Moraga updates master fee schedule for 2025–27; development fees edged down, technology fee added

The Town of Moraga on June 11 adopted a resolution updating the master fee schedule for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27, adjusting several user and development fees and adding a new technology fee for planning and public‑works permit activity.

Katie Bruner, administrative services director, told council that the Government Code authorizes fees to offset the costs of permit processing and that development impact fees are adjusted annually based on engineering‑news‑record construction cost indices. She said development impact fees decreased by about 1.5% based on April 2024–April 2025 index changes, and the La Mirinda traffic impact fee decreased by about 0.75% based on the September 2023–September 2024 index change.

Key changes adopted include increased hourly rates for staff services (fully loaded with overhead), revised public‑works and engineering fees tied to updated staff rates, new fees for urban housing development and urban lot splits (per Senate bills referenced by staff), a new technology fee to offset software and technology used in permitting and review, the removal of a refundable damage deposit for routine park rentals (staff said deposits will remain under case‑by‑case review for groups larger than 100), and periodic adjustments to park and room rental fees and brick repair fees.

Councilmembers asked for clarifications about the deposit removal and the scope of the technology fee; staff said the deposit change targets higher‑risk, larger group rentals while routine picnic reservations will not require refundable deposits, and the technology fee is intended to cover software and tools directly tied to permitting and review work. The resolution passed unanimously.