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Ripon adopts annual habitat fee increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2026
Summary
The Ripon City Council approved an amendment to the city's annual habitat fee schedule, raising fees by about 8.4% and setting the new rates to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. The hearing drew no public comment and passed on a unanimous council vote.
The Ripon City Council voted to adopt an increase in the city's annual habitat fees, with the new schedule to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
City staff told the council during a public hearing that the increase averages about 8.4% across affected land uses and that most land in Ripon is zoned multipurpose open space, which drives much of the change.
"This is the time of year we get to hold a public hearing and consider adoption of the annual habitat fees, which would take effect on 01/01/2026," a staff member said during the presentation. "You can see the fees are going up a little bit. Mostly all the land in Ripon is zoned for multipurpose open space, so it is about an 8.4% increase in the habitat fees."
Council members asked no technical questions about the methodology, and no members of the public spoke during the hearing. One council member commented during the discussion that the fee functions like a tax on developers and landowners. "Let's be clear. This is nothing but a tax," the council member said.
A motion to adopt the fee schedule was made and seconded and the council proceeded to a roll-call vote. The motion passed unanimously, 5-0. City staff indicated the new fees will be implemented in the city billing and permitting systems to become effective Jan. 1, 2026.
The staff report on the proposal contains the fee tables and supporting calculations; staff offered to answer follow-up questions after the meeting.
