City staff presented proposed, modest changes to the 2026 fee schedule at the Lakewood City Council study session on Nov. 10, and councilmembers debated one notable housekeeping item: the nonprofit rental rate for the Mechanic/McGavick Center.

Deputy City Manager Todd Krause said the fee changes are primarily for development-services items (pavement degradation fees, administrative cleanup and correcting titles for expedited plan-review categories) and will return to council for formal adoption on Nov. 17.

Councilmembers raised the current flat nonprofit rental fee for the Mechanic/McGavick Center ($1,500) and proposed increasing it to reflect market rates and support the public-arts fund (which the fee supports). Comments ranged from modest inflationary increases to a jump to $2,000. "We can raise this to $1,800 or even $2,000," one councilmember suggested, noting comparable local facility rates.

City Clerk staff confirmed the application period for 2026 use opened with the $1,500 posted; council concluded it would be disruptive to change the published fee for applicants already under contract. The council reached procedural consensus: the fee schedule will include a footnote that the Mechanic/McGavick Center nonprofit rental rate will increase to $2,000 effective Jan. 1, 2027, while existing 2026 applicants will be honored at the posted $1,500.

Council also asked staff to remove an obsolete zero-fee "transfer of license" line that appeared for catteries and clean up other historical entries. No final fee-adoption vote occurred at the study session; the schedule will return for formal action on Nov. 17.