Colorado Springs, CO vs Erie, CO: Development Impact Fees Compared (2026)
A single-family home pays about $14,732 in Colorado Springs vs $94,679 in Erie — Erie is $79,947 (543%) higher. Every figure below is normalized per dwelling unit by category, with links to each jurisdiction’s official sources.
City
Colorado Springs, CO
$14,732
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$2,921
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$11,811
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
—
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Police Citywide Development Impact Fee - Police (capital expansion) — Part of 2026 Citywide Development Impact (CDI) fees. Police capital portion. VERIFIED verbatim in CDI PDF. | per dwelling unit | $398 | City of Colorado Springs Planning & Development Jan 1, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Citywide Development Impact Fee - Fire (capital expansion) — Part of 2026 Citywide Development Impact (CDI) fees. Fire capital portion. SFD total CDI = $766/unit. VERIFIED verbatim. | per dwelling unit | $368 | City of Colorado Springs Planning & Development Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Park Land Dedication fee-in-lieu (combined neighborhood + community) - SFD — PLDO fee-in-lieu, eff. 7/1/2025 (Resolution 09-25), standard 5.5 ac/1,000 pop. Combined neighborhood+community for 1 unit/structure (SFD). Alternative to dedicating parkland. Breakdown: neighborhood $1,200 + community $955 = $2,155/unit. VERIFIED verbatim (0.01461 acres = $2,155). | per dwelling unit | $2,155 | City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Jul 1, 2025High |
Drainage / stormwater Drainage Basin Fee (per acre) - representative basin, project/basin-specific — Drainage Basin Fee charged PER ACRE, varies enormously by basin: $0 in closed/no-fee basins up to $59,162/acre (Mesa Centennial Allaso Peak). Southwest Area basin shown as one mid-range example. CANNOT be normalized to per-dwelling-unit. 2026 schedule (Resolution 201-25, +2.2% over 2025). Excluded from per-unit total - illustrative only. VERIFIED verbatim. alternative · not added to total | per acre | $20,329 | City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Enterprise Jan 1, 2026Medium |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Development Charge (WDC) - SFD 3/4" meter, 3,000-4,999 sf lot (representative) — Levied by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), city enterprise. Residential WDC tiered by LOT SIZE for 3/4" meter. Representative mid-size lot as primary SFD. WRF is a separate additive row. 2025 schedule (latest located); medium confidence (2026 update may exist). VERIFIED verbatim. | per dwelling unit | $5,760 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Resource Fee (WRF) - SFD 3/4" meter, 3,000-4,999 sf lot (additive) — CSU Water Resource Fee charged IN ADDITION TO the WDC (not mutually exclusive). Same lot-size tier as primary WDC row. ADDITIVE - included in total. VERIFIED verbatim ($4,183 is the WRF column for this lot tier). | per dwelling unit | $4,183 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Development Charge - SFD 3/4" meter, <1,500 sf lot (variant) — Smallest lot tier. WDC $5,297 + WRF $3,847. Mutually-exclusive lot-size variant; excluded (primary is 3,000-4,999 sf tier). VERIFIED verbatim. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $5,297 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Development Charge - SFD 3/4" meter, 7,000-8,999 sf lot (variant) — Larger lot tier. WDC $7,984 + WRF $5,798. Mutually-exclusive lot-size variant; excluded. VERIFIED verbatim. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $7,984 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Development Charge - SFD 3/4" meter, 15,000+ sf lot (variant) — Largest lot tier. WDC $10,949 + WRF $7,952. Mutually-exclusive lot-size variant; excluded. VERIFIED verbatim. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $10,949 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater Development Charge - SFD 3/4" meter — CSU wastewater development charge. $1,868 in 2024 with 'No change' for 2025. VERIFIED verbatim. | per dwelling unit | $1,868 | Colorado Springs Utilities Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Town
Erie, CO
$94,679
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$16,329
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$78,350
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
$9,216
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Parks & recreation Parks & Recreation Impact Fee | per dwelling unit | $2,803 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Police Police Facilities Impact Fee | per dwelling unit | $686 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
General government / capital Public Facilities Impact Fee — General/municipal capital facilities impact fee. | per dwelling unit | $4,276 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Drainage / stormwater Storm Drainage System Impact Fee | per dwelling unit | $1,862 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Facilities Impact Fee (standard area) — PRIMARY transportation rate; applies to property outside the Town Center PD and Historic Old Town (covers most new residential development). | per dwelling unit | $6,402 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Facilities Impact Fee (Town Center / Old Town) — Mutually-exclusive geographic variant (Town Center PD / Historic Old Town OTR/NMU/DT/MR zones); excluded from total in favor of the townwide standard rate. Verified verbatim on live 2026 page. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $4,546 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Other Tree Impact Fee — Per-dwelling-unit tree/urban-forestry impact fee; same $300 for all dwelling types (page shows 'All other dwelling units $300'). | per dwelling unit | $300 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Potable Water Tap Fee (3/4 inch residential) — Base 3/4" residential meter (typical single-family). Fees double for parcels outside Town limits. Confirmed by Ordinance 039-2024 ($17,290). | per meter | $17,290 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Fee in Lieu of Water Dedication / Raw Water Fee (single-family residential) — SEPARATE, ADDITIVE one-time fee on top of the water tap fee (Ordinance 039-2024: 'separate and distinct fees'). Single largest residential charge. VERIFIED at $52,200 verbatim on the live 2026 fee schedule (sourceIndex 0). NOTE: Ordinance 039-2024 and the Water Dedication Guide state the 2025 fee-in-lieu was $31,400/SFE; the fee escalated to $52,200 for 2026. The 2026 amount is NOT supported by the Water Dedication Guide (which still shows $31,400) — confirmation rests on the live 2026 fee schedule only. | per dwelling unit | $52,200 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater (Sewer) Tap Fee (3/4 inch) — Base 3/4" residential. Fees double for parcels outside Town limits. Confirmed by Ordinance 039-2024 ('Wastewater tap fee: ¾ inch 8,860.00'). | per meter | $8,860 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Potable Water Tap Fee (1 inch) — Larger meter variant; excluded in favor of the base 3/4" residential meter. Confirmed by Ordinance 039-2024. alternative · not added to total | per meter | $28,820 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater (Sewer) Tap Fee (1 inch) — Larger meter variant; excluded in favor of the base 3/4" residential meter. Confirmed by Ordinance 039-2024 ('1 inch 14,767.00'). alternative · not added to total | per meter | $14,767 | Town of Erie, CO Jan 1, 2026High |
What drives the difference
Erie’s $94,679 per single-family home is $79,947 (543%) above Colorado Springs’s $14,732. The largest single difference is in water connection (tap / sdc): Erie charges about $69,490 there versus $9,943 in Colorado Springs — a $59,547 swing that accounts for much of the overall gap. The two also differ in how much falls on water and sewer connection charges: $11,811 in Colorado Springs versus $78,350 in Erie.
Keep comparing
Colorado Springs vs Erie impact fees — FAQ
- Which has higher impact fees, Colorado Springs or Erie?
- Erie, CO is higher. A single-family home pays about $94,679 per unit in Erie versus $14,732 in Colorado Springs, CO — $79,947 (543%) more, as of 2026.
- How much more does it cost to build a home in Erie than in Colorado Springs?
- About $79,947 more per single-family home — $94,679 in Erie, CO versus $14,732 in Colorado Springs, CO, a difference of 543% in total development impact and connection fees.
- What's the difference between impact fees in Colorado Springs and Erie for a single-family home?
- Colorado Springs, CO charges about $14,732 per single-family home ($2,921 impact + $11,811 water/sewer connection), while Erie, CO charges about $94,679 ($16,329 impact + $78,350 connection). Figures are normalized from official sources for 2026.