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Committee approves Phase 1 of Building & Safety fee changes amid calls for efficiency and automation
Summary
The Department of Building & Safety presented a three‑phase fee-increase plan and the committee authorized Phase 1 (covering roughly 68% of permits) while directing staff to pursue automation, self‑certification pilots and a follow-up study on Phase 2/3 impacts.
The committee considered a multi‑phase proposal from the Department of Building & Safety (DBS) to adjust permit and service fees and approved Phase 1, while requesting follow-up work on efficiency measures.
DBS presentation: Tony Peláez, an analyst/manager with DBS, described a three‑phase approach. He said Phase 1 would cover the permits that represent approximately 68% of the department’s permit volume and would proceed now; Phase 2 and Phase 3 would require additional study and an RFP to complete a comparative study with neighboring jurisdictions, a process Peláez estimated could take about a year.
Council concerns: Several members expressed concern that raising fees could make housing and construction more expensive and urged the department to pursue technology, virtual inspections and self‑certification pilots to avoid overburdening builders. One councilmember said the city should prioritize automation over broad fee increases and argued that increased fees could shift costs to the General Fund if development slows.
Vote and follow-up: The committee authorized Phase 1 by roll call (five in favor). Members directed DBS to return with reports on pilot programs, technology-enabled inspections and further analysis of Phase 2/3, and to explore options for minimizing General Fund exposure.
Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the committee record and include Tony Peláez and multiple councilmembers who asked for greater efficiency and transparency in fee adjustments.
