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Council adopts EV charging policy; city to charge 34'¢/kWh and a $5 overstay fee
Summary
Council approved a resolution adopting an EV charging policy and fees to recover costs and manage demand: a proposed rate of 34¢ per kilowatt-hour for all users, a $5 overstay fee after a 30-minute grace period, an effective date of Sept. 1, 2026, and continued expansion planning for additional chargers across city facilities.
City staff presented a new electric vehicle (EV) charging policy and fee schedule aimed at making the city's public chargers financially sustainable and easier to manage as usage rises. The policy, which staff said is intended to achieve cost recovery rather than generate a profit, would set a baseline rate of 34¢ per kilowatt-hour for public users, employees and city fleets, add a $5 idle/overstay fee after a 30-minute grace period to improve turnover, and take effect Sept. 1, 2026. Staff described recent infrastructure upgrades (four dual-port smart chargers installed in January 2026) and usage data: more than 3,000 charging sessions and about 61,000 kilowatt-hours consumed through early July.
"We're proposing a rate of 34¢ per kilowatt, hour for all users," the presenter said, noting that the rate is positioned in the middle of regional municipal and private rates and intended to cover electricity, software subscriptions, maintenance and equipment replacement. Council members questioned whether staff had considered time limits as an alternative to idle fees, how idle fees would be enforced during overnight charging, and whether the city would continue to charge employees; staff said the system will use the ChargePoint platform to bill cards on file and that employee payment policy could be reconsidered as part of future climate-action discussions.
After discussion about idle-fee hours, expansion plans for chargers at other city facilities and program goals, Council member Kurt moved and the deputy mayor seconded the resolution to adopt the EV charging policy and establish fees. The roll-call vote was 7–0 in favor. Staff said they will update on-site displays, give at least 30 days notice to users and continue monitoring usage through ChargePoint for future adjustments.
