Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Ramon adopts FY2026-27 master fee schedule but defers two new fees after public concern
Summary
The council adopted the FY2026-27 master fee schedule after staff presentation, but removed two newly proposed fees'a collection-agency administration fee and a firearm-storage fee'for later review amid public questions about notice and cost data.
The San Ramon City Council on April 14 approved the city's Fiscal Year 2026'17 Master Fee Schedule but removed two newly proposed fees for additional public review.
What the council approved: Finance staff presented a second-reading packet and recommended adoption of a master fee schedule that updated hundreds of line items across city services. Staff said most adjustments followed a consultant's user-fee methodology, with many fees adjusted for inflation indices (CPI or construction-cost indices) and some set to recover labor costs.
New fees and public concern: Two fees added to the packet since the March 10 meeting drew direct questions from the public and some council members: a collection-agency administration fee (charged when delinquent accounts are referred to outside collection agencies) and a firearm-storage fee (monthly charge applied when the police department stores seized/confiscated firearms beyond a five-day grace period). Staff explained the collection-agency fee would be charged at actual cost (collections agencies can charge up to ~33% of the amount collected) and that the firearm-storage fee was described in the master schedule as $30 per month. Public commenters and at least one council member requested more upfront notice and a clearer statutory cost study for newly proposed fees before adoption.
Appeal deposit and fee counts: Staff reported a broad rework of fees across departments: hundreds of fees remained unchanged, many were adjusted, and staff said 12 new fees were added overall. As part of council direction earlier in the process, the appeal-deposit framework had been modified: the council's updated approach requires an appeal deposit (a refund only if the appeal fully overturns the prior approval); during the hearing council reduced the proposed deposit from an earlier number to $2,500.
Statutory notice and legal threshold: The city attorney advised that Government Code a7 66016 requires information supporting proposed fees to be made available to the public at least 10 days before adoption. Staff said the two new fees appeared in the publicly posted packet; nonetheless, several council members and commenters argued the firearm-storage fee and the collections fee deserved clearer, separate public disclosure and cost justification.
Council action and follow-up: The council voted to adopt Resolution 2026-047 (FY2026'17 Master Fee Schedule) but directed staff to remove the collection-agency administration fee and the firearm-storage fee and return them later with fuller documentation and public notice. Staff said excluding those two fees will not materially change the city's budget development timing; staff also noted most revenue impacts from the user-fee study will land in special-revenue funds rather than the general fund.
What residents said: Speakers during the public hearing urged transparency, questioned whether fee notices satisfied statutory requirements, and criticized high appeal deposits as a potential barrier to public participation. Budget staff replied that parks and recreation fees historically recover roughly half of program costs and that development-related revenue can fluctuate based on market activity.
What happens next: Staff will prepare revised presentations and cost data for the two deferred fees, follow Government Code notice requirements, and return to council with the items for formal consideration at a later date.
