COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

Date:

March 17, 2003

Set Time:

9:30 a.m.

Hearing Date:

April 8, 2003

To:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

Subject:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Increase in Planning and Building Fees and County Fire plan review fees

RECOMMENDATION

1.

Adopt a resolution approving annual increases in Planning and Building fees as follows: effective July 1, 2003, 5%; July 1, 2004, 3%; July 1, 2005, 3%; July 1, 2006, 4%; and in County Fire plan review fees.

2.

Consider approval of up to an additional 36% increase in Planning and Building fees in the first year to eliminate the general fund contribution to providing development review services.

3.

Consider approval of up to an additional 15% increase in Planning and Building fees in the first year to recover from permit applicants the cost of providing long range planning services.

BACKGROUND

Recent County practice has been to adopt multi-year fee schedules that correlate with the COLAs in our labor contracts. We recommend the same approach this year, with an added 1% in the first year to cover some extraordinary cost increases in other areas, such as health and retirement benefits.

However, this year County government faces extraordinary fiscal challenges and the County Manager has requested that all departments that collect fees for service consider adjusting those fees to achieve full cost recovery. Hence recommendations 2 and 3, above.