LOC News
LOC’s SDCs Survey Due June 27
Every three years, the League surveys cities about their System Development Charges (SDCs). SDCs are an important way for cities to pay for capacity within infrastructure to accommodate new users. These fees are set by each city and paid by new construction or additional development. The fees either reimburse a city for the capacity it built to:
- Accommodate the new users;
- to pay for planned development of that capacity; or
- a combination thereof.
A city adopts an SDC using a method that considers all future city projects. The city can also reduce the SDC below the actual cost to build when it adopts the fee. For these reasons, SDCs are a complicated balance of infrastructure costs and the desire for city growth.
The data from this survey allows cities to compare SDC rates and provides information about the decisions other cities make. This survey will show the consideration that cities take when adopting these fees. SDCs are often the target of scrutiny when developers discuss construction cost because the fees are an identifiable cost to developers. The survey will also help the LOC advocate to leave SDC discussions at the local level.
A special thanks to the cities that have responded so far.
| Albany | Happy Valley | Pendleton |
| Ashland | Heppner | Prairie City |
| Bandon | Hermiston | Rogue River |
| Bay City | Independence | Sandy |
| Brookings | Irrigon | Scappoose |
| Canyon City | Lafayette | St. Helens |
| Canyonville | Lakeside | Stanfield |
| Cave Junction | Long Creek | Sweet Home |
| Coos Bay | McMinnville | Toledo |
| Detroit | Monmouth | Troutdale |
| Dundee | Moro | Umatilla |
| Durham | Nehalem | West Linn |
| Elgin | North Bend | Wheeler |
| Glendale | Oregon City |
Contact: Jayme Pierce, General Counsel – jpierce@orcities.org
Last Updated 6/20/25