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Gunnison council approves fee‑schedule changes, raises local fire and sanitation fees
Summary
The council adopted several fee‑schedule updates including a $1 increase to the city collection/garbage fee, a $2 increase to the local fire services fee (to $4/month), clarified home‑occupation fees and a new state culinary water monitoring fee (2¢ per 1,000 gallons).
Gunnison City Council on June 17 approved amendments to the city fee schedule that update sanitation charges, add state‑required water monitoring fees and clarify fees for low‑impact home occupations.
Dennis, speaking for city staff, said the city wants the fee schedule to mirror utility bills by separating county landfill and waste‑management charges and modestly raising the city collection fee from $17.75 to $19.25. He explained the increase responds to higher costs from White Sanitation driven by fuel. The change represents about a $1 increase in total for residential waste service.
The council also approved raising the local fire services fee from $2 to $4 per month. Dennis said the increase is designed to provide local revenue stability in advance of a county ballot measure this fall; if the county tax passes for rural medical facilities, the city may not need the local fee. The council discussed the fire department’s operating deficits and supported adding local funds to stabilize services.
On home occupations, staff proposed (and the council accepted) an update to reflect state law that low‑impact home occupations that have the same impacts as a single‑family home will not be charged a business license fee. The planning commission will continue to refine code language to define “low impact.”
Dennis also flagged a new state culinary water system monitoring fee assessed by the state at about 2¢ per 1,000 gallons; the city placed that amount in the budget now so it can collect and pay the state when the fee goes into effect in July 2027.
Councilmember Kim Pickett moved to approve the fee schedule amendments with the earlier discussed language clarifying legal/code‑interpretation fees; the motion passed.
Council asked staff to add clarifying language for simple code interpretations (informal answers) versus formal paid code interpretation requests and to notify businesses that current utility and marquee signage standards may be affected by other pending ordinances.
