ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 23, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Public Hearing TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Randy McKeegan, Finance Director
DATE: April 18, 2025
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to Consider Resolution adopting fees pursuant to the cost recovery system and approving the Master Fee Schedule.
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of the resolution.
BACKGROUND:
State law requires new fees and charges and increases in existing fees and charges to be adopted by ordinance or resolution following a public hearing on said fees and charges. Chapter 3.70 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code (BMC) authorizes the establishment and increase of fees and charges by resolution for the City. In accordance with Chapter 3.70 of the BMC, the adoption of new and increased fees and charges is necessary for the City to recover the reasonable estimated cost of providing the services for which the fees are charged.
City staff completed a full review of the master fee schedule in May 2021. Supplementary updates of fees and language to the last fee schedule were approved in April 2023 and April 2024 based on increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) those respective years. That same review based on CPI is being applied in the current year with additional fees detailed below.
The attached resolution along with Exhibit A represents the entire master fee schedule document to be authorized. The first column of numbers lists the current fees in place and the second column of numbers are the proposed fees for the upcoming fiscal year.
Each department completed a full review of fees that included a thorough examination of the related time spent and materials used by staff. The majority of the fees increased based on changes in the consumer price index for the Los Angeles, Long Beach & Anaheim region which results in increases between 3% and 4%. This review also included updates to the administrative overhead rates which recover costs of supporting divisions within the City, which includes Technology Services, City Attorney, Finance, and Human Resources. This review was consistent with budget instructions, which requested that departments review their fees to verify full cost recovery. The council has historically supported fees at or near 100 percent cost recovery for most charges, except for some recreation and parks program activities.
These fees are subsidized by the General Fund, which has been the City’s continued practice for many years to benefit underserved communities that utilize those services.
The proposed fee schedule also includes the removal of fees deemed no longer functional along with new fees for updated service needs and programs. That includes new activity for development services, and fire protection services. There are also updates to the schedule to include fees that were omitted from the document but should be added to have a more complete and accurate record of City fees.
Explanations for these additions are detailed below. Also included in the explanations below are fees that are increasing or decreasing by material amounts for reasons other than the change in fringe and overhead rates.
Development Services has proposed changes to existing fees in the following sections listed below.
A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7, A-12, A-14, A-15, B-20, B-21, B-22, B-25,B-26, B-27,B-28, B-30, B-31, B-32, B-33, B-34, B-35, B-36, B-37, B-38, B-39, B-42, and B-45
All proposed changes are deemed necessary to align with rising operational costs, including salary adjustments per the current salary schedule and increased expenditures for program and service delivery.
Without an adjustment, the existing fee structure will not sustain staffing levels and essential service. The adjustments ensure financial stability while maintaining compliance with budgetary requirements.
Street – Review of Easements – (A-7 #2)
Development Services is requesting the addition of a new fee for Review of Easements. The proposed fee is for the purpose of accounting for the time invested by Public Works Staff in the review of easements submitted in connection w ith approval of grading and/or improvement plans and/or satisfaction of conditions of approval. Currently there is no mechanism to collect any additional fees to cover the review of easements including; assess easements, flowage and retainage easements, se wer easements, storm drain easements, temporary turn around easements, landscape easements, street light easements, wall footing easements, covenant of easements, pedestrian easements, pue easements, street right of way easements. Plan check fees cover the review and approval of grading and improvement plans; review of the easement is an extra step. Staff spends additional time to review the easements from logging, processing, scanning, and recording the easements.
Tentative Subdivision Map Review – Small Land Divisions Tentative Tract – Tentative Subdivision Map Review – (B-25 #3)
Development Services is requesting the addition of a new fee for Tentative Subdivision Map Review. The proposed fee adjustment is necessary to align with rising operational costs, including salary adjustments per the current salary schedule and increased expenditures for program and service delivery. Without an adjustment, the existing fee structure will not sustain staffing levels and essential services. The increase ensures financial stability while maintaining compliance with budgetary requirements.
Development Time Extension Review – Requested Plan Review Expedite – General Applications – (B-38 #3)
Development Services is requesting the addition of a new fee for General Applications. The proposed fee adjustment is necessary to align with rising operational costs, including salary adjustments per the current salary schedule and increased expenditures for program and service delivery. Without an adjustment, the existing fee structure will not sustain staffing levels and essential services. The increase ensures financial stability while maintaining compliance with budgetary requirements.
Miscellaneous Fees – Development Services – Document Processing and Maintenance Fee (F-103 #1)
Development Services is requesting the addition of a new fee for Document Processing and Maintenance.
The proposed fee increase is necessary to support investment in modernized systems that enhance service delivery. These systems include permitting software, ensuring transparency, and enhancing the overall user experience. Th e additional fee will partially fund the maintenance and ongoing support of these technology-driven solutions.
Fire Prevention Services has proposed changes to existing fees in the following sections A-9, A-10, and B-
40. Fee increases are required to cove r salary/operating expenses within the Fire Prevention Services Division.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the resolution and the Master Fee Schedule will allow the departments that provide services for the city to recover the costs for those various services. Significant Impact to the General Fund if the Fee Schedule is not updated to recover the costs.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS: