The La Center City Council took key steps Wednesday, March 25, to move forward on transportation impact fee increases and sewer utility rate changes while also approving a long-planned electronic sign project at the Interstate 5 interchange.
Council members did not adopt new rates for transportation or utilities, but approved direction for staff to return with formal proposals. The council did approve an ordinance authorizing a contract for the city’s junction sign.
The transportation discussion builds on a March 11 workshop where staff presented updates to the city’s Capital Facilities Plan and a proposal to increase transportation impact fees, or TIFs, which are one-time charges on new development.
The updated plan outlines about $28.9 million in transportation projects eligible for TIF funding, part of a broader list totaling more than $83 million. Many of those projects aim to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, in line with updated state requirements under the Growth Management Act.
The city is working to adopt a multimodal level-of-service standard that prioritizes lower-stress travel conditions. That includes a goal of achieving Level of Traffic Stress 2 or better for walking and biking routes. Some existing corridors, including sections of Pacific Highway, currently rank at higher stress levels due to traffic speeds, volumes and gaps in infrastructure such as sidewalks and bike lanes.
To support those improvements, staff proposed increasing the current TIF rate of $7,561 per unit to $14,108 through a phased approach. A majority of council members supported a three-year increase, which would raise the fee to $10,081 in 2026, $12,597 in 2027 and $14,108 in 2028.
Council members also supported adding an annual adjustment tied to construction inflation, using the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index. That adjustment would begin once the full rate is reached and would allow fees to keep pace with rising material and labor costs associated with city infrastructure projects.
Staff will return at a future meeting with an ordinance and required notices for formal adoption.
The council also provided direction on the city’s ongoing sewer rate study, selecting a volumetric rate structure based on water usage rather than maintaining a flat monthly rate. Council members Louis Rivara and Sean Boyle voted against that option.
La Center’s sewer rates have remained at $66 per month since 2015. Based on inflation alone, staff reported that the rate would be nearly $90 today. While current rates cover operating expenses and existing debt payments, they are not sufficient to meet upcoming capital needs, including infrastructure upgrades and long-term system obligations.
The city is required to operate its sewer utility as a self-sustaining system, covering costs such as maintenance, debt service and future capital improvements through rate revenue. Officials said rising costs, aging infrastructure and regulatory requirements are driving the need for updated rates.
Staff will now use the selected volumetric model to calculate future rate scenarios before bringing a formal proposal back to council.
In other action, the council unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign a contract for a new electronic message sign at the Interstate 5 Exit 16 junction.
The contract with Garrett Sign Co., Inc. is for up to $118,301, which includes a potential change order of up to $15,000 to upgrade the sign’s display resolution. The project has been budgeted and carried forward into the current year.
City officials said the sign is intended to serve as a key communication tool during emergencies such as wildfires and for community event notifications. The design was developed in coordination with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and reflects shared visual elements tied to the junction area.
