Erie, CO vs Fort Collins, CO: Development Impact Fees Compared (2026)
A single-family home pays about $94,679 in Erie vs $38,504 in Fort Collins — Erie is $56,175 (146%) higher. Every figure below is normalized per dwelling unit by category, with links to each jurisdiction’s official sources.
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 |
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
Erie’s $94,679 per single-family home is $56,175 (146%) above Fort Collins’s $38,504. The largest single difference is in water connection (tap / sdc): Erie charges about $69,490 there versus $13,153 in Fort Collins — a $56,337 swing that accounts for much of the overall gap. The two also differ in how much falls on water and sewer connection charges: $78,350 in Erie versus $17,629 in Fort Collins.
Keep comparing
Erie vs Fort Collins impact fees — FAQ
- Which has higher impact fees, Erie or Fort Collins?
- Erie, CO is higher. A single-family home pays about $94,679 per unit in Erie versus $38,504 in Fort Collins, CO — $56,175 (146%) more, as of 2026.
- How much more does it cost to build a home in Erie than in Fort Collins?
- About $56,175 more per single-family home — $94,679 in Erie, CO versus $38,504 in Fort Collins, CO, a difference of 146% in total development impact and connection fees.
- What's the difference between impact fees in Erie and Fort Collins for a single-family home?
- Erie, CO charges about $94,679 per single-family home ($16,329 impact + $78,350 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.