Council reviews planning fee amendments and new administrative use permit fee to streamline permitting

City planning staff told the Ukiah City Council on Sept. 3 that a proposed update to the planning and building fee schedule would remove certain fee discounts and add a $350 administrative use permit (AUP) application fee intended to speed reviews.

Clegg Schlatter, community development director, reviewed the multi‑year review of fees and the ad‑hoc committee work. Schlatter said the fee discounts in place historically amounted to "between a 20 and a 40% discount on planning permit fees" and that staff had not found evidence those discounts drove higher volumes of specific activity. "Developers and builders" told staff that certainty and speed in the permitting process matter more than small fee reductions, he said.

Schlatter described the recommended AUP fee as covering an estimated 30 minutes of technician time, two hours of planner review (including potential site visit), and 30–60 minutes for director review and decision. The proposed flat fee for the AUP is $350.

On the merits, Schlatter argued the city’s recent investments in a cross‑trained community development team and electronic permitting have improved speed and lowered comparative fees relative to neighboring jurisdictions; attachment materials showed the city’s rates below Mendocino County in a staff comparison. "We've hired the best staff we can find ... we have a friendly, responsive staff who actually returns your phone call," Schlatter said.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the history of the ad hoc review, the connection between fees and housing development, and whether the recommendation was intended to sustain staff capacity while keeping fees competitive. Staff said the proposal returns after prior direction and is meant to align administrative fees with staff time and program costs.

Action: The council moved and seconded the staff recommendation and approved the fee schedule amendment by roll call. (Motion recorded in the official minutes.)

Why it matters: The change formalizes a new fee for AUPs and removes certain historical discounts. Staff framed the change as part of a strategy to provide faster, more predictable permitting — an aim tied to housing production and development review efficiency. The council approved the recommendation and staff will publish the updated fee schedule.