Consultant urges 12% water rate hike and metered irrigation tiers; North Pointe landfill fees to rise
May 21, 2024, 4:00 p.m. · American Fork City Administration Conference Room, 51 E. Main St.
With Mayor Frost absent and Clark Taylor presiding, Keith Larsen of Bowen, Collins & Associates recommended raising water revenue 12% in 2025, followed by 5% in 2026 and 2027 and 3% in 2028, and moving pressurized irrigation from a flat fee to a metered, lot-size-tiered rate. North Pointe Solid Waste District said the city's tipping fee will rise from $34 to $36 a ton and a $10 million to $15 million transfer-station expansion is planned. Legal counsel Cherylyn Egner previewed rewrites of the parking and sign codes, including limits on animated signs, illumination hours and murals.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Taxes and fees
Pressurized irrigation and culinary water rate study (Bowen, Collins & Associates)
Discussed
Keith Larsen said secondary rates have been flat since 2016 and culinary rates last rose in 2022, while inflation, aging infrastructure and conservation (production down about 9% from 2020 to 2023) are opening a revenue gap. He recommended a 12% increase in 2025, 5% in 2026 and 2027, and 3% in 2028. Public Works Director Sam Kelly cited a $13 million, 42-inch transmission line from 700 North to a city tank, eligible for impact fees. Proposed PI structure: six lot-size classes with a base rate (e.g. $13.55 for lots of 9,000 sq ft or less, versus the current $21.68) plus four tiers from $0.80 to $3.20 per thousand gallons. The AFIC shareholder discount (now 50%, $13.40/month) was judged slightly generous; a flat credit of up to $53.60/month per share was proposed. Water Superintendent Jay Brems said about 70% of meter endpoints are installed and 17 of 41 reading towers are up.
- ContractAmount not given to Bowen, Collins & Associates
- Budget$13.0 million
- Recommended increases: 12% (2025), 5% (2026), 5% (2027), 3% (2028)
- 700 North transmission line: about $13 million
- PI bond ends 2037
- Proposed PI base rates $13.55 to $98.37 by lot size; tiers $0.80/$1.04/$1.54/$3.20 per kgal
- AFIC share market value about $12,000
Item 2 · Presentation
North Pointe Solid Waste District update
Discussed
District Manager Neil Schwendiman said municipal solid waste rates will rise from $38 to $40 a ton, so the city's discounted rate goes from $34 to $36 (about 6%). American Fork sends about 14,000 tons curbside. A transfer-station expansion estimated at $10 million to $15 million would be funded by revenue bonds. Bunker said Republic Services will add a 3.5% increase in July that the city will absorb for six months.
- City tipping fee: $34 to $36/ton
- Transfer station expansion: $10M-$15M (district revenue bonds)
- Republic Services: +3.5% in July
Item 3 · City code
Code rewrite: parking (Title 10) and signs (Chapter 17.20)
Discussed
Egner proposed deleting outdated traffic code sections, reducing parking penalties from Class B misdemeanors to infractions, letting the city engineer decide on red curbs, and setting snow-parking triggers. On signs, she proposed banning animated, scrolling and flashing signs, limiting illumination to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., cutting freestanding sign height from 35 to 20 feet and requiring brightness recertification every three years, all of which sign companies opposed. Members floated raising message-center limits from 50% to 75% of a sign. On murals, Bunker suggested starting with none; Taylor said more discussion was needed.
- Freestanding sign height: 35 ft to 20 ft (proposed)
- Parking violations: Class B misdemeanor to infraction