New Fees/Rates Effective July 1

A balanced operating budget is a legal requirement of municipalities in Virginia, and our community is no exception to this mandate. Among the priorities identified by City Council is maintaining a level of services that our residents have come to expect from the City’s 38 departments.

Cuts were made where necessary and appropriate, however, some fee increases were an unavoidable cost of doing business. Most of the fee increases here are ones that won’t be applied unless you specifically choose to engage with those services or programs – but some are applied to everyone. 

Public Utilities 

Revenue collected from the combined services bill’s monthly charges helps fund operating costs to provide a safe and reliable water supply, sanitary sewer services, solid waste collections and stormwater maintenance. 

These charges also help fund the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and replacement of water, sewer and stormwater systems throughout the City, helping to extend the life of the infrastructure and reduce the potential for costly and inconvenient system breaks.  

Water Service Availability Fee  
The new water service availability fee will be $6 per month, an increase of 47 cents. The service availability fee is based on water meter size and helps offset costs associated with maintaining and reading the meter. 

Water Usage Rate 
The new water usage rate will be $6.23 per thousand gallons, an increase of 49 cents. Water usage charges are determined based on a meter reading taken the day the account is billed. The revenue collected allows Public Utilities to provide a reliable water supply in full compliance with all federal and state drinking water standards and ensures sufficient fire protection capabilities across the city. 

Sanitary Sewer Fee 
The new sanitary sewer fee will be $33.18 per month, an increase of 81 cents. The sanitary sewer fee supports the maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement of aging pipes and pump stations that facilitate the transportation of wastewater to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) for treatment. The sanitary sewer fee is billed as a fixed daily rate. HRSD bills separately for wastewater treatment, based on water consumption. 

Public Works 

Solid Waste Collection Fee 
Solid waste collection fees will not increase. The solid waste collection and disposal fee covers the cost of residential waste collection services, which include weekly trash collection, weekly yard debris collection, bi-weekly recycling collection, bulk item collection (upon request), yard debris containers (rental fees also apply to help offset costs associated with this service), unlimited use of the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center, unlimited use of two recycling drop-off centers, and up to 12 visits per year to the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) Landstown Transfer Station. In addition to direct operational costs, the fee also helps cover costs associated with disposal, equipment replacement, billing and administrative services.

Stormwater Fee 
The new stormwater utility fee will be 0.582 cents per day for homeowners, an increase of 0.089 cents. Revenues from this fee are used to support stormwater infrastructure, fund annual operating and capital needs, including the Stormwater Operating Center, and staff positions to support the ongoing maintenance of the Flood Protection Program. In addition, the increase will provide funds for a second closed-circuit television (CCTV) truck for pipe inspection, funds for vehicle replacement, debt service and capital projects. 

Planning 

The annual zoning permit fee for short-term rentals (STRs) will increase from $200 to $500. The increased revenue will offset the cost to hire additional staff who will enforce existing ordinances by proactively investigating unpermitted STRs. 

Parks & Recreation 

Out of School Time (OST) Fees 
Out of School Time includes 12 different fees for child-care services, based on several factors (before- vs. after-school services, number of contact hours, a registration fee, summer camp fees, and more) The vast majority are increasing by about 5%. This equates to a $5-$15 increase in registration fees, depending on the program. 

Field Rental Fees 
Princess Anne Athletic Complex multi-purpose field rental fees are increasing by $3 per hour. The last time field fees were changed was in 2021. These field rentals are staffed the entire usage time, and fields are painted and set for every use. All staff wages, equipment and supplies have increased in cost since the last fee adjustment. With the increase, these fields remain the lowest cost to rent compared to the Sportsplex and the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex. 

Princess Anne Athletic Complex and City View Field Service/Rental Fees 
The service fees are increasing between $5 and $25, depending on the duration of the rental. 

Lynnhaven Boat Ramp and Beach Facility Fee 
Several changes were adopted for the Lynnhaven facility including the removal of the following fees: 

• Annual Recreation Pass without saltwater fishing (currently $300) 
• Daily Launch Pass without saltwater fishing license (currently $20)  
• Annual Commercial Pass (currently $300)  

The following fees are recommended to increase to the following amounts effective Jan. 1, 2026: 

• Annual Launch Pass $200 (currently $150)  
• Daily Launch Pass $15 (currently $10) 

Early Childhood All-Day Childcare Fee 
The all-day childcare fee has increased by $55 to $792 monthly. Programs remain competitively priced for the level of service being provided, and the fee increase reduces the program’s reliance on direct City funding.

Membership Fees 
Parks & Recreation’s FY 2025-26 budget includes fee increases to several of the department’s programs and services, including a $5 increase to the resident membership fee for recreation centers. 

• Annual resident membership fee: $120 (currently $115) 
• Annual non-resident membership fee: $415 (currently $400) 
• Adult Day Pass: $12 (currently $10) 
• 30-Day Pass 
  • Residents: $27 (currently $25) 
  • Non-residents $50 (currently $47) 
• Indoor cycling $5 (currently $0) 

Personal Training Fees 
Several personal training packages are offered. The 60-minute session for two people is $42 each, an increase of $7. Eight 60-minute sessions for two people are $288 each, an increase of $48. 

Small Group Training Fees 
Small Group Training packages and indoor cycling are new fees, including $150 each for members for weekly sessions for eight weeks and $258 each for non-members for twice weekly sessions for six weeks. 

Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Special Event Permitting Application Process Fees (Outdoor Events) 
Special Event permitting application processing fees are increasing from $75 to $150 for one-day events and $250 to $500 for two-day permits. The application fees have not been adjusted in 20 years and more accurately reflect staff time associated with processing the applications received. This revenue will be budgeted within the Tourism Investment Program (TIP) Fund. 

Boat Registration Fee 

Following resident feedback, the proposed pleasure boat tax was removed from the budget and replaced with an annual registration fee for motorized pleasure boats and watercraft, tiered and based on the size of the vessel. 

• Motorized boats less than 16 feet: $20 
• Motorized boats 16 feet to less than 20 feet: $40 
• Motorized boats 20 feet to less than 40 feet: $250 
• Motorized boats 40 feet and greater: $500 

• Budget