CITY OF FORT BRAGG
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Report
January 29, 2024
909 Marina Village Parkway #135
Alameda, CA 94501
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www.LTmuniconsultants.com
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................1
1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................1
1.2 Legal Requirements ..........................................................................................................1
1.3 Current and Proposed Fees...............................................................................................2
1.4 Example Single Family Residential Proposed Fees ...........................................................6 SECTION 2: METHODOLOGY ..............................................................................................................9
2.1 Overview ...........................................................................................................................9
2.2 Measurement of Level of Service .....................................................................................9
2.3 Existing Facilities.............................................................................................................10
2.4 Planned Facilities.............................................................................................................10 SECTION 3: PLANNING HORIZON AND FUTURE CAPACITY ..............................................................11
3.1 Water and Sewer Buildout Capacity ...............................................................................11
3.2 Population Projection .....................................................................................................12
3.3 Development Projection.................................................................................................14 SECTION 4: WATER IMPACT FEE ......................................................................................................16
4.1 Background and Current Water Impact Fee ...................................................................16
4.2 Existing Facilities Component .........................................................................................16
4.3 Planned Facilities Component.........................................................................................17
4.4 Proposed Water Impact Fee ...........................................................................................19 SECTION 5: SEWER IMPACT FEE.......................................................................................................21
5.1 Background and Current Sewer Impact Fee ...................................................................21
5.2 Existing Facilities Component .........................................................................................21
5.3 Planned Facilities Component.........................................................................................22
5.4 Proposed Sewer Impact Fee ...........................................................................................24 SECTION 6: STORM DRAINAGE IMPACT FEE....................................................................................26
6.1 Background and Current Drainage Fees.........................................................................26
6.2 Capacity...........................................................................................................................26
6.3 Existing Facilities Component .........................................................................................27
6.4 Planned Facilities Component.........................................................................................27
6.5 Proposed Drainage Fee...................................................................................................29 SECTION 7: POLICE IMPACT FEE.......................................................................................................30
7.1 Background .....................................................................................................................30
7.2 Service Population ..........................................................................................................30
7.3 Existing Facilities Component .........................................................................................31
7.4 Planned Facilities Component.........................................................................................32
7.5 Proposed Police Impact Fee............................................................................................34 SECTION 8: FIRE IMPACT FEE ...........................................................................................................36
8.1 Background .....................................................................................................................36
8.2 Service Population ..........................................................................................................36
8.3 Existing Facilities and Proposed Fire Impact Fee ............................................................38 SECTION 9: CV STARR IMPACT FEE ..................................................................................................40
9.1 Background .....................................................................................................................40
9.2 Service Population ..........................................................................................................40
9.3 Planned Facilities.............................................................................................................41
9.4 Proposed CV Starr Impact Fee ........................................................................................43 City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 10: SUMMARY OF FEE RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................................44
10.1 Recommendations..........................................................................................................44
10.2 Impact to Single Family Residential Construction...........................................................44
10.3 Sample Non-residential Fee Calculations .......................................................................45 APPENDIX A: CALCULATION OF SEWER IMPACT FEES
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Current and Proposed Water Impact Fees......................................................................................3 Table 2: Current and Proposed Sewer Impact Fees......................................................................................4 Table 3: Current and Proposed Drainage Impact Fees ($/improved sq ft)...................................................5 Table 4: Current and Proposed Police Impact Fees......................................................................................5 Table 5: Current and Proposed Fire Impact Fees..........................................................................................5 Table 6: Current and Proposed CV Starr Impact Fees...................................................................................6 Table 7: Summary of Example Single Family Residential Fees (1,660 sq ft).................................................6 Table 8: Example Single Family Residential (1,660 sq ft) Impact Fee Survey ...............................................7 Table 9: Water and Sewer System Capacity ...............................................................................................12 Table 10: 30-Year Buildout Population Projection......................................................................................13 Table 11: Non-Residential Development Projection ..................................................................................13 Table 12: Existing Land Use.........................................................................................................................14 Table 13: Existing and Future Development Projection .............................................................................15 Table 14: Water System Existing Facilities..................................................................................................17 Table 15: Allocation of Water Capital Improvement Costs ........................................................................18 Table 16: Water Impact Fee Calculation.....................................................................................................19 Table 17: Proposed Water Impact Fees......................................................................................................20 Table 18: Sewer System Existing Facilities..................................................................................................22 Table 19: Allocation of Sewer Capital Improvement Costs.........................................................................23 Table 20: Sewer Impact Fee Calculation.....................................................................................................24 Table 21: Proposed Sewer Impact Fees......................................................................................................25 Table 22: Existing and Future Development Projection (Storm Drain) ......................................................26 Table 23: Storm Drain System Existing Facilities ........................................................................................27 Table 24: Allocation of Storm Drain Capital Improvement Costs...............................................................28 Table 25: Drainage Fee Calculation.............................................................................................................29 Table 26: Police Facilities Service Population .............................................................................................31 Table 27: Value of Existing Police Facilities.................................................................................................32 Table 28: Allocation of Police Capital Improvement Costs.........................................................................33 Table 29: Police Residential Impact Fee Calculation...................................................................................34 Table 30: Police Non-Residential Impact Fee Calculation...........................................................................35 Table 31: Fire Facilities Demand Factors ....................................................................................................37 Table 32: Fire Facilities Buildout.................................................................................................................38 Table 33: Value of Existing Fire Facilities Calculation .................................................................................39 Table 34: Fire Facilities Impact Fee Calculation..........................................................................................39 Table 35: CV Starr Center Service Population.............................................................................................41 Table 36: Allocation of CV Starr Capital Improvement Costs .....................................................................42 City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 37: CV Starr Residential Impact Fee Calculation ...............................................................................43 Table 38: CV Starr Non-Residential Impact Fee Calculation .......................................................................43 Table 39: Summary of Fees for an Example Single Family Home (1,660 sq ft)...........................................44 Table 40: Estimated Permit Fees for a Single Family Home .......................................................................45 Table 41: Example Office Impact Fee Calculation.......................................................................................46 Table 42: Example Grocery Store Impact Fee Calculation..........................................................................46 Table 43: Example 30 Room Hotel Impact Fee Calculation........................................................................47 City of Fort Bragg Page 1
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SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Background
The City of Fort Bragg (City) is located approximately 35 miles west of the City of Willits on the Pacific coast of Mendocino County along State Highway 1, with a population of about 7,200. The City provides a wide range of services to its residents such as police services, the construction and maintenance of streets and infrastructure, water service, community development, financial management, and administrative services. Special Districts and Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs) under the jurisdiction of the City provide emergency services, fire protection, wastewater treatment, and redevelopment services throughout the City.
Development impact fees are one-time fees paid by new development as part of the development process. They are not charged to existing residents. Development impact fees fund costs associated with acquiring, constructing, and improving public facilities1 needed to meet the needs of new development.
Development Impact Fees are not intended to fund costs associated with routine maintenance and operations; these costs are funded with taxes, user fees, utility rates or other funds available to a city.
The City currently charges water, sewer, and drainage capacity fees2 that were originally adopted in 2002 and have been increased by inflation since. The most recent impact fee study for the City was received in 2011. That study analyzed potential fees for water, sewer, storm drainage, public facilities, parks, and traffic. However, the City Council chose to adopt updated rates for the City’s existing water, sewer, and drainage fees and did not create fees for other types of facilities.
The City has identified its water, wastewater, storm drainage, police, fire, and CV Starr facilities as potential areas of need for new or improved facilities due to growth, and this report provides recommended fees for each category.
1.2 Legal Requirements
The Mitigation Fee Act (California Government Code Sections 66000 through 66025) imposes a number of restrictions on the rates for development impact fees and the procedures that must be followed for a City to adopt such fees. This Study is intended to propose fees that meet the requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act.
1 “Public Facilities” includes “public improvements, public services, and community amenities”; consequently equipment and apparatus such as fire engines and public safety communications systems are treated as Public Facilities.
2 The City has historically referred to these fees as “capacity fees.” For ease of reading, this Study will refer to all proposed fees as development impact fees. Note, however, that under state law certain capacity charges, including certain fees described in this Study, are subject to slightly less extensive legal requirements than other impact fees. This Study includes a full development impact fee analysis for each fee the Study describes, including ones that are capacity charges. This should not be interpreted to mean that the City is required by law to do the full analysis for its capacity charges or that the City has bound itself to do so.
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This Study is intended to provide support for the City Council to make the following findings set forth in the Mitigation Fee Act: (i) that there is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed and (ii) that there is a reasonable relationship between the need for the public facility and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed. This Study is also intended to serve as a Nexus Study, as that term is used in Section 66016.5 of the Mitigation Fee Act.
This Nexus Study includes estimates of the costs of providing necessary public facilities that will serve new development. It is not anticipated that the impact fees will fully fund these projects. Additional funding will come from the General Fund, from enterprise funds (for water and sewer) and other available funds (such as state grants). Where the City has already received external funds (or a binding commitment of external funds) dedicated to a specific project listed in this Study, the amount of those funds have been deducted from the “City share” of costs and that portion will not be funded with the impact fees. Existing receipts from capacity charges already collected may also be used for these purposes.
1.3 Current and Proposed Fees
The City’s current and proposed development impact fees are provided in Table 1 through 6. The City’s current development impact fees include water, sewer, and drainage fees. Table 1 compares the City’s current and proposed water impact fees. The fees for non-residential development categories are scaled to the residential water impact fee based on estimated water use. Table 2 compares the City’s current and proposed sewer impact fees. Non-residential sewer fees are scaled to the residential sewer fee based on estimated wastewater flow and pollutant loading.
As shown in Table 3, current drainage fees are charged to improved area on a per square foot (sq ft) basis depending on the land use classification of each new development. It is proposed that the City transition to a single, uniform fee billed to all new improved area within the City.
Table 4 provides proposed police impact fees. Table 5 provides proposed fire impact fees. Table 6 provides proposed CV Starr impact fees. These are new fees that the City does not currently charge.
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Table 1: Current and Proposed Water Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Unit Existing Fee Proposed Fee
Single Family Resident per dwelling $4,631.00 $3,280.20 Multi Family Resident per dwelling unit $2,821.00 $2,394.55 Car Wash (Self Serve) stall $14,356.10 $4,461.07
Car Wash (Full Service) tunnel New $5,969.96
Schools 1,000 sq ft of classroom $14,865.51 $2,820.97
Laundromats Washing machine $3,612.18 $3,870.64
Hospitals bed $5,649.82 $1,804.11
Convalescent Homes bed $2,269.19 $1,804.11
Church 1,000 sq ft $1,574.54 $1,476.09
Retail/Wholesale 1,000 sq ft $1,111.44 $1,935.32
Professional Office 1,000 sq ft $3,380.63 $1,935.32
Dental/Medical Office 1,000 sq ft $3,843.73 $2,230.54
Beauty Shops 1,000 sq ft $6,066.61 $2,230.54
Brewery 1,000 sq ft $6,946.50 $8,954.95
Theater seat $46.31 $295.22
Gas Stations 1,000 sq ft $4,075.28 $2,984.98
Garage 1,000 sq ft $1,111.44 $885.65
Bar 1,000 sq ft patron area $6,390.78 $7,446.05
Counter Service Food/Dining 1,000 sq ft prep area $8,706.28 $5,969.96 Outdoor Seating 1,000 sq ft dining area $15,791.71 removed Lodging with dining (with spa) room $5,186.72 removed
Lodging with dining (without spa) room $2,917.53 removed Lodging (all) [1] room New $2,230.54
Restaurant with Bar (fixed seating) seat $1,018.82 removed Restaurant with Bar (no fixed seating) 1,000 sq ft dining area $27,045.04 removed Restaurant (fixed seating) seat $694.65 removed
Restaurant (no fixed seating) 1,000 sq ft dining area $27,045.04 removed Restaurant (table service) 1,000 sq ft dining area New $8,954.95 Supermarket 1,000 sq ft $2,917.53 $2,394.55
1 – For lodging development that includes both lodging and a restaurant, the restaurant square footage will be charged the restaurant fee separately from the per room fee.
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Table 2: Current and Proposed Sewer Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Unit Existing Fee Proposed Fee
Single Family Resident per dwelling $3,640.00 $2,640.34 Multi Family Resident per dwelling unit New $1,905.40
Car Wash (Self Serve) stall $15,433.60 $3,663.03
Car Wash (Full Service) tunnel New $4,884.05
Schools 1,000 sq ft of classroom $16,016.00 $2,585.90
Laundromats Washing machine $3,894.80 $3,174.63
Hospitals bed $6,078.80 $1,633.20
Convalescent Homes bed $2,438.80 $1,633.20
Church 1,000 sq ft $1,710.80 $1,361.00
Retail/Wholesale 1,000 sq ft $1,201.20 $1,506.43
Professional Office 1,000 sq ft $3,640.00 $1,587.31
Dental/Medical Office 1,000 sq ft $4,113.20 $2,041.50
Beauty Shops 1,000 sq ft $6,552.00 $2,391.47
Brewery 1,000 sq ft $7,462.00 $10,499.14
Theater seat $72.80 $318.86
Gas Stations 1,000 sq ft $4,368.00 $2,442.02
Garage 1,000 sq ft $1,201.20 $695.28
Bar 1,000 sq ft patron area $7,207.20 $6,105.06
Counter Service Food/Dining 1,000 sq ft prep area $7,352.80 $6,999.43 Outdoor Seating 1,000 sq ft dining area $14,560.00 removed Lodging with dining (with spa) room $5,569.20 removed
Lodging with dining (without spa) room $3,166.80 removed Lodging (all) [1] room New $1,769.30
Restaurant with Bar (fixed seating) seat $1,092.00 removed Restaurant with Bar (no fixed seating) 1,000 sq ft dining area $23,296.00 removed Restaurant (fixed seating) seat $728.00 removed
Restaurant (no fixed seating) 1,000 sq ft dining area $24,278.80 removed Restaurant (table service) 1,000 sq ft dining area New $13,298.91 Supermarket 1,000 sq ft $3,166.80 $2,550.90
1 – For lodging development that includes both lodging and a restaurant, the restaurant square footage will be charged the restaurant fee separately from the per room fee.
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Table 3: Current and Proposed Drainage Impact Fees ($/improved sq ft) City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Land Use Classification Current[1] Proposed[1]
265 RVH, RM, RH Very-High Density Residential, Medium Density Residential $0.15013 266 RL Low Density Residential $0.37054
267 RS, RR Suburban Residential, Rural Residential $0.37054 268 CN, CO, CBD, CG, CH Commercial $0.14623
269 IH, IL, HD, IT Industrial, Timber Resources Industrial, Harbor District $0.14623 270 PR Parks and Recreation $0.14361
271 PF Public Facilities and Services $0.05068
272 OS Open Space $0.21541
All Land Uses $0.74462
1 – Fee per improved square foot. Improved area consists of livable or occupied space, garages and carports, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other paved area
Table 4: Current and Proposed Police Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Current Proposed
Residential per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $324.99
Commercial per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $2,028.54
Industrial per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $782.16
Lodging per room NA – new fee $553.24
Table 5: Current and Proposed Fire Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Current Proposed
Residential per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $202.18
Commercial per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $371.20
Industrial per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $184.49
Lodging per room NA – new fee $103.07
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Table 6: Current and Proposed CV Starr Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Current Proposed
Residential per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $385.78
Commercial impact fee per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $271.66 Industrial impact fee per 1,000 sq ft NA – new fee $104.75 Lodging impact fee per room NA – new fee $74.09
1.4 Example Single Family Residential Proposed Fees
A summary of proposed impact fees calculated in this report for an average single family home (1,660 square feet) is provided in Table 7.
Table 7: Summary of Example Single Family Residential Fees (1,660 sq ft) City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category 2024 Impact Fee [1] Status
Water $3,280 Existing category
Sewer $2,640 Existing category
Storm Drainage $1,236 Existing category
Police $539 New category
Fire $336 New category
CV Starr $640 New category
1 – Example fees based on a 1,660 sq ft home in a low-density residential zone; police, fire, and CV Starr fees charged to housing developments will be assessed on a $/1,000 sq ft basis
As part of the impact fee analysis, a survey was conducted to compare the City of Fort Bragg’s single family residential impact fees to the fees charged by other local agencies, see Table 8. The City’s current fees are significantly below those charged by other comparable communities. The median impact fees of surveyed agencies total $14,931 in comparison with Fort Bragg’s fees of $8,886 for a 1,660 square foot home in a low-density residential zone. It should be noted that other communities shown in the table may charge additional impact fees not shown in the table including fees for parks and recreation, traffic mitigation, affordable housing, health care, schools, and a variety of other purposes.
With the proposed updates to existing fees as well as the addition of three proposed new impact fee categories, the total fees for a typical single family home will decrease slightly from $8,886 to $8,672. It City of Fort Bragg Page 7
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should be noted that the City of Fort Bragg charges other fees to new development in addition to development impact fees, including water and sewer connection fees, planning permit fees, and building permit fees. The cost of total fees for a 1,660 sq ft single family home in a low-density residential zone with a building permit valuation of $250,000 is $16,645.
Table 8: Example Single Family Residential (1,660 sq ft) Impact Fee Survey City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Community Water Sewer
Storm
Drain Police Fire CV Starr Total
Fortuna $2,165 $4,445 $531 $7,141
Eureka $3,208 $3,423 $701 $7,332
Fort Bragg (Proposed) $3,280 $2,640 $1,236 $539 $336 $640 $8,672 Fort Bragg (Current) $4,631 $3,640 $615 $8,886
Willits / Little Lake FD $4,025 $7,840 $1,627 $13,492
Ukiah / Ukiah Valley SD $1,833 $12,240 $14,073
Arcata [1] $7,429 $8,161 $199 $15,789
Cloverdale $7,192 $11,160 $255 $1,502 $20,109
Clearlake [2] $7,500 $11,936 $1,660 $21,096
Sonoma / Sonoma Valley County SD [3] $4,260 $17,739 $21,999 Windsor [4] $4,695 $11,387 $3,758 $118 $2,905 $22,863
Lakeport [5] $8,877 $16,309 $166 $1,660 $27,012
Notes: For all agencies which calculate fees per sq ft, 1,660 sq ft is used to generate rates shown in the table for illustrative purposes. For all agencies which charge water or wastewater capacity fees based on meter size, fees for the smallest meter size available are shown in the table to reflect the most likely meter size for a residential customer. Some agencies charge additional fees to new development which are not shown in the table, including fees for parks and recreation, affordable housing, schools, and a variety of other purposes.
1 - Water fee shown includes Connection fee for physical connection to the system ($4,718) plus Capital Connection Fee ($2,711).
Sewer fee shown includes connection fee ($4,598) plus Sewer Capital Connection Fee ($3,563) 2 - Water fee is for customers in Clearlake served by the Highlands Mutual Water Company. Portions of the City's customers are also served by the Golden State Water Company or other service providers. Sewer fee is paid to Lake County Sanitation District #1.
Fire fees are paid to the Lake County Fire Protection District. 3 - Wastewater fee shown is the Connection fee for the Sonoma Valley District of Sonoma County. Fees vary by service area. 4 - Water fee is for Standard Single Family Residence (fees vary by size of home - small vs. standard). Fire fee is charged by Sonoma County Fire District.
5 - Wastewater fee is charged by CLMSD North and the Lake County Sanitation District 9-1 & 9-3, which collect and treat the City's sewer flows in the north area of the City. Fees vary in the CLMSD South portion of the City. Storm drain and fire fees effective as of January 2019. Fire Mitigation fee is paid to the Lake County/Lakeport Fire Department.
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Figure 1 below summarizes the fee survey of water, sewer, and storm drainage development impact fees including the City’s current fees as well as the proposed fees. The proposed fees would decrease the total cost of water, sewer, and storm drainage development impact fees for a typical single family residential customer from $8,886 to $7,157.
Figure 1: Example Water, Sewer, and Storm Drainage Residential Fee Survey City of Fort Bragg Page 9
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SECTION 2: METHODOLOGY
2.1 Overview
This Study seeks to allocate to each new development project the costs attributable to the increased demand for public facilities that is reasonably related to the development project. This allocation does not include costs attributable to existing deficiencies in public facilities but includes the costs attributable to the increased demand for public facilities reasonably related to the development project in order to (1) refurbish existing facilities to maintain the existing level of service or (2) achieve an adopted level of service that is consistent with the General Plan.
2.2 Measurement of Level of Service
Each of the services for which the City charges or is considering charging a development impact fee is delivered on a citywide basis through a system of facilities. For example, all of the City’s fire facilities work as a system to provide fire and emergency medical responses throughout the City. Thus, adding a new piece of fire apparatus anywhere in the City increases the capacity of the firefighting system citywide because the new apparatus both (i) provides primary or backup service to every location in the City and (ii) increases the availability of existing apparatus by reducing the need for existing apparatus to serve as primary responder for incidents that are now primarily covered by the new apparatus.
For each of the proposed fees considered in this Study, the Study identifies the planned level of service for the type of facilities funded by the fee. The planned level of service is generally calculated by dividing:
(i) the value of existing facilities that are intended to provide the service throughout the study period (i.e. are not being entirely replaced by a new facility) plus (ii) the cost of new facilities (and refurbishments/additions to existing facilities) by
For Water/Sewer: The rated flow capacity of the plant
For All Other Fees: The service demand (both existing and new) anticipated at the end of the study period.
Throughout this report, the “level of service” is measured as a cost (in dollars) per unit of capacity or demand.
Pudding Creek: It is anticipated that the City will experience growth in the area north of Pudding Creek.
Development in that location will trigger the need for expanded or extended facilities such as pipeline extensions and other water and sewer infrastructure. Those facilities will only provide service to the City of Fort Bragg Page 10
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area north of Pudding Creek and the associated costs should only be borne (i.e. allocated 100%) to development in that area.
2.3 Existing Facilities
To determine the value of existing facilities relevant to the planned level of service, the City’s fixed asset list was reviewed and edited to remove facilities or assets that have other cost recovery mechanisms 3 ,
assets that are fully depreciated, or assets that are scheduled to be replaced in the capital improvement plan.
To calculate the value of existing facilities using the Replacement Cost New Less Depreciation (RCNLD) method, the book cost of City facilities less depreciation was escalated to present worth using the Engineering News Record’s Construction Cost Index 20-city average for January 2023.
2.4 Planned Facilities
The cost of new facilities is determined using the City’s published Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP is a planning tool that identifies major capital projects for the City and prioritizes capital-funding needs to maintain or expand the level of service. The CIP identifies funding needed for infrastructure projects. Detailed descriptions of the projects mentioned in this Study are available in the CIP. 3 Other cost recovery mechanisms can include grants, developer contributions, donations, and special taxes.
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SECTION 3: PLANNING HORIZON AND FUTURE CAPACITY
This section establishes the City’s projected system capacity. The City has established a thirty-year planning horizon for the development impact fees. Thus, this section estimates residential and commercial development through 2053.
3.1 Water and Sewer Buildout Capacity
Water and sewer capacity is assigned based on average daily demand and sewer flows. Total water system capacity available for existing residents and growth is 1.7 million gallons per day (MGD) based on existing sources of supply. Recent water usage patterns from utility billing data indicates about 0.56 MGD or about 33% of total supply is consumed by existing residents leaving about 1.1 MGD or 67% available for growth, see Table 9.
The City’s wastewater treatment plant has a total capacity of 0.8 MGD. Of this amount, about 0.49 MGD or about 61% is estimated to be used by existing residents and about 0.31 MGD or 39% is available for growth. Over the next thirty years, the City does not anticipate expanding water supply or wastewater treatment capacity beyond facilities that are already in-place. If the City determines that wastewater treatment capacity needs to be expanded before 2053 and determines the cost to do so, the sewer impact fee should be revised.
A typical single family dwelling unit (called an equivalent dwelling unit – EDU) is estimated to use about 110 gallons per day (gpd) of water and generate about 97 gpd of sewer flows.
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Table 9: Water and Sewer System Capacity
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Water System gallons per day % of Total
Water Treatment Plant Capacity [1] 1,700,000
Existing Average Daily Demand [2] 561,777 33.0%
Remaining Capacity 1,138,223 67.0%
Average Day Demand per Single Family Dwelling [2] 110
Future EDUs (Future demand divided by 110 gpd) 10,348
Sewer System
Sewer Treatment Capacity [3] 800,000
Existing Flows [4] 489,161 61.1%
Remaining Capacity 310,839 38.9%
Average Day Flow per Single Family Dwelling [5] 97
1 - Per City staff, the average maximum the plant can produce is 1.7 MGD due to source water availability
2 - Average daily demand based on past 5 years of water billing data 3 - City staff confirmed WWTP capacity is 800,000 gpd for average dry weather flow 4 - Based on average winter water use for all customers from November - February each year from FY 2018 - FY 2021
5 - Based on average Single Family winter water use from November - February each year from FY 2018 - FY 2021
3.2 Population Projection
Table 10 develops the population projection for the City which is used to determine fees for public facilities other than water and sewer. Data was taken from the California Department of Finance and the City’s Housing Element published in 2019. The City’s 2053 population is estimated at about 8,350 people based on an annual growth of 40 residents per year. The current population of about 7,200 represents about 85.6% of the 2053 buildout population and new growth from 2023 to 2053 is estimated to represent about 14.4% of the buildout population.
The City’s non-residential population is estimated below in Table 11. From 2023 to 2053, it is estimated that employment will increase from about 2,600 to about 3,030 jobs. Due to the isolated location of Fort Bragg, it is estimated based on discussions with City staff that the majority of the City’s residents also work within the City. Thus, growth in employment is projected to increase at the same rate as growth in the residential population through buildout. Estimated existing employment is from 2021 Census OnTheMap data, the most recent year available.
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Table 10: 30-Year Buildout Population Projection
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Current Projected Growth
Estimated
Population in 30
years [1]
Population [2]
7,153 1,200 8,353
Average Persons Per Household [3]
2.35 2.35 2.35
Number of EDUs [4]
3,044 511 3,555
Current vs. Growth Allocation
85.6% 14.4% 100%
1 - 30-year population is estimated based on annual growth of 40 residents per year. Per City's 2019 Housing Element, 40 new residents a year is the average annual change in population from 2015 through 2018.
2 - January 1, 2022 (current) population taken from California Department of Finance Report E-4 "Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and State 2021-2022 with 2020 Benchmark" 3 - Persons per household 2017-2021, US Census Quickfacts 4 - EDU – Equivalent dwelling unit; defined as a single family home with an average occupancy of 2.35
Table 11: Non-Residential Development Projection
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
# of Jobs
Current Employment [1] 2,597 85.6%
Employment Growth 436 14.4%
Estimated Employment in 30 Years [2] 3,033 100.0%
1 - US Census OnTheMap Employment Data for 2021, the most recent year available
2 - Projected employment at buildout assuming number of employees grows at the same rate as number of residents
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3.3 Development Projection
Existing land use in the City is estimated below in Table 12. The number of available rooms of lodging development is based on City data for Transient Occupancy Taxes collected in July 2022. For commercial and industrial development, existing land use in number of square feet (sq ft) was estimated by escalating the 2010 land use in the City’s most recent General Plan Land Use Element from 2012 by projected new construction from 2012 through 2022.
Table 12: Existing Land Use
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Use
2010 City
Development
Estimated New
Construction in
City through 2022
Total Estimated
Current Land Use
Residential (units) 3,044 (Table 10)
Commercial/Office (sq ft) [1] 1,556,000 143,000 1,699,000 Industrial (sq ft) [2] 316,000 20,000 336,000
Lodging (Rooms) [3] 850
Source: Table LU-1, Fort Bragg Inland General Plan, Land Use Element (November 2012) 1 - 2010 estimate for commercial/office includes 2002 General Plan estimate plus new development over the past ten years; includes lodging building space
2 - 2010 estimate includes industrial buildings on the Mill Site, which is being decommissioned and redeveloped into non-industrial uses
3 - Existing rooms estimated by City staff
The existing land use projection from Table 12 was used as the basis for projecting development over the next 30 years through buildout, see Table 13. The City’s 2012 General Plan established average annual non-residential growth estimates which were used to project total commercial and industrial development at buildout. The estimated growth rate for the lodging category was estimated by City staff.
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Table 13: Existing and Future Development Projection
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Land Use Existing
Growth
(30 Years) [1] 2053
Residential (units) 3,044 511 3,555
Commercial/Office (square feet) 1,699,000 429,000 2,128,000 Industrial (square feet) 336,000 60,000 396,000
Lodging (Rooms) 850 150 1,000
1 – Residential growth from Table 10. Average annual non-residential growth estimates used are from the City’s 2012 General Plan, except for the Lodging category which was estimated by City staff:
14,300 SF of commercial space added per year (includes lodging square feet) 50 hotel rooms added every 10 years
20,000 SF of industrial space added every 10 years
City of Fort Bragg Page 16
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 4: WATER IMPACT FEE
4.1 Background and Current Water Impact Fee
The City’s public water system includes raw water supply, treatment, and distribution facilities, which are owned and operated by the City. City staff is responsible for operating and maintaining the water treatment plant, source water intakes, water storage facilities, water meters, and various pump stations.
The City’s current water capacity charge is $4,631 per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU). One EDU is defined as the average water demand of a single-family customer. Based on billing records, the demand of one EDU is 110 gallons per day. As shown in Table 9, unused capacity in the water system is 1,138,223 gallons per day which equates to 10,348 EDUs. The level of service provided is the cost of facilities needed to provide 110 gallons per day per EDU (including facilities needed to supply, treat, transmit, and distribute this water); capital improvements are needed to ensure that properly treated potable water can be reliably delivered.
The City also has a water connection fee which covers the cost of the physical connection between the City’s mainline in the public right of way and private property. The standard residential connection fee for a 3/4” meter 30 feet or less from the City water line is $2,624. The water connection fee is not as part of this study.
4.2 Existing Facilities Component
Table 14 summarizes the water system fixed assets and calculates a cost for the City’s existing facilities.
This cost is expressed in terms of dollars per gallon per day (gpd) was determined to be $8.65. The value of facilities to provide the existing level of service per EDU is $951.50.
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Table 14: Water System Existing Facilities
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Asset Category RCNLD [1]
Buildings & Improvements $4,784,497
Infrastructure $5,352,220
Land [2] $305,329
Machinery Equip & Vehicles $4,263,926
Total $14,705,973
Water System Capacity (gpd) 1,700,000
Existing Cost ($/gpd) $8.65
Existing Cost per EDU $951.50
1 - RCNLD: Replacement cost new less depreciation calculated as original cost less depreciation adjusted to current construction cost. 2 - Land does not depreciate. Original book cost shown.
4.3 Planned Facilities Component
Table 15 includes the City’s share of water capital improvement projects which are not anticipated to be funded through grants. All projects, including constructing raw water reservoirs and an overhaul of the Water Treatment Plant, will aid the City in maintaining its level of service for all customers through 2053. These projects reflect the City’s reinvestment in its water facilities to allow the City to continue to provide 110 gallons per day of capacity to future residential connections into the future. Without this reinvestment, water service could become unreliable and result in main breaks, regulatory violations, or service interruptions.
One of the projects include in the City’s capital improvement plan, the extension of the water system north of Pudding Creek, is needed solely to connect and provide service to a specific new development area. That project’s cost is $2.4 million and is not included in Table 15 below because it will only provide service to new development north of Pudding Creek, rather than new development throughout the entire City. As such, it is anticipated that this project’s cost should be recovered through an area-specific impact fee included in a development agreement for that specific service area.
The new facilities portion of the level of service is $21.17 per gallons per day or $2,328.70 per EDU.
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Table 15: Allocation of Water Capital Improvement Costs City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Capital Improvement Projects
CIP Cost net
of Grant
Funding
Existing
Connections
Future
Connections Allocation Notes
Existing
Connections
Future
Connections
Madsen Hole Ranney $300,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $99,137 $200,863 Desalination – Ocean Intake $5,250,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $1,734,900 $3,515,100 Water Treatment Plant Overhaul $1,100,200 33.0% 67.0% All customers $363,569 $736,631 Pudding Creek Water Main Relocation $914,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $302,038 $611,962 Raw Water Line Engineering and Construction $630,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $208,188 $421,812 Raw Water Reservoirs - 135 AF $26,950,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $8,905,818 $18,044,182 Distribution System Rehabilitation $850,000 33.0% 67.0% All customers $280,889 $569,112 $35,994,200 $11,894,537 $24,099,663
Capacity Available for Growth (gpd) 1,138,223
Cost per gallon $21.17
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4.4 Proposed Water Impact Fee
Table 16 provides the total proposed water impact fee. The existing facilities component from Table 14 is added to the new facilities component from Table 15 to equal a total residential water impact fee of $3,280.20 per EDU. There is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because each new development will be provided with a water main connection to the City’s system and take water service. There is a reasonable relationship between the need for the public facility and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because water service is a condition of development.
Table 16: Water Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/gpd)
Existing Component $8.65
Planned Component $21.87
Level of Service $29.82
Rate Calculation
Level of Service ($/gpd) $8.65
Usage per EDU (gpd) 110
Rate per EDU $3,280.20
For non-residential customers, water fees are determined using a pre-calculated EDU multiplier for each type of development. The water EDU multipliers were calculated based on estimated water usage relative to the water usage of an average single family residential customer (110 gallons per day). A full listing of proposed water impact fee rates is provided in Table 17.
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Table 17: Proposed Water Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Unit
Estimated
Gallons per Day EDU
Proposed Water
Impact Fee
Single Family Resident per dwelling unit 110 1.00 $3,280.20 Multi Family Resident per dwelling unit 80 0.73 $2,394.55 Car Wash (Self Serve) stall 150 1.36 $4,461.07
Car Wash (Full Service) tunnel 200 1.82 $5,969.96
Schools 1,000 sq ft of classroom 95 0.86 $2,820.97
Laundromats Washing machine 130 1.18 $3,870.64
Hospitals bed 60 0.55 $1,804.11
Convalescent Homes bed 60 0.55 $1,804.11
Church 1,000 sq ft 50 0.45 $1,476.09
Retail/Wholesale 1,000 sq ft 65 0.59 $1,935.32
Professional Office 1,000 sq ft 65 0.59 $1,935.32
Dental/Medical Office 1,000 sq ft 75 0.68 $2,230.54
Beauty Shops 1,000 sq ft 75 0.68 $2,230.54
Brewery 1,000 sq ft 300 2.73 $8,954.95
Theater seat 10 0.09 $295.22
Gas Stations 1,000 sq ft 100 0.91 $2,984.98
Garage 1,000 sq ft 30 0.27 $885.65
Bar 1,000 sq ft patron area 250 2.27 $7,446.05
Counter Service Food/Dining 1,000 sq ft prep area 200 1.82 $5,969.96 Lodging [1] room 75 0.68 $2,230.54
Restaurant (table service) 1,000 sq ft dining area 300 2.73 $8,954.95 Supermarket 1,000 sq ft 80 0.73 $2,394.55
1 – For lodging development that includes both lodging and a restaurant, the restaurant square footage will be charged the restaurant fee separately from the per room fee.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 5: SEWER IMPACT FEE
5.1 Background and Current Sewer Impact Fee
The wastewater treatment system includes collection, treatment, and discharge facilities. The City’s wastewater system is owned by the Fort Bragg Municipal Improvement District (MID or District) No. 1, which is entirely operated and maintained by the City at the expense of the District. MID No. 1 is comprised of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), sewage lift stations, pipelines, force mains, and an ocean outfall pipeline. The WWTP was recently upgraded to meet current technology standards and wastewater treatment objectives.
The City’s current sewer capacity charge is $3,640 per EDU. One EDU is defined as the average wastewater discharge and pollutant loading of a single-family customer. Based on billing records, the flow of one EDU is 97 gallons per day. As shown in Table 9, unused capacity in the wastewater system is about 311,000 gallons per day or 3,205 EDUs. The level of service provided is the cost of facilities needed to properly transmit and treat 97 gallons per day per for the average single family residence; capital improvements are needed to ensure that wastewater discharge is collected, treated, and disposed of in a manner compliant with environmental regulations.
The City also has a separate sewer connection fee which is currently $2,199 for a standard 4” sewer lateral that is 4 feet deep or less. The cost for the sewer connection increases incrementally as the depth of the lateral increases. The sewer connection fee is not a part of this study.
5.2 Existing Facilities Component
Table 18 summarizes the sewer system fixed assets and calculates the value of the City’s existing facilities. The value expressed in terms of dollars per gallon per day (gpd) was determined to be $25.04.
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Table 18: Sewer System Existing Facilities
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Asset Category RCNLD [1]
Buildings & Improvements $775,845
Infrastructure [2] $17,927,943
Land [3] $82,200
Machinery Equip & Vehicles $1,249,846
Total $20,035,834
Sewer System Capacity (gpd) 800,000
Cost ($/gpd) $25.04
1 - RCNLD: Replacement cost new less depreciation calculated as original cost less depreciation adjusted to current construction cost. 2 - This asset category includes the recent wastewater treatment plant upgrade. The RCNLD value is net of $3.388M of USDA grant and $6M of Prop 84 grant funding for the upgrade.
3 - Land does not depreciate. Original book cost shown.
5.3 Planned Facilities Component
The City’s share of costs in the capital improvement plan developed by City staff for the sewer enterprise is provided in Table 19. The list also excludes projects that will solely provide service to the north of Pudding Creek area. Based on the capacity projections in Table 9, projects are allocated 61.1% to existing connections and 38.9% to growth. These projects reflect the City’s reinvestment in its sewer facilities to allow the City to continue to provide 97 gallons per day of capacity to future residential connections into the future. Without this reinvestment, wastewater service could become unreliable and result in pipeline breaks, sanitary sewer overflows, or regulatory violations.
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Table 19: Allocation of Sewer Capital Improvement Costs City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Capital Improvement Projects
CIP Cost net
of Grant
Funding
Existing
Connections
Future
Connections Allocation Notes
Existing
Connections
Future
Connections
Bio Solids Dryer $664,320 61.1% 38.9% All customers $406,199 $258,121 Pudding Creek Sewer Main Relocation $400,000 61.1% 38.9% All customers $244,581 $155,420 Onsite Sodium Hypochlorite Generator $300,000 61.1% 38.9% All customers $183,435 $116,565 Elm Street Pump Station Header $80,000 61.1% 38.9% All customers $48,916 $31,084 Dryer Building Reconstruction $170,000 61.1% 38.9% All customers $103,947 $66,053 Bio Solids Storage Structure $130,000 61.1% 38.9% All customers $79,489 $50,511 $1,744,320 $1,066,567 $677,753
Growth (gpd) 310,839
Cost per gallon $2.18
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
5.4 Proposed Sewer Impact Fee
The total proposed sewer impact fee is provided in Table 20. The proposed fee is $2,640.34. There is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because each new development will be provided with a sewer lateral connection to the City’s system and take sewer service. There is a reasonable relationship between the need for the public facility and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because sewer service is a condition of development. The collection and treatment of sewage is a necessary service of the City to provide sanitation. The proposed fees are scaled to the flow and pollutant loading of each landuse.
Non-residential impact fees are determined by scaling each customer’s wastewater flow (in gallons per day) and pollutant strength to the flow and strength of an average single family customer. A full listing of proposed sewer impact fees is provided in Table 21 and further detail is provided Appendix A.
Table 20: Sewer Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/gpd—domestic strength)
Existing Component $25.04
Planned Component $2.18
Level of Service $27.22
Rate Calculation
Level of Service ($/gpd) $27.22
Flow per EDU (domestic strength gpd) 97
Total Fee per EDU ($/gpd domestic strength) $2,640.34
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Table 21: Proposed Sewer Impact Fees
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Unit EDU
Proposed Sewer
Impact Fee
Single Family Resident per dwelling unit 1.00 $2,640.34 Multi Family Resident per dwelling unit 0.72 $1,905.40
Car Wash (Self Serve) stall 1.39 $3,663.03
Car Wash (Full Service) tunnel 1.85 $4,884.05
Schools 1,000 sq ft of classroom 0.98 $2,585.90
Laundromats Washing machine 1.20 $3,174.63
Hospitals bed 0.62 $1,633.20
Convalescent Homes bed 0.62 $1,633.20
Church 1,000 sq ft 0.52 $1,361.00
Retail/Wholesale 1,000 sq ft 0.57 $1,506.43
Professional Office 1,000 sq ft 0.60 $1,587.31
Dental/Medical Office 1,000 sq ft 0.77 $2,041.50
Beauty Shops 1,000 sq ft 0.91 $2,391.47
Brewery 1,000 sq ft 3.98 $10,499.14
Theater seat 0.12 $318.86
Gas Stations 1,000 sq ft 0.92 $2,442.02
Garage 1,000 sq ft 0.26 $695.28
Bar 1,000 sq ft patron area 2.31 $6,105.06
Counter Service Food/Dining 1,000 sq ft prep area 2.65 $6,999.43 Lodging [1] room 0.67 $1,769.30
Restaurant (table service) 1,000 sq ft dining area 5.04 $13,298.91 Supermarket 1,000 sq ft 0.97 $2,550.90
1 – For lodging development that includes both lodging and a restaurant, the restaurant square footage will be charged the restaurant fee separately from the per room fee.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 6: STORM DRAINAGE IMPACT FEE
6.1 Background and Current Drainage Fees
Stormwater is a term used to describe water that originates during precipitation events. Stormwater that cannot soak into the ground becomes “runoff.” The existing level of service for the storm drain system is the collection of runoff during wet weather events to prevent flooding. The more earth that is covered by impervious surfaces, the less it can absorb stormwater. Thus, areas with lots of buildings, pavement, and other impervious surfaces generate more runoff than areas with abundant soil and vegetation.
The City of Fort Bragg has a full range of land uses including low to high density residential, commercial, industrial, public facilities, parks and recreation, and open space. Land uses within the City are established by the City’s Inland and Coastal General Plan Land Use Elements and implemented by the City’s Inland and Coastal Land Use and Development Codes. Current drainage fees are assessed on a per square foot basis on all improved area according to the land use classification of the new construction.
Improved area consists of livable or occupied space, garages and carports, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other paved area.
Storm drain impact fees are needed to fund the construction of culverts, gutters, and retention basins to manage flooding from wet weather events.
6.2 Capacity
Table 22 estimates the relative allocation of existing improved area and growth over the next thirty years.
Table 22: Existing and Future Development Projection (Storm Drain) City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Improved Square Feet
Land Use Existing
Growth
(30 Years) 2053
Residential (sq ft) 5,053,040 848,260 5,901,300
Commercial/Office (sq ft)[1] 1,699,000 429,000 2,128,000 Industrial (sq ft) 336,000 60,000 396,000
Total 7,088,040 1,337,260 8,425,300
84.1% 15.9% 100.0%
1 – includes lodging sq ft
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6.3 Existing Facilities Component
The City’s fixed asset list was reviewed to determine the value of existing assets. Based on the projected improved area at buildout, the existing value of facilities per square foot of improved area is approximately $0.08369.
Table 23: Storm Drain System Existing Facilities
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Asset Category RCNLD [1]
Infrastructure $705,082
Total $705,082
Total sq ft at buildout 8,425,300
Weighted cost per sq ft $0.08369
1 - Original cost less depreciation adjusted to current construction cost.
6.4 Planned Facilities Component
The City last adopted a Storm Drainage Master Plan in 2004 which was prepared by Winzler & Kelly Consulting Engineers. The Master Plan establishes the City’s level of service and includes a comprehensive description of the City’s storm drainage system and facilities as well as recommendations on upgrades required to improve the system and repair or prevent system deficiencies. The City is planning to install twelve (12) high-flow capacity (HFC) trash capture devices inside of existing City storm drain infrastructure in response to Water Code Section 13383 Order, issued by the State Water Board in 2017. The HFC devices will capture and prevent trash from traveling via the storm drains to receiving water bodies. Trash in local watersheds poses a serious threat to surface water quality and aquatic species if transported to local creeks, rivers, or the Pacific Ocean. This project is in response to new State mandates that public storm water systems capture and divert litter/trash from entering the storm drain system to prevent the pollution of receiving waters in streams or the ocean.
All recommended projects in the Master Plan which expand the capacity/resiliency of the system are proposed to be funded in part through the drainage impact fee as shown in Table 24. The reason for the change in service level was identified during field investigations and hydraulic modeling efforts due to projected increased runoff associated with future development. Absent the City’s planned improvements to the storm drain system, new development (and new paved areas) could cause flooding. Using the ENR Cost Index, estimated construction costs from the Master Plan were escalated from October 2004 dollars to January 2023 dollars.
It is recommended that 15.9% of project costs be allocated to growth based on the development projection in Table 22. The planned level of service cost per sq ft is calculated as approximately $0.66.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 24: Allocation of Storm Drain Capital Improvement Costs City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Capital Improvement Projects [1]
CIP Cost net of
Grant Funding
Existing
Development
Future
Development Allocation Notes
Existing
Development
Future
Development
Trash Capture Devices $3,000,000 84.1% 15.9% All customers $2,523,841 $476,159 Oak St. Replace w/36" HDPEs and 30" HDPE $1,069,818 84.1% 15.9% All customers $900,017 $169,801 Ocean View Dr. Replace w/30" HDPE $121,230 84.1% 15.9% All customers $101,988 $19,242 Cedar St. Replace w/24" HDPE $325,683 84.1% 15.9% All customers $273,991 $51,692 Ocean View Dr. Replace w/30" HDPE $213,099 84.1% 15.9% All customers $179,276 $33,823 Oak St. and Sherwood Rd. Install 30" HDPE $398,097 84.1% 15.9% All customers $334,911 $63,186 Park St. at Chestnut St. Install 18" HDPE $117,808 84.1% 15.9% All customers $99,110 $18,698 South St. Install 18" HDPE $215,261 84.1% 15.9% All customers $181,095 $34,166 Highway 1 Replace w/36" and 48" HDPE $107,540 84.1% 15.9% All customers $90,471 $17,069 $5,568,536 $4,684,700 $883,836
Sq ft of development 1,337,260
Cost per sq ft $0.66093
1 - Apart from Trash Capture Devices, projects are taken from Table 5-11 in the City's October 2004 Storm Drain Master Plan. Costs have been escalated from October 2004 dollars to January 2023 dollars.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
6.5 Proposed Drainage Fee
The existing facility cost per sq ft from Table 23 is added to the planned facility cost per sq ft from Table 24 to determine a total cost per sq ft of development of about $0.74, see Table 25.
Table 25: Drainage Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/ sq. foot)
Existing Component $0.08369
Planned Component $0.66093
Level of Service $0.74462
Rate (per square foot) [1] $0.74462
1 – Rate per square foot of improved area. Improved area consists of livable or occupied space, garages and carports, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other paved area.
It is proposed that all landuses be charged the same fee to reflect the fact that a square foot of pavement in a residential parcel generates the same amount of storm runoff as a square foot of pavement in any other parcel. There is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because these projects will collect and convey stormwater generated from new development. There is a reasonable relationship between the need for the public facility and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because the additional pavement from new development will contribute increased stormwater runoff that must be collected and retained to prevent flooding.
City of Fort Bragg Page 30
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 7: POLICE IMPACT FEE
7.1 Background
The Fort Bragg Police Department provides emergency and non-emergency public safety services on a full-time basis to residents of Fort Bragg. Uniformed police officers and community service officers investigate crimes and traffic accidents, arrest law violators, enforce traffic and parking regulations, and provide a variety of other services. Administrative and business offices of the Police Department also provide additional services including customer service, property and evidence management, employee training, fingerprinting, and more.
The City of Fort Bragg has a $22/parcel tax for funding fire equipment but has no other dedicated taxes to fund police or fire services or facilities. Police and fire operating costs are funded primarily from the General Fund via property taxes (including the parcel tax), sales taxes, and transient occupancy taxes (TOT). Police capital costs that are not funded through grants are noted as Internal Service Funded items in the City’s Budget which are also funded via General Fund revenues or General Fund reserves.
Police impact fees will be used to fund improvements to the Police Station, police vehicles, computers, and other public safety equipment.
7.2 Service Population
Table 26 estimates the service population for the City’s police facilities. A weighting factor was calculated to account for the fact that residents and employees in the City do not create equal demand for police facilities. Non-residential development has a greater impact on police services and facilities than residential growth. The weighting factor represents the impact of residential versus non-residential development on the need for the City’s police facilities and public safety services.
City staff provided crime location data by commercial or residential properties. The data indicates that the Police Department averages about 1.33 calls per resident compared to 3.69 calls per employee annually. Thus, non-residential development is assessed a weighting factor of 2.77 based on the call demand per employee compared with the call demand per resident.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 26: Police Facilities Service Population
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Residents Employees
Existing 7,153 2,597
Growth 1,200 436
Total Buildout 8,353 3,033
Weighting Factor 1.00 2.77 [1]
Weighted Population Residents Employees Total %
Existing 7,153 7,194 14,347 85.6%
Growth 1,200 1,208 2,408 14.4%
Total Buildout 8,353 8,402 16,755 100.0%
1 - Based on the ratio of police commercial service calls per employee to police residential service calls per resident using City data on crime location from 2019 through 2022.
7.3 Existing Facilities Component
The existing police facilities are summarized in Table 27. Existing assets including the Police Station and parcel of land at 250 Cypress St, police vehicles, and other equipment are estimated to have a total value of $2.5 million. The value of vehicles was determined from the City’s fixed asset list while the value of the Police Station building, land, and equipment was determined using their appraised values per the City’s 2021 Lease Revenue Bond Official Statement. Table 27 applies the value of these assets to the weighted buildout population established in Table 26 to determine an existing facilities value of $147.41 per person.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 27: Value of Existing Police Facilities
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Asset Category Estimated Value Notes
Police Station $1,710,800 Appraised value less depreciation [1] Equipment $139,733 Appraised value less depreciation [2] Land $400,000 Appraised value
Vehicles $219,282 RCNLD
Total $2,469,815
Weighted population through buildout 16,755
Base cost per person $147.41
1 - Appraised value from the Official Statement of the 2021 Lease Revenue Bonds page 5, reduced by about 37% for depreciation (asset is about 28 years into a 75 year life) 2 - Appraised value listed in the Official Statement of the 2021 Lease Revenue Bonds reduced by about 47% for depreciation (average depreciation is estimated based on 7 years into a 15 year life)
7.4 Planned Facilities Component
The planned level of service for the City’s police facilities also includes several additions to existing facilities as shown in Table 28 below. Based on the weighted service population projection (see Table 26), about 14.4% of costs identified in the City share of Police CIP costs were determined to be attributable to future development based on the percentage of the total service population at buildout that is anticipated to be made up of new development projects. The total capital costs for recovery from future development equals about $198,000. Planned improvements to the City’s police facilities include refurbishments to the Police Station, the replacement of existing police vehicles, and the construction of the associated infrastructure which will support the City’s transition toward an electric vehicle fleet for its police vehicles. The reason for the change in service level is the need to upgrade these facilities to meet the needs of future growth. Absent these improvements, police department response times may increase and the police may provide a lower level of public safety.
There is a reasonable relationship between the police fee’s use to fund these projects and the type of development projects on which the fee will be imposed because all the City’s police facilities work as a system to provide emergency responses and public safety services throughout the City. For instance, purchasing one new police vehicle as part of the City’s vehicle replacement plan increases the capacity of the police system citywide because that new vehicle can respond to calls anywhere in the City and additionally will reduce the need for existing vehicles to respond to calls which are handled by the new vehicle. There is a reasonable relationship between the need for the public facility and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because new residences and commercial enterprises in the City will result in increased police calls. Investment in police facilities is needed to provide emergency and non-emergency response to calls in new development areas.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 28: Allocation of Police Capital Improvement Costs City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Capital Improvement Projects
CIP Cost net
of Grant
Funding
Existing
Development
Future
Development Allocation Notes
Existing
Development
Future
Development
Police Department Roof Replacement - Solar $80,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $68,503 $11,497 Police Department Paint and Repairs $70,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $59,940 $10,060 Vehicle Replacement Plan $1,080,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $924,784 $155,216 EV Fleet Project $146,595 85.6% 14.4% All customers $125,527 $21,068 $1,376,595 $1,178,753 $197,842
Weighted population growth through buildout 2,408
Base cost per person $82.16
City of Fort Bragg Page 34
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
7.5 Proposed Police Impact Fee
The police impact fee is proposed to be charged according to resident and employee density. It is proposed the fee be assessed using the estimated number of persons per unit for each land use type according to residential and non-residential density data. Non-residential fee categories are divided between commercial, industrial, and lodging development. The number of persons per unit approximates the demand for City services created by each new development. Residential land uses will be charged based on a per dwelling unit basis, commercial and industrial land uses will be charged on a per 1,000 sq ft basis, and lodging land uses will be charged on a per room basis based on the occupant density factors shown.
Residential density factors were established based on data from the Census as well as the City’s General Plan. Non-residential employment density factors were calculated using the Employment Density Study prepared by Natelson Company, Inc. for the Southern California Association of Governments in October 2001. This study is used as an industry standard for estimating employment density.
The proposed residential police impact fees are calculated in Table 29. The total planned level of service calculated as a dollar amount per service population is converted into a fee per dwelling unit for residential developments. The proposed police impact fee is $539.49 per average single family home or $324.99 per 1,000 sq ft of residential development.
Table 29: Police Residential Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/ resident)
Existing Component $147.41
Planned Component $82.16
Level of Service $229.57
Rate Calculation
# of people per typical single family (SF) home 2.35
Typical Single family impact fee $539.49
per SF home
Residential Fee based on building size $324.99
Per 1,000 sq ft
City of Fort Bragg Page 35
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
The proposed non-residential police impact fees are calculated in Table 30. The planned level of service per employee is $635.91. This cost is then assigned per 1,000 sq ft or per room based on the estimated employment density data to calculate the proposed impact fees for commercial, industrial, and lodging developments as shown in the table. The proposed commercial impact fee is higher than the industrial fee, reflecting the greater density of employees on average.
Table 30: Police Non-Residential Impact Fee Calculation City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/employee)
Existing Component $408.33
Planned Component $227.58
Level of Service $635.91
Rate Calculation
# of commercial employees per 1,000 sqft [1] 3.19
Commercial impact fee $2,028.54
per 1,000 sqft
# of industrial employees per 1,000 sqft [1] 1.23
Industrial impact fee $782.16
per 1,000 sqft
# of lodging employees per room [1] 0.87
Lodging impact fee $553.24
per room
1 - Based on the 2001 Employment Density Study prepared by The Natelson Company, Inc. for the Southern California Association of Governments.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 8: FIRE IMPACT FEE
8.1 Background
The City has a longstanding relationship with the Fort Bragg Rural Fire Protection District whereby the City provides General Fund revenues on an annual basis to the Fire District for fire protection services within the City. The two entities operate under a JPA known as the Fort Bragg Fire Protection Authority (FBFPA). The Fire District covers a large geographic area from Caspar to Westport and has all powers relating to fire protection, suppression, and emergency rescue within its boundaries.
The City currently has two fire stations, the Main Street and Highway 20 Stations that serve the City as a whole and will continue to do so based on development projections through 2053. The fire impact fee will be used to fund a portion of the proposed $8.7 million upgrade to the City’s Main Street Fire Station.
A description of this project is provided in the City’s capital improvement plan.
8.2 Service Population
It is proposed that the impact of new development on medical response assets and facilities be assigned based on the number of people as well as square feet. The persons demand factor is weighted 66.7% (i.e. about 66.7% of Fire Department service calls are assumed to be for medical emergencies) and is weighted based on the number of persons per 1,000 sq ft. The area demand factor is weighted 33.3% (i.e. about 33% of Fire Department service calls are assumed to be related to structure fires) and is assigned based on building size per unit. For this Study, the weighting factors are based on statewide statistics calculated by the U.S. Fire Administration, Incident types in California, 2021. 4 Table 31
calculates total fire department demand factors for residential and non-residential constituents.
4 See https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/states/california.html last accessed 1/25/2024 City of Fort Bragg Page 37
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 31: Fire Facilities Demand Factors
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Land Use
Category Unit
Persons
per Unit
[1]
Area
per Unit
[2]
# of people
per 1,000
sq ft
Persons Demand
Factor per 1,000
sq ft [3]
Area
Demand
Factor
Fire Facilities
Demand
Factor per
1,000 sq ft [4]
Residential Dwelling 2.35 1,660 1.4 0.67 0.33 1.00
Commercial 1000 SF 3.19 1,000 3.2 1.50 0.33 1.84
Industrial 1000 SF 1.23 1,000 1.2 0.58 0.33 0.91
Lodging 1000 SF 2.90 [5] 1,000 2.9 1.37 0.33 1.70
1 - Residents per unit is based on US Census data
2 - Residential estimate based on a survey of the average home size of recent sales and homes currently for sale in Fort Bragg, 3 - 66.7% of fire services are related to medical calls based on California fire losses reported through the National Fire Incident Reporting System to the U.S. Fire Administration in 2021. This column is calculated as 0.67 X (# of people per 1,000 sq ft/1.4) using the average single family dwelling unit as a baseline 4 - Persons Demand Factor + Area Demand Factor
5 - Based on the 2001 Employment Density Study prepared by The Natelson Company, Inc. for the Southern California Association of Governments. Based on number of employees per room of lodging and assuming 300 sq ft per room City of Fort Bragg Page 38
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
The total service population in EDUs is derived in Table 32 using the development projection from Table 13 and the demand factors from Table 31.
Table 32: Fire Facilities Buildout
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Residential
Dwellings
Commercial
(1,000 sq ft)
[1]
Industrial
(1,000 sq ft)
[1]
Lodging
(rooms) [1]
Existing 3,044 1,444 336 850
Growth 511 384 60 150
Total Buildout Units 3,555 1,828 396 1,000
1,000 Square Feet
Existing 5,053 1,444 336 255
Growth 848 384 60 45
Total Square Feet 5,901 1,828 396 300
Fire Facilities Demand Factor
per 1,000 sq ft
1.00 1.84 0.91 1.70
Weighted Square Feet (1,000)
Residential
(1,000 sq ft)
Commercial
(1,000 sq ft)
Industrial
(1,000 sq ft)
Lodging
(1,000 sq ft) Total %
Existing 5,053 2,651 307 433 8,444 83.4%
Growth 848 705 55 76 1,685 16.6%
Total Buildout 5,901 3,356 361 510 10,129 100.0%
1 – Data from Table 13; commercial square feet shown here is non-lodging building area
8.3 Existing Facilities and Proposed Fire Impact Fee
Table 33 summarizes the proposed fire impact fee calculation. The existing level of service is based on provision of the Main Street Fire Station and Highway 20 Fire Station to the public to facilitate emergency medical response and fire protection response. The value of the fire system’s existing level of service was determined to be approximately $2.0 million. The fire impact fee is proposed to recover about 16.6% of this amount (Table 32) which equals about $340,000 to be reinvested into fire station facilities. There is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because reinvestment is needed to mitigate the impact of increased service calls due to new development.
As shown in the table below, the total cost of facilities is divided by the total weighted square feet at buildout from Table 32 to derive a base cost of $202.18 per 1,000 square feet that is assigned to each land use type using the demand factors from Table 31. Table 34 calculates the proposed fees for different land use types that are scaled to their fire facilities demand factors.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 33: Value of Existing Fire Facilities Calculation City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Asset Category Estimated Value Notes
Main St Fire Station $1,614,979 RCNLD [1]
Hwy 20 Fire Station $369,547 Appraised Value less depreciation [2] Land $63,300 [3]
Total $2,047,826
Weighted 1,000 sq ft 10,129
Base cost $202.18
1 - Original cost less depreciation adjusted to current construction cost. 2 - Building value listed in the City's 2020 Property Program renewals reduced by about 45% for depreciation (asset is about 34 years into a 75 year life) 3 - Land does not depreciate. Original book cost shown.
Table 34: Fire Facilities Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/weighted 1,000 sq ft)
Existing Component $202.18
Rate Calculation
Residential fire demand factor per 1,000 sqft 1.00
Residential impact fee $202.18
per 1,000 sqft
Commercial fire demand factor per 1,000 sqft 1.84
Commercial impact fee $371.20
per 1,000 sqft
Industrial fire demand factor per 1,000 sqft 0.91
Industrial impact fee $184.49
per 1,000 sqft
Lodging fire demand factor per 1,000 sq ft 1.70
Lodging impact fee [1] $103.07
per room
1 – based on average room size of 300 sq ft
City of Fort Bragg Page 40
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 9: CV STARR
SECTION 10: IMPACT FEE
10.1 Background
The C.V. Starr Community Center and Sigrid & Harry Spath Aquatic Facility (CV Starr Center) is a 43,000 sq ft facility that includes an indoor water park, fitness, exercise, and weight rooms and meeting rooms for community use. Its grounds include a dog park, skateboard park, pétanque courts, a community garden, and picnic and barbecue facilities. The facility was built by the Mendocino Coast Recreation and Parks District (MCRPD), a special district providing recreational services to residents of the Mendocino Coast.
After opening the CV Starr Center in 2009, the MCRPD found itself challenged by insufficient operating revenues. In March 2012, the voters of Fort Bragg approved a ballot measure which established a special sales tax to fund the facility. The ballot measure also required ownership of the CV Starr Center be transferred to the City. The CV Starr Center is operated as an Enterprise Fund like the water and wastewater systems. The City generates additional revenues through the collection of user fees, the sale of merchandise, and other miscellaneous sources.
The CV Starr impact fee will be used to fund a portion of planned upgrades to the CV Starr Center including LED lighting and energy efficiency retrofits, flooring improvements, and retrofits to the hot water system, HVAC, disinfection system, roof, waterslide, and reception area.
10.2 Service Population
Table 35 projects the estimated number of employees working in the City through 2053. From 2023 to 2053, it is estimated that employment will increase from about 2,600 to about 3,000 jobs. Table 35 also estimates the impact of this growth on the City’s CV Starr Center. To compare the relative impacts of residential and commercial development, a weighting factor was determined based on hypothetical hours that employees or residents are in the City. While employees are in the City for 40 hours per working week, residents have 128 non-working hours per week. Thus, employees are assigned a weighting factor of 0.31 (the ratio of 40 to 128 hours) due to the lower relative impact of non-residential development on the CV Starr Center’s facilities. The weighting factor is applied to the development projection to determine the existing and future service population for the CV Starr Center.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 35: CV Starr Center Service Population
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Residents Employees
Existing 7,153 2,597 [1]
Growth 1,200 436
Total Buildout 8,353 3,033
Weighting Factor 1.00 0.31 [2]
Weighted Population Residents Employees Total %
Existing 7,153 812 7,965 85.6%
Growth 1,200 136 1,336 14.4%
Total Buildout 8,353 948 9,301 100.0%
1 - See Table 11
2 - Based on the ratio of 40 working hours per week to 128 non-working hours per week The CV Starr impact fee is proposed to be calculated solely using the value of planned level of service improvements based on the City’s planned capital improvement costs. The City’s acquisition of the CV Starr Center was financed in large part through major donations and fundraising efforts as well as tax revenues, so the existing level of service was provided at no cost. The existing level of service is based on provision of the 43,000 sq ft Center for use of about 7,200 residents and 2,600 employees.
10.3 Planned Facilities
The purpose of the CV Starr impact fee is to fund improvements and refurbishments to the CV Starr Center that will achieve the planned level of service outlined in the City’s capital improvement plan.
Planned capital improvements to the CV Starr Center are allocated to existing and future development in Table 36. 14.4% of total project costs are attributable to new development based on the service population calculation in Table 35 and are therefore proposed to be recovered through impact fees. The total planned level of service calculated as a dollar amount per service population is $272.51 and is used as the basis for the fee calculation. The reason for the change in service level is about $364,000 in investment from growth is needed so that the facility can provide service to a population that is projected to increase from about 7,200 residents to 8,400 residents. There is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed because the CV Starr Center will need to be upgraded and improved to provide service to a larger population.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 36: Allocation of CV Starr Capital Improvement Costs City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Capital Improvement Projects
CIP Cost net
of Grant
Funding
Existing
Development
Future
Development Allocation Notes
Existing
Development
Future
Development
LED Lighting Project $116,762 85.6% 14.4% All customers $99,993 $16,769 Watt Stopper $60,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $51,383 $8,617 Restroom and Locker Room Flooring $63,852 85.6% 14.4% All customers $54,682 $9,170 Ultra Violet Disinfection System Replacement $160,600 85.6% 14.4% All customers $137,535 $23,065 Domestic Hot Water #1 and #2 $157,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $134,452 $22,548 HVAC Air Intake Redesign $1,300,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $1,113,298 $186,702 Facility Roof Repair/Skylights $375,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $321,144 $53,856 Water Slide Staircase Rehabilitation $150,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $128,457 $21,543 Reception Desk Area Rehabilitation $150,000 85.6% 14.4% All customers $128,457 $21,543 $2,533,214 $2,169,401 $363,813
Weighted population growth through buildout 1,336
Base cost per person $272.51
City of Fort Bragg Page 43
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
10.4 Proposed CV Starr Impact Fee
The proposed CV Starr impact fee calculation is provided in Table 37 and the non-residential CV Starr impact fee calculation is provided in Table 38. The fees are assigned per unit of development according to the residential and employment density data described in Section 3. The proposed impact fee per typical single family home is $640.40.
Table 37: CV Starr Residential Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/ resident)
Level of Service $272.51
Rate Calculation
# of people per typical single family (SF) home 2.35
Typical Single family impact fee $640.40
per SF home
Residential Fee based on building size $385.78
Per 1,000 sq ft
Table 38: CV Starr Non-Residential Impact Fee Calculation City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Level of Service ($/employee)
Level of Service $85.16
Rate Calculation
# of commercial employees per 1,000 sqft [1] 3.19
Commercial impact fee $271.66
per 1,000 sqft
# of industrial employees per 1,000 sqft [1] 1.23
Industrial impact fee $104.75
per 1,000 sqft
# of lodging employees per room [1] 0.87
Lodging impact fee $74.09
per room
1 - Based on the 2001 Employment Density Study prepared by The Natelson Company, Inc. for the Southern California Association of Governments.
City of Fort Bragg Page 44
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
SECTION 11: SUMMARY OF FEE RECOMMENDATIONS
11.1 Recommendations
It is recommended that the City adopt the water, sewer, storm drainage, police, fire, and CV Starr impact fees outlined in this report. The proposed fees in this report are intended to recover the proportional costs of facilities needed to serve growth at the City’s planned level of service and are based on the most current information available at the time of this study.
11.2 Impact to Single Family Residential Construction
A summary of current and proposed impact fees for the construction of an average single-family residential home is shown below in Table 39. Despite adding three proposed new impact fees, the total cost for a typical home will decrease slightly under the proposed fees due to the reductions in the existing water and sewer capacity fees. It should be noted that police, fire, and CV Starr fees will be charged based on a $/1,000 square foot basis. The table below lists the fees of an example 1,660 square foot home.
Table 39: Summary of Fees for an Example Single Family Home (1,660 sq ft) City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Category Existing Fee Proposed Fee Status
Water $4,631 $3,280 Existing category
Sewer $3,640 $2,640 Existing category
Storm Drainage $615 $1,236 Existing category
Police $539 New category
Fire $336 New category
CV Starr $640 New category
Total $8,886 $8,672
In addition to development impact fees, the City of Fort Bragg charges other fees to new development including water and sewer connection fees, planning permit fees, and building permit fees. The estimated total permit fees for the construction of a typical single-family home under the current and proposed impact fees are provided in Table 40. According to the parameters used for the example calculation, total permit fees would slightly decrease from $16,645 to $16,431 given the proposed development impact fees outlined in this report.
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Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
Table 40: Estimated Permit Fees for a Single Family Home City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Fee Type Current Proposed
Water and Sewer Capacity Fees $8,271 $5,921
Water and Sewer Connection Fees $4,823 $4,823
Water and Sewer Permit & Inspection Fee $255 $255
Drainage Fee $615 $1,236
New Development Impact fees (1,660 sq ft) $1,516
Other City Fees $2,681 $2,681
Total Cost $16,645 $16,431
Notes: Fees shown are based on a new single family residential development in a low-density residential zone with a building permit valuation of $250,000. “Other City Fees” category includes Business License Surcharge, Planning Department Building Fee, Public Works Department Building Permit Fees, General Plan Maintenance Fee, and Construction and Demolition Deposit (refundable after construction).
11.3 Sample Non-residential Fee Calculations
Impacts to non-residential construction will vary according to the size of the development and its projected water and sewer flows. Provided in this section are three examples of the current and proposed impact fees that would be charged to commercial and lodging development.
For non-residential customers, water and sewer fees are determined using an EDU multiplier for each type of development. The water EDU multipliers were calculated based on estimated water usage relative to the water usage of an average single family residential customer (110 gallons per day). The sewer EDU multipliers were calculated based on sewer flows in gallons per day and pollutant strength relative to an average single family customer. The number of water and sewer EDUs assigned to each development is then multiplied by the fee per EDU shown in Table 16 (water) and Table 20 (sewer).
Storm drainage fees are proposed to be charged on a per sq ft basis on all improved area. Police, fire, and CV Starr impact fees are proposed to be charged on a per 1,000 sq ft basis for commercial and industrial developments and per room for lodging developments.
City of Fort Bragg Page 46
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
11.3.1 Small Office
Table 41 compares the current and proposed impact fees for a hypothetical new 1,500 sq ft small office in the City. Using these parameters, total proposed impact fees would equal about $10,400.
Table 41: Example Office Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Small Office [1] Current Proposed
Water $5,070.95 $2,902.98
Sewer $5,460.00 $2,380.97
Storm Drain $219.35 $1,116.93
Police $3,042.81
Fire $556.80
CV Starr $407.49
Total Impact Fees $10,750.29 $10,407.98
Percent Change -3%
1 - Assumed office space is 1,500 sq ft
11.3.2 Grocery Store
Example impact fee calculations for a 16,000 sq ft grocery store are provided below in Table 42.
Including all six proposed impact fee categories, the store’s impact fees would total about $133,800.
Table 42: Example Grocery Store Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
Grocery Store [1] Current Proposed
Water $46,680.48 $38,312.74
Sewer $50,668.80 $40,814.45
Storm Drain $2,339.68 $11,913.92
Police $32,456.64
Fire $5,939.20
CV Starr $4,346.56
Total Impact Fees $99,688.96 $133,783.50
Percent Change 34%
1 - Assumed grocery store is 16,000 sq ft
City of Fort Bragg Page 47
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
11.3.3 30 Room Hotel
Table 43 calculates current and proposed impact fees for a 30-room hotel development. This hypothetical hotel is assumed to be 24,000 sq ft. In total, proposed impact fees for this example development would equal about $159,800.
Table 43: Example 30 Room Hotel Impact Fee Calculation
City of Fort Bragg
Impact Fee Nexus Study
30 Room Hotel [1] Current Proposed
Water $87,525.90 $66,916.08
Sewer $95,004.00 $53,079.00
Storm Drain $3,509.52 $17,870.88
Police $16,597.20
Fire $3,092.18
CV Starr $2,222.70
Total Impact Fees $186,039.42 $159,778.04
Percent Change -14.1%
1 - Assumed hotel is 24,000 sq ft with 30 rooms
City of Fort Bragg Page A-1
Impact Fee Nexus Study 2024
APPENDIX A: CALCULATION OF SEWER IMPACT FEES
Provided below is a listing of various non-residential land use categories and the proposed sewer EDU assignment. To determine the sewer fee EDU multiplier for various customer types, the flow, BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), and TSS (total suspended solids) of each new customer will be scaled to the flow and strength characteristics of a single family home as shown in the equation below:
𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 =
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹
𝑆𝑆 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 X (60% + [20% X 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝑆𝑆 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 ]+ [20% X 𝑇𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑇𝑇 ] ) SF – Single Family
Category Unit
Flow
Gallons
per Day
BOD
(mg/l)
TSS
(mg/l) EDU
Proposed
Sewer
Impact Fee
Single Family Resident per dwelling unit 97 175 175 1.00 $2,640.34 Multi Family Resident per dwelling unit 70 175 175 0.72 $1,905.40 Car Wash (Self Serve) stall 150 130 130 1.39 $3,663.03
Car Wash (Full Service) tunnel 200 130 130 1.85 $4,884.05 Schools 1,000 sq ft of classroom 95 175 175 0.98 $2,585.90 Laundromats Washing machine 130 130 130 1.20 $3,174.63
Hospitals bed 60 175 175 0.62 $1,633.20
Convalescent Homes bed 60 175 175 0.62 $1,633.20
Church 1,000 sq ft 50 175 175 0.52 $1,361.00
Retail/Wholesale 1,000 sq ft 65 110 110 0.57 $1,506.43
Professional Office 1,000 sq ft 65 130 130 0.60 $1,587.31 Dental/Medical Office 1,000 sq ft 75 175 175 0.77 $2,041.50 Beauty Shops 1,000 sq ft 75 250 250 0.91 $2,391.47
Brewery 1,000 sq ft 300 300 300 3.98 $10,499.14
Theater seat 10 250 250 0.12 $318.86
Gas Stations 1,000 sq ft 100 130 130 0.92 $2,442.02
Garage 1,000 sq ft 30 110 110 0.26 $695.28
Bar 1,000 sq ft patron area 250 130 130 2.31 $6,105.06
Counter Service Food/Dining 1,000 sq ft prep area 200 300 300 2.65 $6,999.43 Lodging [1] room 65 175 175 0.67 $1,769.30
Restaurant (table service) 1,000 sq ft dining area 300 450 450 5.04 $13,298.91 Supermarket 1,000 sq ft 80 250 250 0.97 $2,550.90
1 – For lodging development that includes both lodging and a restaurant, the restaurant square footage will be charged the restaurant fee separately from the per room fee.