El Dorado County supervisors voted Tuesday to transfer roughly $450,000 in developer fees to the El Dorado Hills Fire Department, helping the agency recoup the cost of a new aerial truck, two command SUVs and other equipment bought over the past few years. The move comes after a legal settlement that, according to the Mountain Democrat, cost the fire protection district more than $5.2 million and left its developer-fee fund empty.
The transfer stems from a lawsuit filed in 2015 alleging that El Dorado County, the community services district and the fire department had violated the state's Mitigation Fee Act by failing to submit required studies and charging improper permit fees, as noted by Mountain Democrat. The case, reported by The Sacramento Bee, is formally known as Thomas and Helen Austin v. County of El Dorado, et al. In a statement, the El Dorado Hills Fire Department said the legal matter stemmed from a technical reporting issue at the county administrative level, not from any failure on its own part. It also said it and its board followed the Fire Department's required procedures and steps required for development impact fees.
Developer fees are charged to new construction and are set aside for replacing and upgrading fire department equipment, the department has said, calling them essential to maintaining its emergency service delivery standards. The fund held more than $11.5 million at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year, but developer fee revenue for the district has decreased in recent years as new development slowed, even before the settlement wiped the account out in 2025.
What the Reimbursement Covers
The approved transfer will reimburse nearly $400,000 toward a Pierce aerial truck the department agreed to purchase for about $1.5 million back in July 2022, per a report from The Sacramento Bee. The truck, which has been in use since December 2025 and is assigned to Fire Station 85 at the intersection of Wilson and El Dorado Hills boulevards, features a pump, water tank, aerial device and ground ladders. The aerial device is designed to access roofs on tall residential buildings and large warehouses, extending up to 90 feet and supporting up to 1,000 pounds.
Developer fees will also reimburse roughly $21,900 toward each of two Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs the department purchased for chief officers' emergency response, with each vehicle costing about $102,000 including emergency equipment. The SUVs provide emergency response, command and operational support across the district. Smaller purchases covered by the transfer include a $3,100 portable cooling system for a new mechanic's workstation at Station 85 and $6,000 in design work for a planned training structure that will simulate roofs at the district's training center, intended to help firefighters train on common roof systems encountered during emergencies.
A Fund Still Rebuilding
District financial records show the developer fee fund balance is expected to increase by about $591,000 this year, a modest rebound after the settlement emptied it. A nexus study determined developer fees could cover 26.5 percent of the cost of replacing existing district vehicles and equipment, though a March 2026 nexus study reduced that future replacement cost share to 21.5 percent.
El Dorado Hills Fire Department, which covers roughly 58,500 acres and serves about 19,000 homes and 51,500 residents, relies on property taxes for nearly 75 percent of district revenue, with developer fees collected by El Dorado County from new developments making up a separate, smaller funding stream earmarked for equipment. In its statement, the department said settling the case was made in the best overall interest of both the department and the residents it serves, avoiding further legal expenses, appeal delays and potential financial exposure.
