Council weighs easing utility connection rules for accessory dwellings to lower costs

Beaver City Council members on April 15 debated how the city charges for utility connections when property owners add detached accessory dwelling units, a trend Manager Monte Hawkins said is creating cost burdens for residents.

Manager Monte Hawkins told the council the existing city code “strictly requires every independent residence to have its own separate and independent utility connection and meter,” a standard that can lead to substantial, sometimes unexpected, costs for homeowners adding secondary units. Hawkins asked Power Superintendent David Martin and Public Works Supervisor Bret Black to research potential changes and report back to the council.

Some council members argued the city should be “part of the solution” to local housing affordability by creating a discounted fee structure for secondary dwellings; others warned that discounted fees could amount to subsidizing private development and create an undesirable precedent. Mayor Matt Robinson noted earlier conversations about crafting an appropriate fee schedule instead of requiring full connection fees.

Council directed staff to research how other municipalities handle utility connections and to develop options for a modified fee schedule that balances protecting the city’s infrastructure investment with lowering barriers to additional housing units. No ordinance changes or votes were taken; the item will return after staff reports back.