Shoreline reviews revised fire impact fee formula; council schedules action for Jan. 26

Shoreline staff presented a study item on Jan. 5 proposing changes to the city's fire protection impact fee schedule to comply with a 2025 change in state law. Fire Chief Kallen, joined by Fire Marshal Ryan Burgess, told the council the program was adopted by ordinance in 2017 and the city began collecting the fee in 2018 under statutory authority the presentation identified as "RCW 8,202." The proposed residential fee would group single‑family and multifamily units together and apply a formula that staff said reduces the fee to $1.34 per square foot for residential development.

Chief Kallen said the law requires a proportionate decrease for smaller residential units and that the city recalculated its fee using updated construction and equipment cost estimates, proportions of development types and expected service needs. "It groups all of the residential developments together and reduces it actually to a dollar 34 per square foot," Kallen said.

Council members asked clarifying questions. Council Member Scully summarized that rejecting the ordinance would remove the fee while approving it would bring the city into compliance; another council member asked why the medium‑risk category cost is lower than low risk, and staff explained the categories reflect the number and complexity of responses required for different building types.

Staff told the council the ordinance is scheduled for action on Jan. 26 and could appear on the consent calendar unless a member asks for it to be a separate agenda item. The presentation emphasized that impact fees must be used for capital projects tied to new development impacts and are reviewed annually.

If adopted, the new residential schedule would change how Shoreline collects fire impact fees from new housing projects; staff recommended returning with the ordinance for final action on Jan. 26.