9-22-26 City of Oak Harbor Planning Commission

The City of Oak Harbor Planning Commission held a special meeting on September 22, 2026, primarily focused on updates to the city's master fee schedule related to development services, including building and land use fees. City officials presented proposed fee increases, noting that current fees cover only about 50% of building services costs and 20% of planning and zoning costs, leading to a significant shortfall impacting the city's fiscal sustainability. The proposed fee adjustments include a 36.7% increase in the hourly rate for building services and a general inflationary increase of 4.5% for land development fees, with some fees adjusted to align with comparable cities. The commission discussed the impact of these fee changes on developers, residents, and affordable housing, including concerns about the increase in the homeless encampment permit fee. The meeting also covered the rationale for not adjusting impact fees at this time, pending completion of comprehensive planning and capital facilities studies. Commissioners requested more detailed analyses to understand the financial impact of the proposed fees on various stakeholders and suggested implementing a regular schedule for fee reviews to avoid large catch-up increases. The proposed fee updates will be presented to the City Council in an October workshop and considered during the November budget hearings.