City Fees
The City's fee programs include User Fees, Development Impact Fees (DIF), and Capacity Charges. These fees help ensure that the cost of services and infrastructure is paid by those who directly benefit, reducing the impact on the City’s General Fund.
User Fees DIF & Capacity Charges
Master User Fee Schedule
As part of a general cost recovery strategy, local governments have adopted user fees to fund services that provide limited or no direct benefit to the community as a whole. User fees recover costs associated with providing specific services which benefit the user, thereby reducing the use of General Fund monies for such purposes. Article XIIIC, Section 1 of the State Constitution generally states that a fee may not exceed the reasonable costs of providing the service or performing the activity.
On June 7, 2022, the City Council and Water District Board adopted Resolution Nos. 22-055 and VWD 22-008, which approved a Comprehensive User Fee Study and the Master User Fee Schedule. Annually, these user fees are reviewed and adjusted based on the percentage change in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
Development Impact Fees and Capacity Charges
Development Impact Fees (DIF) are one-time fees assessed on new development to help fund the construction of public facilities needed to serve growth, such as roads, parks, and public buildings. Capacity charges are one-time fees that fund the cost of connecting new development to existing utility systems, such as water and sewer, and expanding those systems to have sufficient capacity to serve additional users.
The authority for local jurisdictions to collect DIF and Capacity Charges is established in Government Code Sections 66001 through 66025 (the “Mitigation Fee Act”) and related laws. Additionally, under Victorville Municipal Code Section 16-5.01.080, DIF apply to all development within the City of Victorville. For the City to levy DIF, a comprehensive study was completed to verify there is a reasonable relationship between the purpose of each fee, the fee’s use, and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed. Capacity Charges were also studied to ensure that they do not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of the services and public improvements/facilities for which the charges are imposed and are of proportional benefit to the person/property being charged.
On June 7, 2022, the City Council and District Board adopted Resolution Nos. 22-045 and VWD 22-005, approving a Nexus Study for DIF and Capacity Charges, along with the associated Capital Improvement Plan. The City Council and District Board also approved Resolution Nos. 22-050 and VWD 22-007, adopting a Master Fee Schedule (“MFS”) for DIF and Capacity Charges, the Capital Improvement Plan, and City Council Policy No. CP-22-01. Collectively, these actions establish the City’s DIF and Capacity Charge program, including applicable fees, charges, and implementation policies, as well as an annual review process.