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Council advances fee-in-lieu schedule with 1.6% annual update; larger methodology review slated for 2026
Summary
On first reading, Council approved a 1.6% annual increase to the affordable housing fee-in-lieu schedule; staff noted the five-year methodology review in 2026 to consider regional or local indexes to better reflect Aspen construction costs.
Planner Haley Hart presented Ordinance 1, explaining that the City’s growth-management chapter allows an annual update using the ENR construction cost index; the staff recommendation for this year implements a 1.6% increase compared with last January, which translates to roughly a $7,000 increase across the fee categories and represents a 14.5% change since the current methodology was adopted.
Councilors questioned whether the national index accurately captures Aspen-specific construction costs and discussed moving to a regional or Denver-specific index at the five-year review next year. Haley Hart and staff said the 2026 study will revisit methodology and that consultants will be asked whether a different index or model better fits local conditions. The ordinance passed on first reading by roll call vote.
