Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Special Orders of the Day
SUBJECT:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 16-065 ESTABLISHING NEW FEES AND CHARGES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF CARSON AND AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE OF FEES (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The City Council is asked to hold a public hearing and adopt Resolution No. 16-065 establishing new fees and charges for goods and services provided by the City and amending the FY 2016/2017 Comprehensive Schedule of Fees (Schedule of Fees) (Exhibit No. 1). A red-lined version of the Schedule of Fees is attached (Exhibit No. 2).
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. OPEN Public Hearing, TAKE public testimony, and CLOSE the Public Hearing.
2. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 16-065, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON ESTABLISHING NEW FEES AND CHARGES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY AND AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 16-011.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
On February 2, 2016, following a public hearing, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 16-011 amending the Schedule of Fees (Exhibit No. 3). As part of the annual budget process all departments review the existing fees and charges to determine if changes are recommended.
The City Council discussed recommended fee increases at the three budget workshops. Many of the fee increases are minor in nature, including agenda production and copying charges in the City Clerk’s Office. The major fee increases are in the Community Development Department, where the staff proposed a “project deposit” system of planning and development fees that will cover the actual cost of providing our professional services. The staff also proposed as a General Plan and Zoning Ordinance update surcharge on building permits to assist the City in updating these critical development documents.
The City Council also discussed increases in the Community Services Fees, particularly in the Early Childhood and Carson Day Camp fees. The Community Services fee changes begin on Page 7 of the fee resolution. It should be noted that staff is completing a comprehensive review of the fees in the Community Center and will return to the City Council with specific recommendations. There is additional discussion of the fees in the Budget Staff report.
Additional fee changes are included in the amended Schedule of Fees. Documentation of costs in providing services and supporting fee increases is attached (Exhibit No. 4).
State law requires that fees be reasonably related to the actual costs of providing goods and services, and that the following actions be taken:
1. Hold at least one open and public meeting, at which oral or written presentations can be made as part of a regularly scheduled meeting.
2. Provide notice of the time and place of the public meeting, including a general explanation of the matter to be considered and publish the notice at least 10 days before the public meeting.
3. Send notice of the public meeting at least 14 days prior to the local agency meeting to all interested parties filing a written request with the local agency for mailed notice of the meeting on new or increased fees or service changes. Two parties requested a notice and staff provided the notices to each party.
4. At least 10 days prior to the meeting, the local agency shall make available to the public, data indicating the amount of the cost, or estimated cost required to provide the service for which the fee or service charge is levied and the revenue sources anticipated to provide the service, including General Fund revenues.
All of the aforementioned requirements were met including the public hearing notice which was published in Our Weekly on June 9, 2016 and June 16, 2016. All interested parties requesting notice of the proposed fee increases were notified, in writing, 10 days prior to the June 21, 2016 public hearing.
Staff recommends that the Council adopt the proposed Schedule of Fees.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The total of the fee increase are estimated at $1.1 million. Additional discussion of the fee increases is included in the Budget staff report. If the new Schedule of Fees is adopted, it will increase revenue to the City’s General Fund; however, the increases are not intended to be revenue generating but intended for cost recovery. The net fiscal impact to the City is intended to be zero. The proposed fee increases do not exceed the reasonable cost of providing such goods and services for which the fees are levied. Any increase or decrease in revenue will be offset by the increase or decrease in costs incurred by the City in providing such goods and services.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 16-065. (pgs. 3 - 21)
2. Resolution No. 16-065 (Red-line version). (pgs. 22 - 43)
3. Council Minutes, February 2, 2016 (Item No. 22). (pg. 44)
4. Documentation of Costs Supporting Fee Increases (pgs. 45 - 66).
Prepared by: Boris Sztorch, Revenue Manager