DSD - Development User Fees Presentation.pdf

City of Buckeye — Council Workshop (2025-12-16)

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Development User Fee Update
Council Workshop: December 16, 2025 
Brian Craig, Director
Development Services Department

Agenda
Existing Fee Schedule
User Fee Update Process
West Valley Comparisons
Significant Changes
Fee Adoption Timeline

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

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 Internation 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

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

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

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

Activity
Buckeye 
Proposed 
Fee
West 
Valley 
Average
Buckeye 
Current 
Fee
Avondale
Goodyear Peoria
Surprise
Site Plan
$3,514
$4,842
$3,785
$5,600
$5,825
$6,000
$3,000
Certificate of 
Occupancy
$140
$365
$100
$100
$500
$150
$75
Plan Review
$344
$322
$430
$375
$145
$360
$300
Traffic Control Plans
$50
$334
New
$150
$264
$173
$750
West Valley Comparisons
Avondale, Goodyear, Peoria, and Surprise

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
Grading Permit
$1,000
$3,312
231%
Concept Site Plan 
Review
$970
$2,940
203%
Variance Fee
$915
$2,190
140%
No Fee Exceeds a 100% Recovery in the Proposed Fee Update

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
$100
$1,000
Sexually Oriented Business
$200
$1,000
17 fees ranging from $0 to $1,000
*Liquor License Fees remain the same*

Timeline
Council 
Workshop 
December 
2025
60-Day Notice 
and Comment 
Period 
January - 
March 2026
Comment 
Review
March 2026
Council Final 
Consideration  
April 2026

Questions