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Resident criticizes $28,000 fire-suppression hookup; council votes to keep fee
Summary
Sandy Martin told the Preston City Council a $28,000 hookup fee for 6-inch fire-suppression lines keeps small businesses and affordable housing out of the city. After a lengthy discussion about hydrant capacity and alternatives, the council voted to retain the existing fee.
Sandy Martin told the council that the city's six-inch fire-suppression hookup fee—"Right now, it lies at $28,000"—creates an unfair economic barrier for small businesses and housing developers. Speaking during public comment, Martin argued the fee discourages installation of life-saving suppression systems and urged the council to reexamine a structure that she said favors better-resourced property owners.
Council members discussed technical and financial trade-offs, citing a Keller & Associates water study that showed roughly 30%–37% of hydrants "can't deliver enough water pressure" and that portions of the system are served by undersized mains. Councilmember Terry Larson and others described options including a reduced upfront hookup fee combined with a small recurring monthly charge as a compromise: Larson proposed a $5,000 connection with a $50 monthly charge (or as low as $7,500 as a base fee), while others said the city needs to protect long-term funding for system upgrades.
After questions about legal defensibility and whether to refund earlier payers, Councilmember Chris Larson moved to leave the current fee unchanged and that motion was seconded and put to a roll-call. By recorded response the motion carried; the council left the fee schedule unchanged pending a future staff-led review. The council recorded concerns on both sides: several members said the fee is high but justified by long-term replacement-cost calculations; others said the non-consumptive nature of suppression lines merits a lower buy-in.
The council did not adopt a new fee schedule at the meeting; members asked staff to return with additional analyses and options for compensating prior payers if the council later lowers the fee.
