Title
HEARING - Surveyor’s Office recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 151-2022, revising and increasing Surveyor’s Office fees; and
2) Authorize the Surveyor’s Office, in coordination with the Chief Administrative Office, to annually adjust fees based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
FUNDING: General Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Surveyor’s Office’s current fees, based on an hourly rate of $100 per hour, were adopted in 2018, and represent a 37% cost recovery. A Fee and Nexus study was complete by NBS Government Finance Group, Inc., indicating that a surveying services hourly rate of $147 would recover 100% of recoverable costs. On May 24, 2022, the Board of Supervisors received a Surveyor’s Office Fee Study Report and provided direction to return to the Board with an updated fee resolution implementing fee increases.
The Board provided the following direction to return with a resolution adopting fee increases based on the fee study:
1) Increase fees to implement full cost recovery over three years, as follows: 50% the first year, 75% the second year and 100% the third year;
2) Include an annual inflationary adjustment based on the consumer price index;
3) Add a $10 surcharge per building permit to recover a portion of Geographic Information Services (GIS) costs;
4) Set initial deposits amounts for each project type at 50% of the average number of hours to complete.
The recommended resolution, which will take effect 60 days after approval, increases the Surveyor’s Office fees, and implements 50% of the increases required for full cost recovery. The resolution also provides for additional increases on July 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024 to reach full cost recovery, as well as annual increases based on the consumer price index.
The Board also directed the Surveyor’s Office to pursue full cost recovery from Non-General fund County departments for GIS. The increased fees will be applied to County departments with Non-General Fund funding by the Surveyor’s Office. The surcharge to be applied to permits in Building is being evaluated as part of the forthcoming Planning and Building Department fee study, and will be included in a future fee resolution.
The fee for record of survey must be adopted via ordinance pursuant to Business & Professions Code 8766.5. A future item will be presented recommending adoption of that fee via ordinance.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could provide alternate direction to staff regarding an updated fee schedule, or decline to increase or update the Surveyor’s Office fee schedule.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
17-1320, 2/6/2018 adopted Resolution 013-2018, approving the first increase in fees since 2001, effective 60 days after adoption.
22-0674, 5/24/2022 the Board received the EDC Final Fee Study Report, and provided direction on future fee increases, a planning and building surcharge, and an automatic annual cost index increase.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact in the first year with 50% fee implementation is $230,000 in estimated total revenue, representing an increase of $129,000 in Surveyor annual costs recovered. In year two with 75% fee implementation estimated revenue is estimated to be $250,000 representing an increase of $149,000 from current Surveyor annual costs recovered. In year three with 100% fee implementation estimated revenue is estimated to be $271,000 representing an increase of $170,000 from current Surveyor annual costs recovered.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk to provide a copy of the signed resolution to the County Surveyor.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Brian Frazier, County Surveyor