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County staff say fee study and general plan funding are underway; supervisors raise $1M+ estimate for full update
Summary
Planning staff told supervisors a countywide fee study is under way and that a full general plan update could cost well over $1 million; staff said the General Plan Maintenance Fund and grants would be used to pay for elements of the update.
Planning staff told the board they are pursuing a countywide fee study and have funds in the General Plan Maintenance Fund to continue work on the safety element. The CAO said an RFP for the fee study had been completed and at least one proposal received; staff are checking whether behavioral health fees must be excluded because state mandates govern some charges.
Heidi, the planning lead, cautioned that a full general plan update and related environmental document is a substantial undertaking and estimated it would likely exceed $1,000,000. A supervisor suggested segmenting the work or pursuing grants; Heidi noted the county already collects a $2 per $1,000 building valuation fee into the General Plan Maintenance Fund and said that fund is contributing to the safety element update and other maintenance projects.
The board asked for clearer scope and funding scenarios before proceeding. A public commenter suggested designating a restricted fund balance to build a stable funding stream for the general plan update rather than relying on unrestricted reserves.
Heidi also presented calendar‑year 2025 planning statistics — including over 100 building permit reviews, 4 coastal development permits, 5 minor subdivisions and 19 use permits — as supporting information for workload and staffing discussions.
