1 City Council Meeting: March 24, 2026
RESOLUTION NUMBER
ATTACHMENT G
Santa Monica, California
(CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
REVISING THE CITY'S MASTER FEE SCHEDULE TO WAIVE CERTAIN FILM
PERMIT APPLICATION FEES
WHEREAS, it is the City of Santa Monica’s (“City”) general policy to charge for the full costs of services provided by City staff (“City’s Cost Recovery Policy”) when such services benefit individual users, rather than members of the community as a whole; and WHEREAS, notwithstanding the City’s Cost Recovery Policy, the City has discounted certain recreational services and other opportunities to individuals to promote equity, inclusion, and other community benefits; and
WHEREAS, the City maintains a Master User Fee Schedule to allow the public to more easily gather information about such fees; and
WHEREAS, the Master User Fee Schedule was most recently revised on June 24, 2025 (the “2025 Master User Fee Schedule”), when the City Council adopted Resolution Number 11676 (CCS) (“Resolution 11676”); and
WHEREAS, 2025 Master User Fee Schedule contains certain film permit application fees on Exhibit G (Public Works: Film Permits); and WHEREAS, waiving these film permit application fees would help to attract and retain film production during a challenging period for the film industry; and WHEREAS, neighboring jurisdictions, including the City of Los Angeles and Culver City are offering other financial incentives to stimulate filming in their respective jurisdictions; and
2 ATTACHMENT G
WHEREAS, the City would still collect other fees associated with filming, including location fees, public safety staffing fees, and other fees collected by Film Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to modify the 2025 Master User Fee Schedule to waive certain filming application fees by replacing the current Exhibit G (Public Works:
Film Permits) with the attached amended Exhibit G; and
WHEREAS, except for the fee waivers adopted by this resolution, the City Council desires to maintain all other fees and provisions of Resolution 11676 in full force and effect.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The fees for film permit applications are waived as reflected in the amended Exhibit G, which is incorporated hereto by reference. Amended Exhibit G hereby replaces Exhibit G as attached to Resolution 11676.
SECTION 2. The waivers by this Resolution will take effect immediately.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
Heidi von Tongeln
Interim City Attorney
Exhibit G - Public Works: Film Permits
(revised 3/24/26)
Service FY 2025-26
Application Fee
FY 2025-26
Location Fee
Security
Deposit
FilmPermit: Airport –public airside/landside still
photography, 1-20 cast/crew $ 828.301 $ 145.74
FilmPermit: Airport – leaseholdproperty, still
photography/motion $ 828.301
Film Permit: Airport - complex/large productions, 21+
cast/crew $ 856.711 $ 2,238.69
Beaches - Film/Video $ 594.771 $ 1,531.27
Beaches - Still Photography $ 457.17 $ 153.11
City Hall - Film/Video $ 454.601 $ 2,238.69
City Hall - Still Photography $ 347.68 $ 1,492.47
Downtown Santa Monica- Still photography $ 362.091 $ 373.11 Downtown SantaMonica- Film/video interior, man on
street/walkandtalk $ 516.891
Downtown Santa Monica- Film/video, halfday shoot
including interior/exterior $ 516.891 $ 1,492.47
Downtown Santa Monica- Film/video, all day, multiple
locations $ 545.291 $ 3,731.16
Parks - Film/Video $ 564.651 $ 1,492.47
Parks - Still Photography $ 456.81 $ 153.12
Pier/Carousel - Film/video/street interview $ 342.131 $ 3,731.16 $ 5,000.00 Pier/Carousel - Film/video, halfday (6 hrs.) $ 313.731 $ 1,492.47 $ 2,000.00 Pier/Carousel - Streetinterviews $ 285.311 $ 1,193.96 $ 500.00 Pier/Carousel - Equipment only $ - $ 1,492.47 $ 500.00
Pier/Carousel - Stillphotography, low impact, interior
only $ 226.19 $ 746.22 $ 100.00
Pier/Carousel - Still photography, exterior $ 226.19 $ 2,238.69 $ 500.00 Student/Non-Profit - Film/Video $ 207.291
Student/Non-Profit - Still Photography $ 207.29
All Other Locations - Film/Video $ 379.051 $ 765.62
All Other Locations - Still Photography $ 207.29 $ 306.24 Rider Fee-Addition, change or deletion to the permit $ 175.931 $ 149.23 G-1
1 Per Resolution No. _______, these application fees are waived until further City Council action. Except as noted, all other filming-related fees, including any location fees, and any fees charged by Film Santa Monica, will continue to be charged.