Garden City Council adopted the North Ada County Fire & Rescue district capital improvement plan and advanced a related package of ordinances to update development impact fees.

Attorney William Gategray, representing the fire district, asked the council to adopt the 05/19/2023 capital improvement plan that underpins proposed impact‑fee increases. Gategray said the CIP is the basis for the fee schedule and that some negotiation remains over logistical details of fee collection between the city and the fire district.

Colin McQueeney, the consultant who led the nexus study and fee calculations, walked the council through the methodology required by Idaho law—showing need, benefit and proportionality—and the proposed fee schedule. He described a plan‑based method that divides growth‑related CIP costs by a 10‑year growth projection to arrive at a cost per person (presented as $374 per person). From that analysis, the consultant presented maximum supportable per‑unit amounts including $879 for a single‑family home and $591 per multifamily unit, and higher per‑square‑foot rates for certain nonresidential uses.

Gategray and city counsel both recommended that council adopt Resolution 12‑27‑25, which the council did after a motion and roll call. At the same time, staff and counsel recommended first readings by title only of three related ordinances: 10‑60‑25 (fee schedule amendment), 10‑63‑25 (clerical correction to the fire district name), and 10‑64‑25 (advisory committee membership moved to an intergovernmental agreement). The council held first readings of all three ordinances.

One intergovernmental detail remained unresolved: when and how the city would collect the fees. NACFR prefers collection at building‑permit issuance; city staff sought discretion to collect at certificate of occupancy in some circumstances. Council voted to continue Resolution 12‑29‑25 (the amended intergovernmental agreement) to a date certain of Dec. 8 to complete negotiations.

Gategray and City legal counsel discussed enforcement and collection responsibilities: Gategray stated his client would be responsible to pursue unpaid fees, though the city’s ordinance provides the statutory mechanism.

Why it matters: the CIP adoption is the legal and technical foundation for raising the fire district impact fees and could change development costs in Garden City. The council advanced the ordinances that would change the fee schedule and code references and set a short calendar for resolving collection logistics.

Next steps: staff and fire‑district representatives will continue negotiating the intergovernmental agreement ahead of the Dec. 8 continuation; the three ordinances will return for additional readings per the city’s ordinance schedule.