SIDNEY - This past summer, the Sidney City Council approved another tool for promoting housing development.

City Manager David Scott told the city conducted a housing study, and noted no developer will come to the community without a housing study.

He said the challenge is the gap between costs and what the developers are willing to pay. Scott proposed waiving the Housing Development Cost Recovery fees. According to Scott's memo to the City Council, total fees per house are almost $5,000. 

"Again, these cost recovery fees vary depending on what a customer's needs are for size of water line and electric amperage to a home; however, this is roughly the revenue the City would give up per home in order to implement this program. While the City would lose initial revenue in the associated cost recovery fees, over time the value of having more home in Sidney would outweigh the cost recovery fees," Scott said in his memo to the city council. 

The resolution took effect immediately and will be in place until Dec. 31, 2025.