Wasatch County fire district previews possible jump in development impact fees

Assistant Chief Nearings presented a staff-led review of the Wasatch County Fire Protection Special Service District's development impact fee during the board's April meeting, saying the district is considering an update because construction and apparatus costs have climbed sharply since the last formal studies.

Nearings told the board the district began impact-fee work in 2018 (completed 2019) and updated the methodology in 2021 using a Zions Bank review that split single-family and multifamily categories. He said station and apparatus costs are the chief drivers: the Heber Station estimate in 2019 was about $4.1 million and staff showed a 2023 projection in the mid-teens of millions, and aerial apparatus prices have risen from about $1.1–$1.2 million five years ago to $1.7 million for a recent contract.

"Everything's expensive and everything's going up," Nearings said, arguing the district must stay current so new development helps pay its incremental service costs. Staff reported preliminary sample increases shown in the analysis: $476 for single-family, $436 for multifamily and $0.76 per square foot for commercial (staff characterized these as draft figures drawn from the Zions Bank spreadsheet and not final). Nearings emphasized any change would follow the same public-notice and hearing process used in prior updates.

Board members raised procedural and political concerns: several asked that Susie from Zions Bank present the underlying spreadsheets and methodology at a future meeting so the board and public can understand the math. Members also noted the district's five-year cadence for studies and cautioned that citizens typically react strongly to fee increases.

Staff said they will prepare a technical paper and invite Zions Bank to a subsequent meeting; staff indicated a formal update would require public notice, hearings and legal review before any fee changes take effect.

The board did not take formal action to change fees at the meeting; staff requested guidance to proceed with additional analysis and outreach and said they aim to return with more detailed materials at a follow-up meeting.