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Murrieta Council Adopts 2025–26 User-Fee Update; One Council Member Objects
Summary
Council adopted the citywide user-fee schedule for fiscal 2025–26 after a public hearing; staff estimated a $246,000 fiscal impact and recommended a 2.9% CPI adjustment plus targeted fee changes. Council member Stone voted no.
Murrieta — After a public hearing on April 1, the Murrieta City Council approved an update to the city's user-fee schedule for fiscal year 2025–26, adopting a CPI-based adjustment and several targeted fee changes. Council member Stone recorded the sole vote against the measure.
Finance Director Javier Carcamo and accounting supervisor Ashley Lopez presented the update, which applies an annual consumer price index adjustment of 2.9% (January–January) to most fees and proposes specific changes for some services. Lopez said proposed non‑CPI changes include increasing 3D‑printing fees, adding hourly rates for new fire fee categories, creating two new planning fee tiers for very large commercial projects, and restoring a police clearance letter-with-notary fee to its previous level.
Staff estimate and rationale: Carcamo said the city used recent charges-for-service activity annualized to estimate the fiscal effect. "The projected fiscal impact is about $246,000," he said, assuming activity remains consistent. Staff argued routine CPI adjustments are best management practice to avoid diverting general fund resources to cover service costs.
Dissent and context: Council member Stone said he opposes annual fee increases amid rising housing costs and state mandates that affect developers and residents. "There comes a time where I believe we should not raise fees," Stone said during debate. Other council members asked about newspaper-notice requirements, the timing of fee notice to applicants, and whether savings from future process efficiencies could reduce fees at the next nexus study.
Vote and implementation: The council voted to adopt the updated user-fee schedule; the fees will take effect 60 days after adoption, on July 1, 2025, if no further action is required. The motion passed with one dissenting vote by Council member Stone.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the ordinance language for formal adoption and publish the fee schedule and implementation details as required by the municipal code.
