THE DALLES — At its first meeting since July, The Dalles City Council heard a presentation from the Northern Wasco County Parks & Recreation District (NWPRD) on Sept. 14. Executive Director Scott Baker announced an update to the department’s methodology for system development charges (SDCs): scaling associated fees based on square footage rather than collecting a blanket total.
Although it will decrease NWPRD’s budget, Baker said the move is underscored by fairness — the department’s response to public pushback driven by the rise of smaller, independent living spaces like Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
NWPRD is the second parks agency statewide to implement the change (Bend was the first). Baker said more cities are likely to follow suit, mirroring trends in Washington State. “In these times, it’s saying something for a government agency to take it upon themselves to reduce fees in a way that is responsive to people we serve,” he added.
SDCs are one-time fees charged to property owners and developers for developments or remodels; collections contribute to expanding public infrastructure like parks. Higher SDCs directly raise housing costs, with builders passing on the toll to home buyers and renters.
Although SDCs are updated with inflation each year, NWPRD hadn’t updated its collection methodology since 2019, when they increased fees to meet rising public demand for better parks. Back then, ADUs weren’t “as much of a thing” and “not on their radar,” according to Baker.
With more ADUs popping up, NWPRD reached out to consultants, seeking a way to charge different rates for add-ons and small developments than larger, single-family homes. They landed on a four-tier system, understanding occupancy level rises with square footage.
Since bigger homes house more people, they place more demand on parks. This idea, paired with the SDC’s underlying philosophy “growth pays for growth” and conversations with builders, gave NWPRD justification for tying fees to square footage.
The updated fee structure charges no SDC for developments under 500 square feet and scales up until it reaches developments more than 2,500 square feet, which will pay the full price.
Commented