Camarillo adopts updated building and safety fees, allows manager discretion to reduce or waive fees for local rec district

The Camarillo City Council on Feb. 12 adopted a resolution updating the city’s building and safety fee schedule, including a proposed general plan fee and a technology surcharge, and added language granting the city manager discretion to reduce or waive certain fees for the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the resolution after a staff presentation and discussion about how the changes would affect cost recovery and local programs.

Staff told the council the city’s building and safety fees were last updated in February 2007 and that a consultant, NBS, found current fees recover about 48% of building and safety costs. “The current fees recover about 48% of building and safety costs with the general fund subsidizing approximately $1,200,000 annually,” a staff presenter said. The study also identified two additional cost-recovery avenues — a general plan fee and a technology surcharge — that could together recover roughly $800,000 more, staff said.

The council debated an amendment…