Title
HEARING - Planning and Building Department, Building Division, recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 089-2021 entitled “Planning and Building Department Fee Schedule and Policies and Procedures,” thereby rescinding prior Resolution 186-2019, October 22, 2019.
FUNDING Fees for service.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Periodically the Planning and Building Department updates their fee schedule. On October 22, 2019, (Legistar# 19-0663, Item 31), the Board adopted Resolution 186-2019 entitled “Planning and Building Department Fee Schedule and Policies and Procedures,” thereby rescinding prior Resolution 080-2019 and establishing the Planning and Building Department Fee Schedule and Policies and Procedures.
The Planning and Building Department staff conducted an extensive Grading Valuation Study to determine the calculation of a fixed fee for Grading permits. This change from a time and materials calculation to a fixed fee will benefit the customer with a one-time fee charged during the permit application and issuance process. Currently the Plan Check and Inspection fees require a deposit of 1% of the Engineer’s estimate of cost or $1,000, whichever is greater to be collected. The deposit is then drawn down by the Finance and Administration Division creating a bill to the customer’s account based upon the actual hours spent on the project. If the project goes over the deposit, an invoice is sent to the customer. If the bill is under the deposit amount a refund is generated to reimburse the developer. The proposed update will eliminate the collection of deposits, and the need to create invoices and refunds. Overall, the process becomes more efficient and reduces work required by the Finance and Administration Division and the Planning and Building Department.
The Planning and Building Department’s Fee Schedule (Resolution Exhibit A) has been updated to reflect the recommended changes. In accordance with previously established policies and procedures, a public hearing is being conducted simultaneously with the Board’s consideration of the revised fee schedules and resolutions.
Recommended changes include the following:
- A change made to the Grading fee from time and materials to a fixed fee ( .01 times the valuation for Application fee and .01 times valuation for Plan Check fee with a minimum of $252 and $378 respectively); and
- A change made to the Public Record Requests fee to remove the verbiage “Per Evidence Code 1563” pursuant to County Counsel recommendation, and the addition of a flat fee of 15 cents per page to match the fee to prepare copies.
The Planning and Building Department’s Policies and Procedures (Resolution Exhibit B) had no updates at this time.
The Department is in the process of preparing a comprehensive, Department-wide fee study with the use of NBS professional consultants. Upon completion of the study, the Department will return to the Board with additional recommendations. The study is anticipated to be completed in the Fall of 2021.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to adjust fees for services at this time. However, this could affect the ability of the Departments to recover the cost to provide current services.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
June 23, 2015, (Legistar# 15-0587, Item 50) Board Workshop
March 22, 2016, (Legistar# 15-0587, Item 29) Resolution 049-2016 “Consolidated Fee Schedule and Consolidated Fee Policies and Procedures for Agency Services” 049-2016
April 5, 2016, (Legistar# 15-0587, Item 46) Resolution 063-2016 rescinds resolution 049-2019
May 3, 2016, (Legistar# 15-0587, Item 31) Resolution 079-2016 “Establishing the Consolidated Fee Schedule for the El Dorado County Community Development Agency, Adopting Fees for Agency Services as revised, and Adopting Community Development Agency Fee Policies and Procedures as revised”
April 18, 2017, (Legistar# 17-0202, Item 6) Ordinance 5051
June 27, 2017, (Legistar# 15-0587, Item 20) Resolution 105-2017 “Resolution Establishing a Consolidated Fee Schedule and Consolidated Fee Policies and Procedures for El Dorado County Community Development Services and Adopting Fees for Services”
May 21, 2019, (Legistar# 19-0749, Item 27) Resolution 080-2019 “Resolution Establishing a Consolidated Fee Schedule and Consolidated Fee Policies and Procedures for El Dorado County Community Development Services and Adopting Fees for Services"
October 22, 2019, (Legistar# 19-0663, Item 31) Resolution 186-2019 “Planning and Building Department Fee Schedule and Policies and Procedures”
OTHER DEPARTMENT AND/OR AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The proposed rates are based on a methodology to recover costs. Staff conducted an extensive fee study to calculate the Grading fee. This flat fee would be more efficient to process and would reduce work required while still recovering costs.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on the original Resolution.
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) copy of the signed Resolution to Department of Transportation for implementation.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Tom Burnette, Deputy Director, Building Official
Planning and Building Department
Becky Morton, Agency Chief Fiscal Officer
Chief Administrative Office, Community Development, Finance & Administration