DSD - Development User Fees Presentation 5_5_26.pdf

User Fee Update
City Council Meeting: May 5, 2026
Brian Craig, Director
Development Services Department
1

Activity
Buckeye 
Current 
Fee
Buckeye 
Proposed 
Fee
West 
Valley 
Average
Avondale
Goodyear
Peoria
Surprise
Site Plan
$3,785
$3,517
$4,842
$5,600
$5,825
$6,000
$3,000
Certificate of 
Occupancy
$100
$140
$365
$100
$500
$150
$75
Engineering Plan 
Review per Sheet
$430
$345
$322
$375
$145
$360
$300
Traffic Control Plans 
(Application Fee)
New
$50
$334
$150
$264
$173
$750
West Valley Comparisons
Avondale, Goodyear, Peoria, and Surprise
2

Significant Changes
Description
Current
Proposed
Difference
MIDS/SLIDS
$3,900
$1,395
64%
Planning Unit 
Plan 
Amendments
$5,280
$4,165
21%
Description
Current
Proposed
Difference
Concept Site Plan 
Review
$970
$2,940
203%
Variance Fee
$915
$2,190
140%
10-Acre Grading 
Permit 
$2,365
$3,090
30%
No Fee Exceeds a 100% Recovery in the Proposed Fee Update
3

Grading 
Construction Permit 
by Acreage
Buckeye 
Current 
Fee
Buckeye 
Proposed 
Fee
West 
Valley 
Average
Avondale
Goodyear
Peoria
Surprise
2 Acres
$640
$735
$878
$780
$630
$1,050
$1,050
10 Acres
$2,365
$3,090
$2,521
$2,300
$2,182
$2,800
$2,800
50 Acres
$10,140
$13,415
$11,523
$9,900
$9,942
$13,125
$13,125
West Valley Comparisons
Avondale, Goodyear, Peoria, and Surprise
4
Peoria & Surprise base their G&D Permit on an overall 3.5% of contract price. For estimate purposes, used the following construction costs: 2 acres - 
$30,000, 10 acres - $80,000, 50 acres - $375,000

Timeline
Council 
Workshop 
12/25
60-Day 
Notice/Comment 
Period 
1/26-3/26
Comment Review
3/26
Council Final 
Consideration  
5/26
5

Updates Post 60-Day Notice
6
•
Corrected (lowered) Building Safety per hour to $130 (from $246)
•
Third review and beyond
•
Revised plans post approval
•
Clarified per hour costs with proper labels to distinguish from flat 
fee charges
•
Reduced after hours inspection to 3 hour minimum (from 4 hour)
•
Clarified expiration period of TCOs per code (60 days)
•
Changed Water Damage Repair permits from “calculated” to 
“stated” value-based fees
•
Removed the Curbside HHW Collection Fee

Recommended Action
7
• Approve Resolution No. 38-26, approving the new or 
increased Development User Fees, Public Works User 
Fees, and Municipal Airport User Fees

Building Valuations
Building Valuation Data (BVD) is a table average of construction costs per square foot for various 
construction types and occupancy groups 
Published by International Code Council (ICC) twice a year (February & August)
Used by jurisdictions to set permit and plan review fees
Represents about 90% of development revenue in Buckeye
Currently on 2017 BVD in Buckeye
Recommendation is to update to the February edition annually (as with most nearby jurisdictions)
8

Case Study - Business Licenses
Existing Fees
Proposed New Fees
Proposed Fee Type
Application Fee
Annual Fee
All General Category Application Fees
$25
$50
Specialty Fee Type 
Application Fee
Annual Fee
Marijuana Dispensary
$1,000
$100
Sexually Oriented Business
$1,000
$100
17 fees ranging from $0 to $1,000
*Liquor License Fees remain the same*
9

Additional Study: Municipal Airport
Based on market 
rates not staff 
labor
Findings are 54% 
lower than peers
Proposed Service
Current Fee
Proposed Fee
Notes
Airport Hourly Rate
$50
$80
2-hour minimum
Overtime Hourly Rate
$100
$160
2-hour minimum
Banner Towing
$10
$50
Fee increase
Commercial Photography
$200
$50
Fee reduction
Helicopter Tie-Down 
(Monthly)
Varies
$36
Flat rate per helicopter
Helicopter Tie-Down 
(Daily)
Varies
$9
Flat rate per helicopter

Additional Study: Municipal Airport
Proposed New Fees
Service
Fee
Notes
Non-Airworthy Aircraft 
Hangar Fee
2x hangar fee
Based on applicable 
hangar rate
Gate Access Device
$25
Per device
Gate Access Device 
Replacement
$40
As needed
Temporary Permit Fee
$5
As needed

Additional Study: Public Works
*Public Works Fees include a 4.0% annual escalator for 5 years. This will match the current solid waste rates enacted 
by Council and matches solid waste financial indices
Service Description
Fee
Status
Residential Household 
Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-
off (Non-Homeowner)
$40.00
New Service
Freon-Containing White Goods 
Disposal (Drop-off)
$25.00
New Service
Key Replacement
$40.00
Existing/Other
Proposed New Fees

Agenda
Existing Fee Schedule
User Fee Update Process
West Valley Comparisons
Significant Changes
Updates Since 60-day Notice
13

Guiding Philosophies
Council Strategic Plan: 
Develop a User Fee/Cost 
Recovery Philosophy
Incorporate continuous 
improvement process gains 
in fee amount  
Move fees toward 100% cost recovery
14

Current Fee Schedule: Effective July 18, 2018
Section 0: General 
Requirements
Section 1: Planning
Section 2: Civil 
Engineering Review
Section 3: Civil, Utilities, 
ROW, Horizontal 
Construction
Section 4: Building 
Safety, Vertical 
Construction
Section 5: Fire Safety
Section 6: Business 
License
Section 7: Incentive 
District
15

16
Development User Fee Steps
Establish Fee Categories (Existing, Proposed, Removed)
Allocate Task Time to Fee Types
Municipal Comparisons
16

Allocating Task Time 
and Setting Fees
Position
Hours
Deputy Director of Planning
2.00
Development Services Project Coordinator 6.25
Planner I/II
7.00
Project Engineer
3.00
Principal/Senior Planner
7.00
City Engineer (Engineering Support)
0.50
Fire Marshal / Fire Plan Reviewer
1.00
Police
1.00
Water
1.00
Public Works
1.00
IT / GIS Analyst
1.00
Planning Manager
2.00
Assistant City Attorney
3.00
Major Site Plan
Fee = Total 
Hours × Staff 
Rate
17

Unsupervised Facility Access | Basic Education Classes
Human Services | Nature Programs | Library | Events
Aquatic Center | Joe Foss | Transit 
Senior Meal Program | Summer Recreation Program 
Introductory & Skill Based Activities 
Youth Sports | Swim Lessons | Swim Team
Private Swim Lessons
Adult Sports | Sports Camps
Licensed Care Programs
Certification Courses
Rentals
Permits
Sales
Field Trips
100% +
70 – 100%
30 – 70%
10 – 30%
0 – 10%
Additional Study: CSD

Cost Recovery by Program Category
Program Category
Example Programs
Cost Recovery 
Percentage
MGT Study 
(FY24)
Open Access
Parks, trails, playgrounds, etc.
0%
NA
Human Services
Memory Café, Senior Center Meal Programs
0-10%
NA
Events
Air Fair, 4th of July, Spring Celebration, Halloween 
Carnival, Buckeye Marathon, Movies and Concerts in the 
Park, etc.
0-10%
13%
Enrichment, Education & Culture 
Activities
Storytime, local history programs, summer reading 
program, Teen Training, technology classes, nature 
programs,  etc.
10-30%
35%
Drop-In Access
Library, Aquatic Center, Joe Foss, Museum, Summer 
Rec, Transit, etc.
10-30%
29%
Introductory Level - Skill Based 
Activities
Youth sports, dance classes, martial arts, swim lessons, 
CPR, etc.
30-70%
44%
Advanced Level - Skill Based 
Activities
Intermediate and advanced classes, sports camps, 
Lifeguard Classes, Adult Sports
70-100%
26%
Sepcialized Business Services
After School Programs, full-day summer programs, 
preschool, private swim lessons, etc.
70-100%
64%
Rentals & Permits
Field, facility, ramada and campsite rentals
100%+
44%
Sales
Concessions, merchandise, targets, clays, etc.
100%+
105%
Additional Study: CSD