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Hurricane council delays vote on proposed power impact fee increase after builders request review
Summary
Council members unanimously agreed to continue consideration of a proposed power impact fee ordinance to the next meeting after builders asked for time to review assumptions in the consultant study and council members raised questions about project allocation and timing.
Hurricane City Council postponed action on an ordinance that would adopt a new power impact fee schedule after members asked for additional review and outside input.
At a council meeting where staff and power-board members presented an impact-fee study prepared for the city, several council members said the proposed increases were large and that they wanted time to review assumptions. Clark Faucett, a council member, said he was not ready to approve the package and asked to question the study’s authors in person. "I would... either vote no or try to continue it myself because I don't feel like I'm ready," Faucett said during the meeting.
The Southern Utah Home Builders Association sent staff a written request asking that the council delay a vote so association members could review the consultant assumptions. Council staff read the email aloud at the meeting; the message said, in part, "Would you consider tabling this for 2 weeks to give us a chance to review the assumptions that are driving the math." City staff also relayed that Fred Philpott, the consultant who helped develop the study, was out of town and unavailable to attend the meeting.
Council members and staff discussed several technical issues on the analysis: large transmission and substation projects included in the capital plan, differing percentage factors applied to residential service sizes, and whether the schedule reflected prior years' partial fee adoption. Jared, the city's power staff, explained portions of transmission work and tied those projects to system redundancy and growth needs. Council members said they wanted the consultant and additional stakeholders — including the home builders — to be present to explain methodology and assumptions before voting.
Councilman Hershey moved to continue consideration of the ordinance to the next council meeting; Councilman Preece seconded the motion. The council voted unanimously to continue the item.
City staff said they will invite the consultant and allow time for builders and other stakeholders to review the analysis and provide feedback before the council reconsiders the ordinance.
