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Commission backs updated user fees for parks, public works and police, flags $2 million shortfall in development revenue
Summary
The commission recommended that the city council adopt a package of fee adjustments including higher hydrant-meter deposits and new testing fees; members noted the fees do not cover long-term maintenance and flagged a projected $2 million drop in community development revenue.
The fiscal commission voted to recommend that the city council adopt proposed updates to user fees and charges, including increases for public-works deposits and new technical fees as well as revised parks and police fees intended to improve cost recovery.
Staff walked the commission through the process: the city uses the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CPI-U for adjustments; any changes over 3% require council action and a public hearing. Staff highlighted key changes in public-works fees, including a proposed increase in the fire-hydrant deposit to about $6,000, a lost-hydrant-meter fee rising to roughly $3,450, an increase in lost-backflow-preventer fees to $2,000 and a new backflow test charge of $405. Road-closure inspection and stormwater quality inspection fees were presented at $153 and $618 respectively.
Commissioners debated the philosophy behind fee-setting: some argued for fuller cost recovery to help replenish restricted maintenance funds, while others emphasized subsidizing community events and maintaining access. One commissioner noted a significant projection of reduced community-development fee revenue and urged the council consider that when adopting fees. "The report highlights a $2,000,000 reduction in community development services," the commissioner said during the motion to send the fees to council with caveats.
The commission voted to recommend adoption, while also asking that council be alerted to two points: the projected $2 million decline in community-development revenue and that the proposed user fees do not fully account for long-term deferred maintenance and replacement costs.
Implementation and next steps: staff will forward the recommended fee schedule to the council for the May 19 council review; if council opts to adopt any changes exceeding CPI thresholds, public hearings will be scheduled and any adopted fees become effective according to statutory timelines (fees typically take effect 60 days after council action).
