The Grand Junction City Council voted unanimously to raise impact fees on new developments. These fees, charged to fund infrastructure improvements like parks, fire, police, and transportation, will increase gradually over six years, starting January 1, 2026. The increases will be tied to inflation.
While the development industry expressed worry about higher housing costs due to these increases, city officials argued that previous compromises resulted in insufficient funding for capital investments. Mayor Abe Herman emphasized that the proposal had minimal impact on residential development, while city council member Scott Beilfuss noted the difficulty in finding alternative funding methods.
The city plans to review the fee levels every six to eight years. City Manager Mike Bennett suggested that tying the fees to an inflation index will minimize the need for frequent revisions, except in extraordinary circumstances.