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Tustin Council adopts citywide fee schedule, modest increases to take effect April 1
Summary
The Tustin City Council unanimously adopted a new citywide comprehensive fee schedule and cost-allocation plan after a consultant presentation; most changes are modest, include a $1 hourly increase for some field rentals, and will take effect April 1, 2026, following a required 60-day period.
The Tustin City Council voted 5–0 on Jan. 20 to adopt a new citywide comprehensive fee schedule and accompanying cost-allocation plan, approving Resolution "26 0 5" that updates fees across city services and incorporates a methodology intended to align user charges more closely with the full cost of providing those services. The resolution was adopted after a presentation from Finance Director Jennifer King and Tony Thrasher of Willdan Financial.
The study, the first full review since 2025 and recommended for repetition every five years, uses a fully burdened cost model and a CPI-based annual adjustment. Consultant Tony Thrasher said state law limits fees to no more than the full cost of providing a service: “Fees cannot be set more than the full cost of providing the service,” he told the council. The study found most recommended changes are modest and left many fees in the middle of peer-city comparisons.
Why it matters: the fee adjustments are intended to reduce the general-fund subsidy for user services. Mayor Pro Tem Schnell said the changes will generate roughly $370,000 in additional revenue against an estimated $10.1 million cost to provide the services — leaving a substantial subsidy in place to keep programs affordable. The council emphasized the goal of balancing access with fiscal stewardship.
Key details: the resolution sets a 60‑day notice period; staff said the new fees will take effect on April 1, 2026. Parks Director Clinton clarified that field-use fees will rise by $1 per hour — from $13 to $14 for unlit fields and from $25 to $26 for lighted fields — and explained groups with existing multi‑month permits will see the change take effect at permit renewal (staff said implementation for those permits occurs after July 1). City staff also noted recreation services continue to be heavily subsidized, recovering roughly 30% of cost in that program area.
Public response and next steps: there were no in-person speakers on the fee item; staff recorded one e-comment about youth-sports music fees. Council members said they expect staff to continue pursuing operational efficiencies and technology investments to limit future fee pressure and to return to a fee study on the five‑year schedule.
The resolution passed on a unanimous roll-call vote. The council will implement the new schedule as described and continue annual CPI adjustments going forward.
