Billings City Council Work Session - October 5, 2026

The Billings City Council work session on October 5, 2026, considered a proposed stormwater system development fee (SDF). Staff recommended a base rate of $967 per equivalent residential unit, with commercial rates of $513 for properties connected to the city stormwater system and $329 for disconnected properties. The fee would apply to new development, with January 1, 2027, proposed as the implementation date; staff projected approximately $950,000 in additional annual revenue for stormwater capital projects. Council voted to direct staff to bring the proposal to a future regular business meeting for consideration of an adoption resolution. No final fee adoption or contract award occurred. Staff also discussed outreach to builders and ongoing review of fee levels and capital plans.

Council also voted to advance proposed amendments to accessible-parking rules for a future business meeting, including a uniform $250 violation fine and a higher threshold for unpaid citations before enforcement escalation. On school-zone safety and aggressive driving, council unanimously directed staff to proceed with a coordinated three-phase approach focused first on Will James Middle School, then broader school-zone policy, and other related safety issues. No procurement activity, vendor selection, or spending authorization was identified for these items.