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Pacific Grove adopts FY2627 fee schedule with CPI and targeted increases amid public concern
Summary
Council approved the FY2627 master fee schedule, including a 2.7% CPI adjustment and targeted increases (5% for community development and recreation; 10% for cemetery fees; parking meter increase of $0.25/hour). Residents raised concerns about affordability for facility rentals, animal permits and CPR class fees. Council approved the changes after staff explained the cost-recovery rationale.
The Pacific Grove City Council adopted the fiscal year 2627 master fee schedule, approving a consumer-price-index adjustment and targeted rate changes after staff explained the rationale for phased increases intended to improve departmental cost recovery.
Staff said the recommended CPI-based adjustment is 2.7% (derived from the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area index) and that community development and recreation fees would receive a 5% increase to move those departments closer to the council’s cost-recovery goals. Cemetery fees were proposed to rise by 10% to address a revenue deficit driven by fewer available in-ground burial plots and higher water costs. Staff also proposed a $0.25 per hour increase to downtown parking meter rates to match neighboring Monterey’s rate of $2.25/hour.
Multiple public speakers said higher fees risk pricing residents out of community facilities. Mike Gibbs and other callers asked city staff to reconsider high rental rates at the community center and to ensure credit card fee savings are passed to residents. Staff responded that some increases are phased, that security deposits explain a portion of specific rental fees, and that some savings (for example negotiating credit card fees) will be reviewed for broader application.
Council members asked for program-level metrics for recreation programs to measure which services break even and which do not, and asked staff to do outreach to increase participation where cost recovery is a goal. After discussion, the council voted by roll call to adopt the master fee schedule as presented (5–0, Mayor Smith absent).
