ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Downtown parking meters soon will cost more, and commercial or industrial water users will face the sharpest increase in water rates, under fee schedules approved by the Asheville City Council on Tuesday night.

An ordinance establishing fees and charges is a step in the budget process for fiscal year 2024-2025, which starts July 1.

Once the budget is finalized, one of the first things downtown visitors will notice is an increase in parking meter rates, from $1.50 per hour to $2.50 per hour.

Council members balked at a proposal that would have included a smaller increase, to $2 per hour, because that plan also would have expanded enforcement hours from the current 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., to as late as 9 p.m. The council kept enforcement to 6 p.m. but made up for the revenue with the extra 50 cents on top of the hourly rate.

Under the approved fee schedule, the city actually is lowering the maximum daily cost for city parking garages, from $20 to $15, and lowering the cost of a lost ticket from $25 to $15.

Those changes are meant to generate a projected $1.5 million to support parking operations and capital improvements. According to a staff report, about $11.3 million in repairs and $1 million in ongoing maintenance are needed for the city’s parking garages.

Changes in the Water Resources Fund drew attention on Tuesday night. The council voted for water rate hikes that are relatively modest for residential users.

Residents with 5/8-inch meters will see a bi-monthly increase in base fees, from $12.95 to $13.34. There will be no increase for larger meters. Consumption charges, based on the amount of water used, would not increase for single-family residential customers.

The steepest water rate hikes would affect irrigation, commercial and industrial customers, as the city tries to cover a projected $240 million in needs.

For example, the cost would rise from $6.44 CCF (per 100 cubic feet) to $7.20 CCF for irrigation, an 11.8 percent increase. Depending upon the amount of water used, commercial and manufacturing customers could see their rates increase by 12.25 percent (from $4.41 CFU to $4.95 CFU, or up to 21.6 percent ($2.50 CFU to $3.04 CFU) for manufacturers with large volume water needs.

Detailed charts for the rate changes, including small increases in solid waste and stormwater charges, can be found HERE.

Before Tuesday’s vote, several business representatives warned that higher water rates, combined with wage increases and overall inflation, could have severe ramifications for employers already struggling to keep down costs.

Council member Kim Roney said she heard the business concerns. Still, she said supported the rate structure, unlike past years, because it leveled the playing field for residential customers.