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County finance team previews broad fee changes; supervisors push back on big parks and land‑use hikes
Summary
San Bernardino County staff presented a countywide fee workshop March 10 recommending a three‑year fee cycle and a 3% annual inflator; supervisors pressed for changes after staff flagged large proposed increases for parks, land‑use and development fees and asked staff to return with staggered or targeted options before the March 24 fee hearing.
County finance officials told the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on March 10 that the county plans to move to a three‑year fee cycle and recommended a 3% annual inflator for eligible departmental charges, but supervisors said parts of the package need rework to avoid undue burdens on residents and local businesses.
"This today is a workshop. There is no action being taken by the board," Matthew Ericson, the county chief financial officer, told the board, emphasizing the presentation was an opportunity for feedback before a formal fee hearing on March 24 and an adoption reading on April 7. Ericson said the recommendations aim to keep the county on a path toward full cost recovery of departmental services while creating more stability in fee setting.
Board members said they supported the goal of cost recovery but objected to specific, often large, percentage increases proposed for certain fees. Several supervisors singled out regional parks and recreational rentals — including cabana and group‑rental fees — and fees for grading, building inspections and land‑development deposits. "When we go and we have such huge jumps and then zero beyond that, in three years down the road we're going to have the same problem," one supervisor said, urging staff to consider CPI‑linking or staggered increases.
Diana Atkinson, who joined Ericson for the presentation, described the finance office's methodology: departments were asked to review all fees this year, estimate full cost of service, and suggest changes; the 3% inflator is intended to smooth future adjustments. Ericson said fee revenue totals roughly $269 million — about 3% of countywide spending — and that the county has not kept pace with inflation in recent years.
Supervisors pressed several specifics: they asked for clearer explanations where fees are being "repackaged" rather than increased (for example, some park pricing consolidations), requested capped or phased increases for planning and building fees where possible, and asked staff to identify community‑and nonprofit‑discounted rates for parks and events. One supervisor urged the county to avoid pricing community groups and youth sports out of county parks, suggesting differential or partnership pricing for local users versus commercial events.
Staff signaled they would reexamine regional parks, land‑use and animal‑care proposals and return with adjustments ahead of the March 24 hearing. Several board members proposed board‑level options such as short‑term general‑fund subsidies or phased escalators to blunt the initial impact on vulnerable users while allowing fees to move toward cost recovery.
The workshop produced no board vote. "We will look at what's being proposed in the next two weeks before we come back for the fee hearing," Ericson said. The board directed staff to bring refined proposals that explain large percentage changes, consider equity and market comparisons, and show options to phase or cap increases where warranted.
The March 24 fee hearing is the next formal step; most approved fee changes would take effect July 1 unless specified otherwise.
