North Bend held three public hearings on Nov. 3 regarding adjusting next year’s property tax levy, the proposed 2021-22 biennial budget and amending school impact fees.

The North Bend City Council is considering increasing its property tax levy by 1%, as allowed by state law. It would allow the city to collect nearly $2.075 million next year from property taxes and new construction fees. The 2020 levy was set at $1.908 million.

The total 2021 value of properties across the city is more than $1.885 billion, marking a nearly 10% increase over 2020 assessed valuation. New construction accounted for the majority of this increase, with the remaining 2.2% coming from existing homes increasing in value.

If approved, the new property tax levy would be set at $1.1011 per $1,000 of assessed property value, a slight total decrease from 2020’s actual property tax rate of $1.114 per $1,000.

A public hearing on the upcoming biennial budget was also held. The final budget document is being assembled, but the proposed budget shows the city entering 2021 with a general fund balance of $2.316 million and finishing the year with an anticipated balance of $2.245 million.

In total, the city is expecting to gain more than $11 million over the course of the year from the sewer utility fund and the storm drainage utility fund. In total, the city is expecting to end the year with a more than $39 million budget.

Finally, the city on Sept. 11 received a school impact fee schedule from the Snoqualmie Valley School District. It set the fee at $10,550.22 for the construction of a new single family home, and $4,730.65 per multi-family unit. It marks a year-over-year decrease for single family buildings, and an increase for multi-family units.

North Bend has decided that cottage or other residential dwellings greater than 1,200 square feet will be charged at the single family rate, and those smaller at the multi-family rate.