Council passes updated fee schedule with changes to EV-charging idling fees after public input

City staff presented highlights of the FY2024–25 comprehensive fee schedule. The package included adjustments to over-the-counter credit-card fees, library and recreation fees, development-permit fees, plan-review fees for fire-related systems, and fees tied to special events and facilities. Finance staff noted the EV-charging program had generated roughly $11,000 annually when the program was launched and proposed a user fee of $1 per kilowatt-hour plus idling/overstay penalties.

During public comment residents and business owners questioned whether the proposed idling fines and the 30-minute grace period fit Level 2 chargers (which often require an hour or more for meaningful charging). One resident with an EV urged staff to consider typical Level 2 charge times; a downtown business representative said the EV spaces were at times underused and asked whether locating chargers and pricing were effective economic-development tools.

Following public comment, a councilmember moved an amendment to reduce the first 30-minute idling penalty and to adopt a tiered approach with lower hourly overstay penalties for slower chargers and higher penalties for faster chargers; the motion included illustrative numbers ($3 for first post-grace hour for slow chargers and higher for superchargers) and asked staff to finalize rates to balance user fairness and program revenue. Council approved the modified EV idling fee approach along with the broader fee schedule by voice vote.

Council asked staff to benchmark public and private charging comparables and to return with a finalized public-facing explanation of EV fees and signage to help charger users understand expected stay times.