Colorado Springs, CO vs Fort Collins, CO: Development Impact Fees Compared (2026)
A single-family home pays about $14,732 in Colorado Springs vs $38,504 in Fort Collins — Fort Collins is $23,772 (161%) 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 |
City
Fort Collins, CO
$38,504
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$20,875
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$17,629
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
—
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Parks & recreation Neighborhood Parkland Capital Expansion Fee — Sec. 7.5-71. Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $3,699 (<=900sf) to $5,872 (>3,601sf). VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $5,075 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Community Parkland Capital Expansion Fee — Sec. 7.5-28. Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $2,525 to $3,940. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $3,342 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Fire Protection Capital Expansion Fee — Sec. 7.5-30. Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $817 to $1,304. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $1,130 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Police Police Capital Expansion Fee — Sec. 7.5-29. Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $496 to $790. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $683 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
General government / capital Government Facilities Capital Expansion Fee — Sec. 7.5-31 (new for 2026). Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $868 to $1,388. Replaces part of former general-government CEF. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $1,204 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
General government / capital Capital Equipment Expansion Fee (governmental) — Sec. 7.5-31.5 (new for 2026, additive to Government Facilities fee). Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $177 to $283. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $246 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (City TCEF) — City TCEF, Sec. 7.5-32 schedule. Representative SFD 1,801-2,400 sf tier. Full SFD range $3,442 to $10,445. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. | per dwelling unit | $8,660 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Larimer County Regional Road TCEF (collected by City) — SEPARATE DISTRICT FEE: levied by Larimer County's Regional Road TCEF program (per IGA) but collected by the City of Fort Collins at building permit and adopted via City Ordinance 182, 2025. Additive to the City TCEF. By sq ft: $268 (<=900) to $698 (>3,601). VERIFIED in Exhibit B to Ordinance 182, 2025 in the Nov 3, 2025 Council packet. | per dwelling unit | $535 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Drainage / stormwater Stormwater Plant Investment Fee (PIF) — One-time drainage development fee per gross acre; applies when impervious surface >350 sf. On a typical ~7,000 sf (0.16 acre) SFD lot this is roughly $1,930. Multifamily basic calc uses gross sq ft x $0.276 x runoff coefficient. Fort Collins Utilities stormwater service area only. VERIFIED verbatim in 2025 Water Development Fees sheet. | per acre | $12,012 | City of Fort Collins Utilities Jan 1, 2025High |
Parks & recreation Neighborhood Parkland CEF - SFD, up to 900 sq. ft. (alt tier) — Smallest SFD tier; alternate to the 1,801-2,400 sf primary row. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $3,699 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Neighborhood Parkland CEF - SFD, over 3,601 sq. ft. (alt tier) — Largest SFD tier; alternate to the 1,801-2,400 sf primary row. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $5,872 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads City TCEF - SFD, over 3,601 sq. ft. (alt tier) — Largest SFD transportation tier; alternate to primary. VERIFIED verbatim in Ordinance 168, 2025. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $10,445 | City of Fort Collins Jan 1, 2026High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Meter Fee (3/4-inch domestic) — One-time fee based on meter size; SFD detached/attached use standard 3/4-inch service (1-inch if fire suppression). Other sizes: 1" $599.91, 1.5" $930.72, 2" $1,170.25. Source is the 2025 Water Development Fees sheet (most recent published); applies in Fort Collins Utilities water service area only. VERIFIED verbatim. | per meter | $437 | City of Fort Collins Utilities Jan 1, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Plant Investment Fee (PIF), single-family 3/4-inch (base, plus lot-area charge) — ADDITIVE variable: plus $0.494 per sq ft of lot area, capped at 1/2 acre (21,780 sf max). Example: a 7,000 sf lot = $914 + $3,458 = ~$4,372. The $914 amount shown is the fixed base only. 1-inch service base is $1,548. Fort Collins Utilities service area only. VERIFIED verbatim in 2025 Water Development Fees sheet. | per dwelling unit | $914 | City of Fort Collins Utilities Jan 1, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater Plant Investment Fee (PIF) — One-time wastewater development fee per living unit. Fort Collins Utilities wastewater service area only; parcels served by Boxelder/South Fort Collins Sanitation Districts pay that district instead. VERIFIED verbatim in 2025 Water Development Fees sheet. | per dwelling unit | $4,476 | City of Fort Collins Utilities Jan 1, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Supply Requirement (WSR / raw-water acquisition fee), single-family — WSR = raw water/water-rights acquisition fee, $63,800 per acre-foot or $0.196 per gallon (2025; per-acre-foot figure independently confirmed on the City's WSR page (source 4) and the Chamber page (source 7), which document the reduction from $68,200 to $63,800). For SFD computed as (10 gal x outdoor area sf) + (12,200 gal x #bedrooms), x $0.196/gal. Amount shown is the City's own published 3-bedroom / 2,000 sf-outdoor example; actual fee varies with bedrooms and lot. Can be satisfied with City water certificates/credits in lieu of cash. Fort Collins Utilities service area only. VERIFIED verbatim in 2025 Water Development Fees sheet. | per dwelling unit | $11,802 | City of Fort Collins Utilities Jan 1, 2025High |
What drives the difference
Fort Collins’s $38,504 per single-family home is $23,772 (161%) above Colorado Springs’s $14,732. The largest single difference is in transportation / roads: Fort Collins charges about $9,195 there versus nothing in Colorado Springs — a $9,195 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 $17,629 in Fort Collins.
Keep comparing
Colorado Springs vs Fort Collins impact fees — FAQ
- Which has higher impact fees, Colorado Springs or Fort Collins?
- Fort Collins, CO is higher. A single-family home pays about $38,504 per unit in Fort Collins versus $14,732 in Colorado Springs, CO — $23,772 (161%) more, as of 2026.
- How much more does it cost to build a home in Fort Collins than in Colorado Springs?
- About $23,772 more per single-family home — $38,504 in Fort Collins, CO versus $14,732 in Colorado Springs, CO, a difference of 161% in total development impact and connection fees.
- What's the difference between impact fees in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins, CO charges about $38,504 ($20,875 impact + $17,629 connection). Figures are normalized from official sources for 2026.