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Mount Rainier council adopts revised fee schedule, raising several permits and clarifying charges
Summary
On May 5 the council adopted Ordinance O2‑2026 to repeal and reenact Mount Rainier’s city fee schedule for FY27 with adjustments (including higher sidewalk café and outdoor-event fees, revised business-license tiers and clarified reinspection charges); the measure passed unanimously 5–0.
The City of Mount Rainier adopted Ordinance O2‑2026 on second reading May 5, 2026, replacing the city fee schedule for fiscal year 2027.
City Manager Karush Kamali reviewed many line-item clarifications and adjustments: the sidewalk café permit was changed from $25 to $75 (notes in the packet recorded slight variations during the discussion); business‑license fees were restructured with new per‑1,000‑square‑foot tiers and a higher maximum, and outdoor‑event fees were increased to reflect staff and police costs. Kamali also described changes to reinspection fees, refuse and bulk‑trash charges and animal‑control licensing. He stressed the changes were primarily clarifications and rebalancing rather than wholly new penalties.
Councilmember Joseph praised staff for making the code and fee schedule easier to read and for addressing implementation burdens on staff. The council moved and unanimously approved the ordinance (5–0).
Why it matters: The revised fee schedule aims to make permit processing and fiscal expectations clearer for residents and businesses and to better align fees with staff time and service costs.
What to watch next: Staff will publish the new fee schedule and follow up with separate ordinance(s) for fines and enforcement language where needed.
