September 2026
SJCOG, Inc.
STAFF REPORT
SUBJECT: Approval of 2027 San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan Development Fee Annual Adjustment RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the 2027 SJMSCP Development Fees as Adjusted Pursuant to the Financial Analysis Model SUMMARY:
Using the adopted five-year financial analysis model to the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJMSCP), SJCOG Inc. staff, the Habitat Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) Financial Subcommittee members (Table 1) and consultants undertook the annual analysis in summer 2026. The goal of the annual analysis is to establish the next year’s habitat plan fees paid by individual development projects. The fees are for impacts under the countywide SJMSCP permits as defined in the three fee model categories (Category A – Acquisition; Category B - Assessment and Enhancement; and Category C - Management, Monitoring and Administration).
Table 1 – HTAC Financial Subcommittee Members:
John Beckman, BIA
Dan Gifford, Conservation
Hailey Donaldson, CDFW
28.2%28.2%The proposed 2027 SJMSCP development fees were adjusted using the adopted 2025 SJMSCP Five-Year Financial Model Update for the respective categories and are compared to the 2026 SJMSCP Development fees (Table 2) in the most common habitat categories under the plan. The change is an overall increase of 28.2% in the most impacted categories of Agricultural and Natural Habitat classifications from the prior year. The increase is due primarily to a rise in the land acquisition component (Category A) for agricultural land price values of comparable sales and a rise in the reported Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Categories B and C.
28.2%
28.2%
Table 2- Compared 2027 & 2026 SJMSCP Development Fees – Most Common Fee Habitat Types 2027 Fee - Proposed
2026 Fee - Adopted
Difference
Percent Change
Agricultural/Natural
$22,908
$17,868
$5,040
28.2%
Projects participating under the SJMSCP benefit from a predetermined streamlined processing of the project rather than navigating through a potentially very long, cumbersome and expensive regulatory process outside the habitat plan. By opting for participation, the project proponent can choose any number of ways to provide mitigation for the impacts of the project through the plan and even control much of the mitigation costs if desired. The options are:
1. Pay a fee.
2. Redesign the project to avoid/minimize impacts.
3. Provide land in lieu of the SJMSCP fee, which the project proponent will negotiate the easement/fee title costs (Category A component).
4. Any combination of the above options.
And if those options are not sufficient, the project proponent can choose not to participate in the plan (opt out) and fulfill mitigation requirements on their own with state and federal permitting agencies independently.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the 2027 SJMSCP development fees as adjusted pursuant to the financial analysis model.
Fiscal Impact:
Development fees provide funding for SJCOG Inc. to mitigate project impacts covered under the SJMSCP permits for the subsequent calendar year beginning January 1.
BACKGROUND:
Annually, the SJMSCP development fees are reviewed and calculated using a formula method adopted under the habitat plan. The three components of the formula are adjusted based on the individual components and the most current supporting data. The development fees established must be adopted by each of the jurisdictions and would become effective on January 1 of the subsequent year for projects using the SJMSCP.
Category A (Acquisition) – Comparable Land Sales
This category is directly related to land valuation based on comparable land sales in San Joaquin County in specific zones of the plan area (Central Zone, Central Southwest Transition Zone and Delta Zone) over an established two-year period meeting the established criteria used for comparable land sales (Attachment 1). Cost estimates for this category will continue to be evaluated on a yearly basis by taking all qualified fee title comparable sales in each zone to set a weighted cost per acre.
The fee model analysis update results in a 43.1% increase in the Agricultural/Natural Habitat types of Category A (Acquisition) component to $15,816. The reason for the increase is the increase in overall comparable fee title land sale values from prior year values.
Category B (Assessment and Enhancement) – Refined Cost Factors with Consumer Price Index and Model Data Update The Category B component of the fee is adjusted using several factors including the California Consumer Price Index (CPI), as reported by the California Department of Finance for the preceding 12-month fiscal year (June 2025 – June 2026) and from the updated model numbers completed annually based on the SJMSCP Annual Report.
The unit cost factors (per acre or per year for some items) are adjusted only by the CPI (the California CPI calculation was an increase of 3.38%). But the total cost for Category B is also a function of the SJMSCP Annual Report data updated annually (acres remaining to be acquired and the number of years remaining in the permit term; the fee per acre is a function of those total calculated costs and the land conversion acres remaining). These parts all feed into the fee model.
The fee model update results in a 4.2% increase in the Agricultural/Natural Habitat types of Category B (Assessment and Enhancement) component to $6,444.
Category C (Management, Monitoring and Administration) – Refined Cost Factors/Long Term Investment with Consumer Price Index Annual cost updates use the California Consumer Price Index (CPI), as reported by the California Department of Finance, for the preceding 12-month fiscal year (June 2025 – June 2026) to keep up with inflation on an annual basis.
The fee model update results in a 3.38% increase in the Agricultural/Natural Habitat types of Category C (Management, Monitoring and Administration) component from prior years to $648.18.
In summary, the SJMSCP fees are calculated using the SJMSCP Financial Analysis formula model shown in the final proposed fee table 4 below and Attachment 2 (SJMSCP Cost and Fee Analysis 2027 Update). The overall result in the fee analysis is a 28.2% increase in the most impacted Agricultural and Natural Habitat Classifications fees for 2027.
Table 4 - 2027 SJMSCP Development Fees - Proposed
Habitat Type
Category A
Category B
Category C
Total Fee
Rounded Fee
Other Open Space
$7,908.00
$3,222.00
$324.61
$11,454.61
$11,455
Natural/Ag Lands
$15,816.00
$6,444.00
$648.18
$22,908.18
$22,908
Vernal Pool Grasslands
$79,911.00
$16,297.00
$1,472.10
$97,680.10
$97,680
Vernal Pool
Wetted
$78,534.00
$132,303.00
$1,442.12
$212,279.12
$212,279
COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
Habitat Technical Advisory Committee: Recommended approval.
Management & Finance: Information.
Executive Committee: Information.
NEXT STEPS:
Should the staff and HTAC recommendation be approved by the SJCOG, Inc. Board at the September Board meeting, the item will be taken out to each jurisdiction for adoption in the coming months for implementation starting January 1, 2027.
ATTACHMENTS:
2027 Fee Study Property List
SJMSCP Cost and Fee Analysis 2027 Update
Prepared by: Steven Mayo, Program Manager
Attachment 1 – 2027 Fee Study Property List - Properties 24 Month
Attachment 2 – SJMSCP Cost and Fee Analysis 2027 Update