Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council receives updated city fee schedule; CPI adjustment proposed for May adoption
Summary
City staff presented an updated consolidated fee schedule adjusted for a 2.4% CPI increase; council accepted the report and asked staff to return in May with an adoption item including a column showing full, undiscounted fees.
Carmel-by-the-Sea staff presented a consolidated fee schedule to the City Council on April 1 that incorporates a 2.4% Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment to fees for services the city provides directly to identifiable users.
Jamie (last name not specified), the staff presenter, explained the schedule consolidates community activity and library fees with other departmental fees and applies the San Francisco-area CPI adjustment of 2.4% for the current year. Staff said the city conducts a comprehensive fee study periodically (the last study was FY 2023–24) and applies CPI adjustments between full studies.
Staff recommended the council receive the report so a formal adoption item can return in May. Council members asked that the May adoption package include a column showing the fully burdened fees (undiscounted) alongside any continued discounts so the council can see the original full cost, the discount and the net fee.
Council discussion also included a policy question about whether fixed fees for some planning services distort property-owner behavior and whether hourly or blended charges might produce fairer outcomes. No formal adoption was taken; staff will return in May with an adoption resolution and the requested additional columns showing prior year, fully burdened and CPI‑adjusted fees.
