Sandpoint OKs lower NUFF fees

SANDPOINT — It just got a little cheaper to hook up to the city’s water and sewer systems after changes to its fee structure were approved at the July 20 Sandpoint City Council meeting.

As part of a revised fee schedule, the council approved a 50-percent reduction in water hook-up fees and a 35-percent reduction in sewer hook-up fees, according to a press release. Both of the new user facility fees took effect July 21.

Under the previous rate structure, the water hook-up fee to a typical single family home was $6,723.29. Under the new NUFF fee structure, the cost would be $3,389.27. Under the previous rate structure, the typical sewer hook-up fee for a single-family home was $6,795.36. Under the new structure, the cost for a typical single-family home drops to $4,413.42.

However, under the new fee structure, the cost of moorage fees rose slightly — a 1.4-percent inflationary increase for fees tied to the Consumer Price Index. The revised moorage fees will take effect Oct. 1, 2016.

As an example, the cost for a 20-foot spot at the City Beach floating dock would increase from $28.56 per dock foot to $28.96 per dock foot. The cost at the Hobie Deck would increase from $296 per dock foot to $300 per dock foot.

Next year, the city will commission a comprehensive review of all of its water and sewer rates, city officials said. The review is part part of the city’s planning efforts for a potential new wastewater treatment plant in order to meet the new discharge requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We are pleased to announce this reduction at a time when we are seeing an economic turnaround in our local economy. We feel that this rate reduction will have a positive effect on this trend as many developers and businesses are expanding and considering new projects,” Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad said. “It’s time for our fee structure to be updated and this reduction provides a special window of opportunity for development in the meantime.”

Information: Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton, 208-265-1483 or jstapleton@sandpointidaho.gov