The Glenns Ferry City Council approved the 2024 fee and permit prices at the most recent council meeting on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 following a public hearing that lasted one minute.
Mayor Billy Galloska opened the public hearing and reported that no written testimony had been received prior to the meeting. Finding that no one signed up to speak during the hearing, Galloska closed the public hearing.
State law requires a public hearing be held when a fee increase proposal exceeds five percent.
While many of the city fees will remain the same, a few proposed increases prompted the hearing.
The first proposed increase would have established a sliding scale of deposits required when applying for a building permit. The proposed deposit amounts would increase in relation to the value of the building permit being requested.
Galloska explained the proposal was intended to prevent building projects from proceeding ahead of the permitting and inspection process.
“There have been times when the project is completed before the permit is approved,” Galloska said.
The proposed deposit plan would have matched a similar plan used by Elmore County.
The members of the city council rejected the deposit proposal as complicated and unnecessary.
The Council did approved the creation of a new fee for holiday burials at Glenn Rest Cemetery. The new fee is a combination of the current fill-casket burial rate of $350 and the weekend burial fee $185 for a total of $535. Neither individual rate increased, but the creation of the Holiday Burial rate on the city’s rate sheet required council approval.
Galloska explained the creation the new fee was an attempt to eliminate confusion.
“This is what it would cost for a holiday burial, but by putting the two amounts together into a single fee, this will help citizens understand what is being charged,” he said.
The council was also asked to define what is to be considered the weekend when charging the weekend burial fee.
The council approved the creation of the holiday burial fee and defined the weekend to match the Friday through Sunday structure used by city hall staff.
The council approved changes to city irrigation and potable water late and insufficient funds fees.
The city irrigation late fee was changed from a math formula to a flat fee of $25. The potable water late fee was increased from $5 to $15. Potable water shut-off fee was increased to $65. The potable water insufficient fees charge was increased to $20.
The council also approved the increase of the fee for requested water turn on and turn off service to $20 per visit by city employees.
“Each residence should have an isolation valve on the resident’s side of the city water valve so they can turn water on and off during repairs or maintenance, rather than calling out a city employee several times in a day,” said Public Works Director Scott Nichols.
The city council also approved the addition of debit and credit card transactions to the list of transactions that can be assessed and insufficient funds fee.
City Clerk Teresa Nelson Parsons said difficulties have started appearing with the use of debit and credit cards.
“We have had people cancel the payment after making it using a credit or debit card,” she said.
The City Council debated the addition of a dog surrender fee of $50. Animal Control Officer Jackie Shenk said the fee was intended to encourage dog owners to find new homes for animals they can no longer care before Turning the dog over to the city.
Council member Luke Guy argued that charging a fee would lead to an increase in dogs being abandoned in rural areas or dogs being killed.
“When faced with the choice of a two-dollar bullet or a $50 fee I hate to think what choice would be made,” Guy said.
The council ultimately rejected establishing a dog surrender fee, but did approve a $30 adoption fee for animals rehoused through the city shelter.
The Glenns Ferry Public Works Department proposed a change to excavation fees. A nexcavation in a public right-of-way will now require a $50 permit and $5 per cubic foot of material removed. The $5 per cubic foot of material removed fee was added to the permit fee for cutting into city streets. The council approved both items.
The council also approved the creation of a $15 permit for fence construction.
The largest number of fee increases and creations came from the Planning and Zoning Department.
The council approved the increase of $100 to the fee for a conditional use permit to now total $300. The price of a variance was increased to $300, and lot line adjustments will now cost $200. The council also increased the fee for a lot line adjustment to $200.
The council added a $150 permit for the construction of an Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (ADU) and a $30 fine for not obtaining the appropriate permits for building an ADU.
The council also created a $750 plus consultant cost fee for amendments to zoning ordinances, and a $300 fee for parcel or lot splits.
The final increase approved by the City Council was to the city irrigation fee, taking the fee to $52.12 per 25 foot lot.
Fee increases will take effect at the beginning of the new fiscal year starting on Sunday, October 1, 2023.
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