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However, only approximately $6,000 of that relates to the building permit fees being contemplated this <br />evening. Of the remaining amount, approximately $10,000 goes towards development impact fees and <br />a good portion of the rest are actually pass through fees paid to other agencies for things like water <br />connection and sewer treatment. <br />The city last reviewed its user fees for Development Related services in 1992 and again in 2011. The <br />Council declined to implement fee increases at either time; therefore the majority of fees have not been <br />increased since the 1980s. User fees are collected for the administration of Building and Safety Division <br />services (permit processing, plan checking, building inspection, and building, plumbing and electrical <br />permits), Planning Division services (conditional use permits, PUD reviews, and appeals), Engineering <br />Division services (public and private improvements and improvement plan checking review, both onsite <br />and off), and Fire Prevention Division services (inspection services). <br />Per the General Plan, the city's fiscal policy requires that development pay for 100% of its cost of <br />services with the goal of course being full cost recovery. In 2009 the city hired Public Resource <br />Management to complete a study of its development related user fees. The study revealed an <br />approximate cost recovery of 45% and recommended at that time that the city work towards an 80% <br />cost recovery, with annual fee increases based on a Construction Cost Index (CCI) adjustment and a <br />biannual review and update of fees to move towards 100% cost recovery. <br />The study was most recently updated with budget data for FY 2014 -15. It is important to note that not <br />all costs in these departments are fee related and in fact part of the study was determining the direct <br />cost of fees related to the activities described. In FY 2014 -15 the combined budget for these <br />departments totaled approximately $12 million, a little over which $7 million of that is fee related. The <br />remaining budget costs typically relate to development of the city's Capital Improvement Program and <br />other advanced planning efforts. The study then determined the direct (staff time) and indirect (prorated <br />share of administrative departments such as Finance, City Attorney, City Manager) costs per activity for <br />the more than 200 different fees being addressed as part of this update. When combined, the fully <br />burdened cost of all fee related services in FY 2014 -15 totaled $8.8 million. FY 2014 -15 revenues <br />based on the current fee schedule were projected to recover only $4.2 million, equaling a cost recovery <br />rate of 48 %. <br />On February 25, 2015 the city's Finance Committee, comprised of Councilmembers Brown and Olson, <br />supported a recommendation to increase city fees to recover 79% of the total cost of all fee related <br />services. It is important to note that cost recovery is not equal amongst divisions. As proposed, Building <br />and Safety would achieve 100% cost recovery, Fire Prevention 75 %, Engineering 43% and Planning <br />25 %. Based on input received from the Chamber of Commerce in 2011, in which the Chamber <br />requested the deferral of certain planning fees later in the building process when financing is easier to <br />secure, staff is recommending that 36% of planning fees to the building stage. The true recovery rate in <br />Planning is therefore 61 %. The proposed increase across all divisions would approximately generate <br />an additional $2.7 million in revenues, which would directly reduce the subsidy from the General Fund. <br />Ms. Wagner explained that Fire Prevention services is comprised of 2 primary segments — plan check <br />fees for new construction and tenant improvements, and annual fire and CUPA inspections of <br />commercial properties. Pleasanton current charges nothing for annual fire and CUP inspections <br />performed by LPFD. However, LPFD provides the same services for the City of Livermore who charges <br />the full 100% of that cost. Total costs for Fire Prevention in FY 2014 -15 were slightly less than $1 <br />million versus fee collections of $62,500. In addition, the city pays state fire code fees on behalf of <br />commercial properties operating in Pleasanton. Staff is therefore recommending that the city adopt the <br />same fees as Livermore, given that they share the same staff and the same services are provided to <br />both communities. <br />City Council Agenda Page 7 of 11 April 07, 2015 <br />