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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-23 - AGENDA REPORTS - AMEND FEE SCHEDULE (2)PUBLIC HEARING DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT: Agenda Item: _60"o CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: November 23, 2004 L /r% Barbara Boswell ADJUSTMENT TO FEES AND AMENDMENTS TO THE FEE SCHEDULE Administrative Services RECOMMENDED ACTION 1) City Council open the public hearing, receive testimony, and close the public hearing. 2) City Council adopt Resolution, establishing the amendment to the schedule of fees and charges for City services. BACKGROUND In 1990, the City Council directed staff to prepare a study identifying the full cost of providing services. The result of this effort was the adoption of City Council policy establishing cost -recovery standards, the adoption of the City's first full -cost based fee schedule, and an ongoing mechanism to assess the cost of City services and to adjust fees accordingly. Propositions 4 and 13 established the "costs reasonably borne" philosophy. This philosophy necessitates the determination of the full business cost of each City -provided service, the identification of the beneficiary of each service, and the evaluation of services to determine an appropriate level of cost recovery for each. "Costs reasonably borne" implies a direct relationship between payment of fees and charges and receipt of services. This direct fee/service and tax equity relationship does not exist when tax monies are used to subsidize services received by only a small portion of the taxpaying public, or by non-residents. Every five years, the City examines the costs associated with providing services to the public. During the previous fiscal year, the City conducted a time -motion study and created a cost allocation plan to determine the most accurate cost of providing services to the public. Each City department participated in the Study to determine the amount of time each employee is involved Adopted: �?e 5�;, -t37 in each City service. All of the FY 04-05 current fees, adopted by Council on July 13, 2004, were based on the costs that were determined by this study. The purpose of this amendment is to make some minor adjustments and corrections to the fee schedule adopted at that time. In addition, staff is recommending establishing new fees for services now being requested of staff. New Fees Film Fees In an effort to ensure Santa Clarita's filming fees remain marketable and attractive to film production, while at the same time recouping the actual costs of staff time needed to process these requests, staff proposes replacing the existing two Film -Road Use fees with three separate fees: Filming - Road Closure, Filming - ITC, and Filming - Parking. This new structure distributes the costs more accurately among film production companies by more accurately reflecting the specific costs to the City. These proposed fees reflect, but do not exceed, the actual cost to the City, while at the same time are comparable to or lower than fees charged by other cities and counties for like services. Staff has met with film industry professionals to explain the proposed fee structure and obtain feedback related to the new fees. Planning Fees The City's Planning Staff is in the process of revising the Unified Development Code. These revisions are done on a periodic basis to address current trends in development and to identify ways to improve the development process. Through the revision process, staff has identified some modifications to the current fee structure for Planning Entitlement Applications. The following fees have been identified by Planning Staff for revisions: Non -Construction Conditional and Minor Use Permits To address the increasing demand of uses proposed in existing commercial or industrial centers and buildings which require no exterior construction, staff is proposing a new type of Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Minor Use Permit (MUP). The Non -Construction CUP or MUP will be less expensive and could be processed more quickly than a normal CUP/MUP, as review of the permit will be limited strictly to use. Currently, uses which require no exterior improvements, such as an instructional school in a commercial center, require the same level of review and fees as a large construction project, such as the construction of a new church. Since a Non -Construction CUP and MUP would not require the review of any grading, building, landscaping, and architectural plans, staff proposes a reduction in the current CUP and MUP fees to reflect the reduction in staff time to review and process these permits. Parks and Recreation Fees Due to an overwhelming demand, two new sports programs have been approved for the spring schedule. These programs are Adult Soccer and Pee Wee Sports. Adult Soccer is a team sport program. Pee Wee Sports is a youth program and will consist of camps and clinics. The revisions to the development fee schedule will go into effect on February 21, 2005, and all other fees will go into effect January 1, 2005. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other action as determined by Council. FISCAL IMPACT It is estimated that the revised fees for services will result in additional revenues, although, at this time, we are not able to quantify what this amount will be. These revenues have not been factored into the FY 04/05 budget. Revenues will be reviewed at year-end, and any appropriate adjustment will be recommended at that time. ATTACHMENTS Resolution Exhibit A - Amendment to Schedule of Fees and Charges CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita in the City Hall Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1st Floor, Santa Clarita, California, on the 23th day of November, 2004, at or after 6:00 p.m. to consider an amendment to the City of Santa Clarita's fee schedule. Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that time. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Administrative Services Department, Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 295, Santa Clarita, CA. 91355, (661) 255-4377, Jan Downey, Treasury Accountant. If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing. Dated: November 4, 2004 Sharon L. Dawson, CMC City Clerk Publish Date: November 10, 2004