Tigard and Tualatin stand to receive larger road-maintenance payments from Washington County after the Board of Commissioners took the first step Tuesday toward raising the county's vehicle registration fee for the first time in a decade.

Chair Kathryn Harrington presided over the Aug. 4 meeting, where commissioners conducted the first reading of Proposed Ordinance No. 917, according to the meeting agenda. The ordinance would amend Chapter 3.14 of the county code, which governs the fee.

The current rate, set by Ordinance 817 in September 2016, is $30 per year for most passenger vehicles ($60 for a standard two-year renewal) and $17 per year for motorcycles and mopeds.

At a June 23 work session, county staff presented commissioners with scenarios including a $10 increase every two years as a short-term strategy to fund road maintenance. The county has said fuel-tax revenue per registered vehicle has declined as more hybrid and electric cars hit the road.

The exact dollar amount in Ordinance 917 has not been publicly confirmed.

What it means locally

Under the existing formula, the county keeps 60% of vehicle registration fee revenue for county road maintenance and distributes 40% to cities by population. When the fee launched in fiscal year 2018-19, it generated a projected $13.5 million annually. Based on those initial projections, Tigard received roughly $800,000 per year and Tualatin about $390,000.

Any increase would boost those shares proportionally.

A first reading is procedural. A second reading and public hearing must occur before any fee change takes effect. The next regular Board of Commissioners meeting is Aug. 18, the likely date for that second reading.

Shelter lease and Walker Road waterline

Also on Aug. 4, the board's consent agenda included two other items with local implications:

Non-congregate shelter lease: Commissioners authorized a new lease between the Housing Authority of Washington County and the county's Department of Housing Services Homeless Services Division for property at 3390 SW 209th Ave. in Beaverton. The site will serve as a non-congregate emergency shelter.

As we reported July 29, the county recently approved $2 million to fill a funding gap for a separate homeless services center in Hillsboro.

Tualatin Valley Water District agreement: The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Tualatin Valley Water District for waterline improvements tied to the Walker Road Phase 3 project between 173rd and 185th avenues. That $28.5 million road-widening effort, funded through the Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program and the City of Beaverton, broke ground in July and is expected to wrap up by June 2028. Walker Road is closed between 174th Terrace and Cambray Street through Dec. 1 for culvert replacement at Willow Creek.

How to weigh in

The Board of Commissioners meets on the first and third Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at the Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building, 155 N. First Ave., Hillsboro. Meetings are hybrid. Residents can sign up to testify online, attend in person or join by phone at 669-444-9171 (Webinar ID: 863 3988 2518).