Bridgeport, CT Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)

Connecticut municipalities operate under Home Rule plus specific enabling statutes — there is no general impact fee statute. Cities may charge fees for services rendered, but these must be cost-based and proportional rather than open-ended development mitigation fees. For an ADU in Bridgeport, the budget therefore includes: (1) a zoning compliance review fee through the Bridgeport Zoning Department; (2) building permit fees calculated on construction valuation under the Connecticut State Building Code (CT Supplement 2022) and assessed per the city's published fee schedule; (3) separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and gas permits from the Building Department; (4) plan review and fire marshal review fees; (5) Bridgeport Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) sewer connection permit fees — $125 for single-family dwellings, $400 for multi-family dwellings up to four units — plus ongoing sewer use fees (Fiscal Year 2026: $6.715 per CCF based on Aquarion Water Company usage data); (6) Aquarion Water Company connection charges if a new water service is installed; (7) Fairfield town clerk recording fees if any easements or deed restrictions are recorded. There is no Bridgeport school impact fee, parks impact fee, or transportation impact fee — public schools are funded through the state Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula plus the local mill rate on property tax. The ongoing property tax on the increased assessment after construction is the long-term funding source for city services. Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-148 (municipal powers) does not include impact fee authority, and the legislature has rejected several proposals to enact one.