Lemon Grove council adopts updated master fee schedule, raises appeal fee and adds encroachment deposit

Lemon Grove — The Lemon Grove City Council voted unanimously April 21 to adopt an updated master fee schedule for fiscal year 2026–27, approving Resolution 2026‑4168 as amended and directing staff to correct several drafting errors.

The new schedule takes effect July 1, 2026, and includes a number of changes staff said are intended to better recover service costs. Interim Finance Director Darlene Triber told the council the document consolidates fees across public works, community services and community development and updates staff and contract hourly rates.

Key changes cited in the presentation and council discussion include a proposed $5,000 deposit for encroachment permits intended as surety to ensure timely, code‑compliant completion of private improvements to public right of way, and a regional‑comparative increase to the appeal fee for planning matters to $1,500. Triber said the appeal fee was set after reviewing neighboring jurisdictions and staff time requirements, and that the fees are designed to more closely align with actual processing costs. "The proposed fees and deposits will become effective 07/01/2026," Triber said during the staff report.

Councilmembers pressed staff on rental and cleaning fees for community facilities. The staff packet shows a $515 cleaning fee for full‑facility rentals and a $200 refundable deposit; councilmembers and residents said the cleaning charge can be a barrier for local nonprofits. Mayor Lisonbee Snow and several councilmembers asked staff to explore adding the cleaning charge to a deposit that could be refunded if groups leave the facility in acceptable condition, and to consider a waiver or sliding‑scale program for nonprofit or resident users. Staff committed to incorporate the requested clarifications and bring the corrections forward as implemented in the motion.

The resolution also updates building valuation tables to the 2025 International Code Council figures and incorporates a small increase to hourly rates (staff noted a recommended 3% increase for city staff in Appendix A). An InterWest representative told the council the firm reviewed the changes and was "on board" with the proposed table revisions affecting its plan‑check work.

The motion to adopt Resolution 2026‑4168 passed on a 5–0 roll call. The council also approved consent items earlier in the meeting by the same margin.

Next steps: staff will publish the corrected master fee schedule with the amendments discussed at the meeting and implement the effective date of July 1, 2026. The city said it will notify facility users and the public of the revised rates and the avenue for fee‑waiver requests.