Westminster approves updated fees but pauses RV, special‑event changes for separate study

The Westminster City Council on June 25 adopted a revised city‑wide fees and fines schedule based on a consultant study, while amending the action to return later with additional analysis of RV permits and special‑event permit fees.

The study, prepared by a consultant, recast city services as discrete cost‑recovery items and proposed fee changes across planning, public works and public safety. Staff and the consultant told the council the review identified the full cost to deliver many services and that the council must decide which services to subsidize with tax dollars.

Eric Johnson of the consultant explained the methodology: staff and consultants calculated fully allocated hourly rates for positions, matched time estimates per service, and converted those to per‑service fees. Johnson said the goal was to align fees with the cost of providing the service and to identify where taxpayers currently subsidize services.

Key changes and council direction included the following: • Credit‑card processing: staff and the consultant recommended a 3% charge on transactions over $500 to recover merchant fees; staff estimated around $200,000 in potential revenues if implemented. • Special‑event permits: the study calculated a staffing cost of roughly $1,480 for a “simple” special event and $2,520 for a “complex” event. Staff recommended leaving the application fee at $100 for now but councilmembers asked staff to study a higher fee and deposit structure to better reflect actual costs and potential cleanup deposits. • Parking and vehicle fines: the consultant proposed limited fine increases, including raising the fine for large vehicles parked on city streets from $47 to $80 and increasing a street‑sweeping citation from $47 to $55. The council asked staff to produce a clearer multi‑city comparison for parking fines and enforcement outcomes. • RV parking permit: the council amended the resolution to add a placeholder RV permit fee entry set to $0 and directed staff to return with a study on a potential RV permit fee and options to establish a tiered enforcement scheme. Police and code‑enforcement staff explained enforcement can use California Vehicle Code provisions (including towing/booting after repeated violations) and that documenting repeated offenses is feasible but will require some operational steps.

Public comment included both support and concern. Tony Buie, a long‑time resident, said he supported the archway but warned fee increases should not be a “big burden” on the city. Roger Mindram urged against charging any tax dollars for a cultural gateway, and several speakers urged a cautious approach to fee increases.

Council action: Vice Mayor Manzo moved, and Mayor Wynne seconded, an amendment to the consultant resolution to include s151 (RV permit) set at 0 and to direct staff to return with detailed studies on the RV permit fee and special‑event permit fees. The motion to adopt the fee schedule with that amendment passed 3‑1; Councilwoman Fan West voted no and asked for additional multi‑city comparisons before approving some parking and fine increases.

Staff said the fee updates will be included in the city’s next biennial review cycle and that implementation of some items, such as the credit‑card surcharge, requires IT work and phased steps. The council also instructed staff to bring a study session on special‑event permit fees and deposits and to propose a compliance plan for RV permit enforcement options in coordination with the police department.