Board delays vote on county master fee schedule after supervisors call for simplification and deeper review

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on April 28 opened a public hearing on proposed updates to the county master fee schedule and then continued the hearing after supervisors sought more data and a departmental review.

Deputy CAO Casey Moreno told the board the fee updates respond to CPI (2.48%), cost studies and state and federal mandates and include changes across departments (Agriculture, Animal Control, Assessor-Recorder, Behavioral Health, Building and Safety, Code, Planning, Public Works and Water Resources).

Multiple supervisors and members of the public argued the county’s fee list is overly complex and difficult for residents and businesses to use. Supervisor Sabatier described the master fee document as "one of the most overwhelming things to ever lay eyes on" and questioned percentage-based charges tied to construction cost while recommending an hourly-rate approach for permit-review staff to make costs more transparent to applicants.

Supervisor Owen and others raised concerns about large, state-mandated increases in behavioral health fees and asked for documentation justifying steep per-day or per-visit changes. Board members agreed they would not take final action at the April 28 meeting because the resolution had not been uploaded and because they wanted a consultant review for CDD fee structures.

Action taken: The board continued the public hearing to May 5 at 10:45 a.m. and requested staff pursue a consultant-assisted 'deep dive' into development-related fees to explore simplification options and potential alternatives to percentage-based charges.

What’s next: Staff will return with comparative data, fee-study options and consultant recommendations before the board takes a final vote.