Posted: 7/14/04
By Barbara Brown
In response to an influx of annexation requests and development activity within the city, the Rush City council is expected to adopt a change in the fees it charges developers.
At the July 12 regular meeting, the council heard a proposal from City Administrator Daniel Hoffman about sewer and water availability charges and other utility charges.
The council voted unanimously to increase the subdivision filing fees that would be charged if someone wants to file a plat.
One reason for the new fees, Hoffman told the council, is because the city has spent so much staff time and time with engineers and attorneys and not charging for that time that the city has been subsidizing some development.
He said if a plat idea does not go through, the city must absorb the costs it has incurred.
Instead, he suggested, the city should charge $75 for a minor subdivision and $500 for a plat along with a $5 per lot fee.
Other fees that were discussed Monday night were increasing the cityís sewer availability charge and establishing a trunk fee.
The SAC fee could be raised from $1,900 to $3,000; an increase of about 55 percent.
The fee is charged to developers who want to connect new residential or business units to the cityís sewer system.
Hoffman also suggested that the city implement a trunk fee to charge developers to hook into the cityís water main system.
He said the fees would be used to set aside money for maintenance and future expansion of the water and sewer systems.
The increases in the rates will not affect residential water or sewer bills.
The council will continue to consider the fees.
Also at the meeting:
ï Rush City Superintendent James Redfield appeared at the meeting to introduce himself to the council. He and the council agreed to continue to work together should issues arise to benefit the schools and the city as a whole.
ï The council received an annexation petition from Delores Mold for the remaining 23 acres that were not annexed recently when a large portion of the Mold property was annexed near the Rushseba Town Hall. A public hearing on the matter was set for 6:45 p.m. July 26.
ï The council also received a letter from resident Erin Waters asking the council to consider budgeting for a public outdoor basketball court. The council briefly discussed the suggestion, but said it would start conversations with the school district and the fairboard to see if a partnership could be struck.
Hoffman told the council that the city probably could not afford to fund the project alone due to its current commitments to the summer recreation program and maintenance costs throughout the city.
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