir project and $2.5 million for the Gold Hill tank. He described current debt as zero and a projected (unaudited) enterprise fund balance of roughly $10.9 million.

Wiley walked council through three supporting spreadsheets—debt service, capital and the main fee model—and noted the city historically adjusts utility rates April 1 based on an inflation factor set by code established in 1997. In the model he displayed, staff showed scenarios including a 15% increase option on slides and projections that taper to smaller annual increases in later years; Wiley said those figures were illustrative projections to show fund balance impacts.

Council and stakeholders pressed staff on assumptions behind the fee model. Council members and members of the building community asked how frequently the city adds local water sources (wells) that increase available taps. Wiley said the city has not drilled new wells since the early 2000s but has placeholders in planning for up to four additional wells and that new wells would increase the number of taps available for sale. He said future well development timing depends on growth and need.

Public comment came from industry and residents. Stakeholder Skip House, who attended the Utilities Advisory Committee meeting, asked the city to work with a small industry group and the advisory committee to better explain the “nexus” used to calculate tap fees and to give builders more lead time between the fee decision and its effective date. House said many builders price contracts close to month‑end and need clarity about the final fee numbers. Wiley and council members said the Utilities Advisory Committee is the appropriate forum for that technical discussion.

Council moved to approve Resolution 931; the motion passed 6–0. The resolution will take effect April 1, 2025.

What happens next: Council and staff said they will continue regular reporting to the Utilities Advisory Committee and will provide follow‑up materials requested by industry stakeholders. Wiley said staff will supply comparative data for surrounding jurisdictions on request.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 931, Series 2025—establishing water and sewer plant investment fees effective 04/01/2025. Outcome: approved 6–0.

Speaker attributions in this story come from the council meeting record and staff presentation.