The Culver Town Council members will review private fire protection fees in a work session next week.
Developer Kevin Berger brought up the issue last week when he learned that in the water ordinance there is a $1,203.81 annual fee for having a sprinkler system. He asked that since his Sandhill Farm apartment complex has a system, and wasn’t available to residents until late in the year, that the fee be prorated.
The ordinance doesn’t allow for the fee to be prorated. The fee is typically billed at the beginning of the year.
Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe questioned the purpose of the fee. Town Manager Jonathan Leist said that most communities have a sprinkler fee that is charged through the water ordinance because of additional capacity of water whether or not it’s used. He noted that it is usage and some of it is access to capacity.
The Culver Beach Lodge will also have a system that will incur an annual fee under the current ordinance. Other commercial and industrial entities also are charged the annual fee.
Munroe believes the fee is unfair and asked that the council hold a work session to discuss the issue further. The work session will be held prior to the council’s next meeting on Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. ET at the Culver Town Hall.
