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Council reviews proposed power impact fee increases; public hearing set as board recommends higher fees for large commercial service
Summary
Washington City staff presented an updated power capital facilities plan and recommended impact fees, including proposed increases of about 9% for residential and small commercial services and roughly 20% for large commercial. The council directed public-notice steps toward a February hearing on proposed fee changes.
Power Department staff briefed the council Jan. 22 on an updated Capital Facilities Plan and a companion impact-fee analysis that would raise residential and small-commercial impact fees by roughly 9% and large-commercial fees by roughly 20% under the consultant’s recommendations.
Rick Hanson, Washington City power director, told the council the city’s power board had reviewed the studies and recommended adoption of the updated facilities plan and the revised fee schedule. Hanson said the primary drivers are increased material costs, a revised Grapevine substation siting that lengthened transmission runs, and a changing customer mix — more small commercial services and fewer very large loads in the near term — that shifted per-unit allocations and increased the average large-commercial fee.
Key figures and rationale Hanson summarized the consultant’s methodology and noted the firm’s practice of recognizing “contribution margins” (crediting early customer payments) when calculating a fee. He reported the recommended fee adjustments are modest compared with some neighboring jurisdictions and said the city remains competitive on a 200-amp residential benchmark. The power board recommended the adjustments and asked the council to set a public hearing for formal adoption.
Council direction and schedule Council members asked for pricing details, and for more time with the consultant if needed. The city manager and staff recommended scheduling the required public hearing and formal notice. Recorder and staff confirmed noticing requirements could be met for the council’s Feb. 12 meeting; councilors directed staff to proceed with a hearing notice and to bring the ordinance back for action pending public comment and consultant follow-up.
Other power items Hanson also provided an AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) update: data-collection units and two pilot meters are installed at the police station and a rental house, and staff are working to validate communications and software exchanges before a phased rollout and consumer-facing usage tools.
No vote on fee adoption was taken Jan. 22; the council approved scheduling steps and public notice toward a formal adoption hearing.
