System Improvement Fees

In order to help offset the financial impacts of new development on the City’s water supply, water distribution, water treatment, wastewater treatment, electric grid, and road maintenance, system improvement fees or dedications are required to be paid for new development or when there is a significant change in land use within existing structures.  Recurring assessments such as utility billing also support the costs of the City’s infrastructure and services, but system improvement fees, which are one-time payments for new development, provide proportional funding to system upgrades that will be required in the future to support the City’s population.  

The following kinds of system improvement fees may be required for new development:

• Water impact fees
• Sewer impact fees
• Fire impact fees
• School land dedication (or fee-in-lieu)
• Parkland dedication (or fee-in-lieu) 

The specific fees and fee amounts due for new development or changes in use of existing structures vary greatly depending on the nature of the development.  Below are some general categories and estimates for system improvement fees that may be owed with new construction or locating a new business in an existing building. A planner from the Community Development Department can help you determine if system improvement fees will be required for a specific project and will be able to give you a more accurate estimate of the fee amount.

Single Family Home up to 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms             $21,400

Accessory Dwelling Unit                                                         $5,300

Hair Salon with 3 Chairs                                                        $10,700

Office Building of 2,000 square feet                                        $8,000

Restaurant with 10 seats                                                         $8,700

 For more information about how the City assesses system improvement fees, you can ask to speak to a planner in the Community Development Department or consult the municipal code:  https://library.municode.com/co/glenwood_springs/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT080UT_ART080.060SYIMFE.

For more information for new businesses, please review the Glenwood Springs Business Guide