RESOLUTION NO. RES-2024-033
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA ADOPTING THE FULL COST DEVELOPMENT SERVICE FEES; AUTHORIZING THE PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO ADJUST ALL FEES ANNUALLY BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX; AND ADOPTING CERTAIN FEE REDUCTIONS TO FURTHER CITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS WHEREAS, Government Code Section 66014 provides that when a local agency charges fees for filing and processing applications for building and planning services or under any other authority, those fees may not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, and such fees may include the costs reasonably necessary to prepare and revise the plans and policies that a local agency is required to adopt before it can make any necessary findings and determinations; and WHEREAS, the Planning and Economic Development Department commissioned MGT Consulting to prepare the Development Related Cost of Service Study date February 13, 2024 (“Cost Study”), which includes the data indicating the amount of cost, or estimated cost, required to provide the service for which each fee is levied; and WHEREAS, the Cost Study, attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference, provides adequate evidence to conclude that the current service fees charged for the City's services do not adequately recoup the City's costs of providing certain services and thus, a significant amount of these costs are currently paid out of the City's general fund and, therefore, borne by the general public; and WHEREAS, the Cost Study proposes the addition of new fee types to address specific development related service cost that are currently not being recovered and proposes the rescinding of certain fee types that are no longer relevant based on procedural changes within development services; and WHEREAS, subsidizing certain fee types through general fund support serves an important public purpose and is needed to further the City’s development goals, increase participation in permitting programs that support health and life safety and increase community access to appeal processes; and WHEREAS, Adoption of this Resolution is not a project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it concerns the adoption and approval of a funding mechanism for recovery of costs reasonably borne by the City related to processing applications and other types of submittals related to projects that have been or will be evaluated under CEQA. CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, whereas here, the proposed activity will not result in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In addition, this action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) in that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Santa Rosa adopts the full cost development service fees as set forth in Appendix A of the attached Exhibit A, including the addition of new few categories and the rescinding of obsolete fee types.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any current fees not included in Exhibit A and adopted by this resolution shall continue in effect.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Planning and Economic Development Director to adjust all fees identified in Exhibit A annually based on the percentage change in the Bureau of Labor Statistics San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose Consumer Price Index – All Urban Consumers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council adopts the specific development service fee reductions identified in Exhibit B.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall be effective July 1, 2024.
IN COUNCIL DULY PASSED this 5th day of March, 2024.
AYES: (5) Vice Mayor Stapp, Council Members Alvarez, Fleming, MacDonald, Okrepkie
NOES: (0)
ABSENT: (2) Mayor N. Rogers, Council Member C. Rogers
ABSTAIN/RECUSE: (0)
ATTEST: _________________________ APPROVED: ______________________________ City Clerk Vice Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________
City Attorney
Exhibit A - Development Related Cost of Service Study
Exhibit B - Development Service Fee Reductions
Reso. No. RES-2024-033
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