Council updates impact fees, OKs interlocal agreement

Following a public hearing Weatherford City Council approved proposed updates to water, wastewater, and roadway impact fees that help finance infrastructure related to new development. 

Matt Leppla, director of Public Works, said the fees are a tool cities can use to recover costs associated with new development and are regulated by the State of Texas. Cities are required to review and update their programs every five years. 

“We had a lot of discussions trying to find that balance in proposing a rate that didn’t hinder development but also serve the nature of the program,” he said in referencing staff and the Capital Improvement Advisory Committee meetings where the fees were discussed. “I believe what you’re going to hear tonight about the suggested rates accomplishes that balance.”

Leppla added in his staff report Weatherford last updated its water and wastewater fees in 2021 and its roadway fees in late 2025. To keep all the fees to a single update, Leppla said the decision was made to combine all into a single update in 2026 for streamlining. 

Dylan Swoboda, water/wastewater engineer at Kimley-Horn, then walked council members through what the fees are; history of the city’s adoption; what can and can’t be included; and the proposed updates to the program. 

As an example, Swoboda highlighted costs associated with a 50,000-square-foot grocery store under the current fees and proposed fees. He also showed fees in neighboring cities and others in the Metroplex for comparison. 

Cost for all fees is $335,704 ($12,430 for water; $11,870 for wastewater; and $311,404 for roadway). Under the proposed rate, it would be $310,425 ($14,924 each for water and wastewater and $280,577 for roadway). 

By contrast, in Fort Worth for that same square footage, costs for all impact fees total about $1.1 million. 

“Overall, the assessed fees have decreased from where we were at initially,” Leppla said. 

Council unanimously approved updating the fees. 

Assistant City Manager Chad Marbut then presented information on an interlocal agreement that was approved Oct. 12 by Parker County Commissioners Court, which formalizes the city’s responsibilities as it relates to downtown – county-owned property. 

“[It defines] the city’s ability … to manage, maintain, and control all four quadrants of downtown,” he said. “It also includes [the county’s] parking lot off York Avenue, which stretches from Dallas up to Spring streets.”

Also included is the right of first refusal if the county were to ever choose to sell the property, giving Weatherford the ability to buy the property. It also means that event registrations and any licensing agreements for the quadrant will come to the city for permitting as opposed to the county.. Term for the agreement is 10 years with automatic 10-year renewals unless either party gives notice of non-renewal.   

“It’s a great partnership we have with the county. They support it; we support it,” Marbut said, with his staff report stating that the agreement does not transfer property ownership and has no bearing on any responsibility to TxDOT roadways.

Also at the meeting, council approved: 

• Publication of a Notice of Intention to issue up to $3 million in certificates of obligation for utility system improvements. Rick Shaffer, Weatherford’s director of Water Utilities, said the federal government is requiring replacement of lead and copper service lines in the water-provider system that must be completed by December 2037. Some funding is provided through a grant but there is still an amount required to be paid by the city. The measure will then be put to vote Dec. 15. 
• Read two proclamations — one recognizing the legacy of Virgina Cotton Scott as a “lifelong ambassador for the history and heritage of Weatherford, dedicating herself to preserving the stories, traditions, and people that have shaped our community” and; two, declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.