Tumwater committee advances reinstitution of fire impact fees 

The Tumwater Budget & Finance Committee recommended the adoption of an ordinance that would reinstate fire impact fees on new developments in the city.  

The committee voted to endorse the ordinance at meetin on Friday, Oct. 23. It will be passed to two other committees before the city council votes on its adoption on Dec. 1. 

A copy of the ordinance was not attached to the Budget and Finance Committee’s meeting packet, as it is still being developed and will hinge on an ongoing study being conducted by FCS Group. 

What are impact fees? 

Tumwater previously charged fire impact fees from 2002 to 2009 to pay off debt for the city’s main fire station on Israel Road, according to Tumwarter Fire Department Chief Brian Hurley. 

He explained that impact fees are one-time charges imposed on new developments. The fee ensures that “growth pays for growth” by having new developments fund the expanding demand for fire services. 

Hurley illustrated the growing demand for fire services through the volume of calls received by the department. Emergency call volume grew by around 16 percent from 2020 to 2025. 

Tim Wood of FCS Group, a consulting firm, added that impact fees are restricted to capital facility costs and cannot fund operational expenses, such as staffing.  

The fees are also restricted to projects listed in the city’s comprehensive facilities plan. 

Hurley listed some eligible projects for the impact fees, including renovating the Linwood Avenue fire station, building a third station and replacing a fire engine.  

Calculating the fee 

Wood outlined a framework for calculating the fire impact fee of a new development. 

He said the fee consists of two components: one covering existing system costs and another addressing future capital needs. 

Both components calculate how much is needed to provide the fire service for every incident generated by a service area.  

The primary distinction between the two components lies in how incidents are measured. While the future component looks strictly at projected incidents, the existing system component accounts for both current and future incidents. 

Wood added that based on new statutory requirements, the calculation must also reflect the impact of new developments based on square footage, the number of bedrooms, or number of trips generated by the surrounding area. 

He ended his presentation, saying FCS Group will present the full study once complete and reviewed by city staff and stakeholders. 

Hurley said FCS Group will present the ordinance to the Public Health and Safety Committee on Nov. 4 and the Public Works Committee on Nov. 19.