Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident tells council high water and sewer permit fees can block small businesses
Summary
During public comment a local business owner requested a future agenda item to reconsider water/sewer permit fees that he said acted as a barrier for new franchises and small businesses, and said he will return with detailed numbers.
At the March 20 meeting a local resident identified in the transcript as Mr. Taylor used the public-comment period to urge the council to reconsider utility permit fees he said are discouraging to new businesses.
Taylor said he and others recently applied to open a Tommy’s Express franchise and encountered what he described as unexpectedly high water and sewer permit costs. ‘‘When you go to pay a bill that’s, you know, 350 plus thousand dollars to get a permit, it hurts,’’ he told the council, saying the fees could deter entrepreneurs from locating in Rexburg.
He said his franchisor—who has worked on similar projects nationwide—was ‘‘blown away’’ by Rexburg’s fee estimates and that the city should examine whether fee structures and processes unintentionally block new enterprises. Taylor asked to be placed on a future agenda and said he would return with more specific numbers for council consideration.
Mayor and staff responded that the city would be willing to work with him to provide relevant information and to consider options; no formal action was taken at the meeting.
