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Santaquin adopts updated impact-fee ordinances for water, irrigation and sewer after public hearing
Summary
After a public hearing and a technical presentation by consultant Chris Thompson, the council adopted ordinances enacting updated drinking water (0302), pressurized irrigation (0303), and sanitary sewer (0304) impact-fee plans and analyses; staff said the new methodology allows annual updates and makes fees more defensible under state law.
The Santaquin City Council adopted three ordinances updating impact fees for drinking water, pressurized irrigation and sanitary sewer following a formal public hearing and a presentation by consultant Chris Thompson of Hansen, Allen & Luce.
During the public hearing, a resident asked whether impact fees apply only to new construction; staff and council explained impact fees are charged for new impacts and are regulated by state law. Consultant Chris Thompson described the studies’ approach: level-of-service tables, a per-unit (per-cubic-foot) method for distribution piping (replacing an older length-of-pipe model), and an annual‑updateable dataset intended to keep fees accurate and defensible. Council members questioned why some level-of-service numbers differ from prior studies; consultants explained the differences reflect updated historical usage data and a more verifiable methodology for large-diameter distribution mains.
Council then moved to adopt Ordinance 0302 (drinking water IFFP/IFA) with scrivener’s corrections, followed by Ordinance 0303 (pressurized irrigation IFFP/IFA) and Ordinance 0304 (sanitary sewer IFFP/IFA). Roll-call votes were recorded and the ordinances passed. Staff noted minor text/table corrections and circulated updated exhibit tables after the meeting to fix labeling and an inaccurate statement describing the ADU fee as a “maximum allowable” rather than a policy-based 10% reduction intended to support moderate-income housing.
The new approach is intended to make fees easier to update annually, align charges to measurable capacity needs, and reduce the city’s risk of under‑collecting for future capital projects. Staff said changes will be reflected in future budget amendments and that some fee categories rose while others saw small reductions or corrections.
