The Sunnyvale Town Council approved on first reading an ordinance updating the town’s appendix A fee schedule on Sept. 13, with a 4‑1 vote after council removed the alarm permit renewal fee but retained the registration requirement.

Staff told council the fee update was required by state law to reauthorize fees every 10 years; the town’s residential/building permit fees had not been comprehensively updated since 2013. Staff said the comprehensive study showed the town was subsidizing about 41% of the cost of services and the proposed fee changes aim to reduce that subsidy to roughly 31%.

Key changes presented by staff included an increase in the residential new‑construction permit rate from $0.96 per square foot to $1.26 per square foot (staff illustrated the example cost for a 3,000‑square‑foot house under the proposed schedule). Staff also noted proposed changes such as raising the solar permit fee from $100 to $300, increasing boarding fees in animal control to about $200 (to match surrounding jurisdictions), and technical updates to engineering and commercial permit fees to comply with recent state guidance (staff referenced a state bill discussed as House Bill 3492 and said some engineering fees had already been updated to comply earlier this year).

Staff described several targeted increases, deletions and additions across departments: animal‑control adjustments (including higher fees for dangerous‑dog registration and boarding), engineering fee updates tied to statutory limits, utility deposit increases to better approximate one month’s bill, and new fire inspections and false‑alarm fee structures. Staff said the garbage collection charge remains the third‑party contract cost plus 5% and that some fees tied to state licensing were removed because the state now administers those charges.

Council discussion focused particularly on alarm‑registration and false‑alarm fees. Police and fire officials told council that responding to false alarms takes substantial staff time and can compromise officer availability; staff argued for registration and penalties for repeat false alarms. Council voted to remove the $15 alarm‑permit renewal fee while keeping a registration requirement so the public‑safety departments will have contact and system information. Councilmembers also discussed public education and planned communications to notify residents of any new requirements once the ordinance is published.

A motion to approve the ordinance on first reading with the removal of the alarm permit renewal fee was made by Councilmember Finch and seconded by Dr. Woodrow. The motion passed 4‑1; voting in favor were Dr. Woodrow, Mr. Allen, Mr. Finch and Miss Danny; Mayor Sajid George voted against the ordinance as presented. Staff said the ordinance will return likely as a consent item on a subsequent council agenda for final action.

On the consent agenda earlier in the meeting council approved minutes from the Aug. 22, 2025 meeting by a 5‑0 vote (motion by Mr. Finch, second by Mr. Allen).