How would this fee work?

The proposed Public Safety Utility Fee would be based on the type of utility account you have, and/or the trips generated by your commercial establishment; it would not be based on the property value or water consumption of the account holder. The fee would be part of the City utility bill. 

For example, a single-family home would pay a different rate than a large apartment building or a business. In Oregon, more than 50 cities use a similar fee, sometimes called an "operations fee," to help pay for some part of City services.

residential and commercial fee schedule with types of business and dollars amounts

See the answer to How can I tell what my Public Safety Utility charge might be on our page of FAQs.

How Commercial / Industrial rates are determined

There are 11 commercial classifications based on the business type or commercial use. The nine commercial rates are then determined by size. For example, a large toy store that occupies 30,000 square feet would be classified as Commercial A, whereas a movie theater that occupies 15,000 square feet would be classified as Commercial C.

Below is a table that explains the basis for the commercial charges. To determine the rate for your business:

  1. Select the type of business in the green column under “COMMERCIAL USES.” 
  2. Then find the square footage the business occupies in one of the columns to the right. 
  3. The heading of the appropriate blue column will designate the Rate Code (Commercial A, Commercial B, etc.). 
  4. Once you have determined the appropriate Rate Code, refer to the chart above to determine your cost per month.

Click chart to view larger

spreadsheet of commercial fee schedule breakdown for types of business