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Subcommittee previews master fee schedule: CPI adjustments, new plan‑review rules and child‑care fee changes
Summary
Staff told the finance subcommittee that most city fees will rise with a February‑to‑February CPI (2.5%), and previewed new deposit-plus‑hourly plan‑review fees, a policy to recover credit‑card charges (up to 4%), a 7% increase to basic child‑care fees and a 10% increase for summer day camp.
City staff told the finance subcommittee on June 9 that the bulk of the municipal master fee schedule for fiscal‑year 26–27 will be adjusted by the February‑to‑February consumer‑price index (about 2.5%), per prior council authorization.
The staff presenter said the update is intended both to maintain cost recovery for services and to make fee administration more transparent. "The staff report will have a clean copy of the recommended fee updates as well as a red line version," the presenter said.
Key changes previewed:
- CPI adjustments: Most existing fees will rise in line with the February‑to‑February CPI unless staff recommends otherwise. - Credit‑card fee recovery: The schedule will include language allowing the city to pass along actual credit‑card processing costs to fee payers, not to exceed 4%. - Plan‑review and contract‑planner fees: The fire department and Community Economic Development will move from some flat fees to deposit + hourly or actual outside plan‑review costs. Staff said the city now uses reimbursement agreements with developers that include an upfront deposit, an estimate of likely costs, and periodic billing that draws down deposits; additional deposits are requested before funds are exhausted. - Consultant overhead: Contracted consultant costs previously billed at "actual cost plus 10%" will include a proposed 20% department overhead when outside planners are used to better reflect in‑house oversight. - Recreation and child‑care fees: A recent cost‑recovery study supports a modest (roughly 5%) recreation adjustment in many categories; staff proposed a 7% increase in basic child‑care fees (final increment of a multi‑year plan) and a 10% increase for summer day camp.
Council members asked whether developer applicants will have predictability under the deposit approach; staff said reimbursement agreements provide an initial estimate and periodic accounting so developers can track costs. A council member also asked staff to clarify timing differences for childcare (which follows the academic calendar) versus recreation (fiscal year) in future presentations.
Staff will forward the full fee schedule, supporting tables of fully burdened hourly rates by classification, and a red‑line version to the council for a public hearing and action later in the budget cycle.
