COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

DATE:

April 11, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

May 17, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

Ten-days’ notice

Public Hearing

9:15 a.m.

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Increases in County Fire Marshal, Parks and Recreation and Agricultural Sealer/Weights and Measures Fees for FY2005/2006.

RECOMMENDATION

1.

Adopt a Resolution amending County Fire Marshal plan review and inspection fees for a 7% COLA increase.

2.

Adopt a Resolution increasing Parks and Recreation fees as follows: (a) Increase Park fees by 3% across the board, as rounded; and (b) Increase Coyote Point Marina berthing fees by 4.36%, as rounded.

3.

Adopt an ordinance amending Section 2.24.080 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code to increase fees charged by the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer for the inspection and certification of certain plant products and the waiver of reading the ordinance in its entirety.

VISION ALIGNMENT

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goals 20 and 24: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain. Residents accept individual responsibility for contributing to the quality of life of the County as a whole.

These fee increases contribute to the commitment and goals by maintaining a proper relationship between costs and revenues and by assuring that those who utilize County services pay the cost of providing those services, rather than receiving a subsidy from taxpayers and thereby diverting resources from other needed programs without a source of cost recovery.

BACKGROUND

County Fire Marshal The issuance of Planning and Building permits requires that plan review and inspection services be conducted by the County Fire Marshal to assure and verify code compliance. Fees have been set to recover the cost of these contract services as they relate to Planning and Building projects. These fees have historically been included in the Planning and Building fee schedules.

Parks and Recreation In recent years, Parks and Recreation fees have been increased to assist in meeting budgetary targets for the Division. This year’s budgetary situation requires the Division keep the fees consistent with cost increases. In addition, the County’s loan agreement with the California Department of Boating and Waterways requires that the Coyote Point Marina fees be adjusted annually by a rate not less than the local Consumer Price Index (CPI). In general, fees are increased to first meet the legal minimum, and then to provide adequate funding for the Marina’s long-term capital needs.

Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer San Mateo County Ordinance Code authorizes the Agricultural Commissioner to charge a fee for the inspection and certification of produce and plant product shipments destined to other states and countries. Revenue from these fees currently provides full cost recovery for program costs associated with providing inspection and phytosanitary certification services to the agricultural industry. The fee ordinance was last amended in June 2003. By November 2005, the Division’s costs for providing this service will have increased 14% due to negotiated salary and benefit increases.

DISCUSSION

County Fire Marshal The Environmental Services Agency contracts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) for fire protection services. Part of this contract includes specified fire protection and planning services rendered by the County Fire Marshal. The County Fire Marshal is responsible for jurisdictional compliance with the County fire codes. The issuance of Planning and Building permits requires that plan review and inspection services be conducted by the Fire Marshal to assure and verify Code compliance. The proposed 7% fee increase reflects the final salary COLA in CDF ’s current five year labor contract. The labor contract is scheduled to expire June 30, 2006. All fees are calculated to not exceed estimated costs of providing Fire Marshal services.

Parks and Recreation This year’s budgetary situation requires that the Parks and Recreation Division amend the fees such that fees should rise in the same amount as costs. The major component of Division costs, salary and benefits costs, will rise approximately 3% in FY2005/2006, reflecting COLAs; other Division costs are expected to increase by a like amount. A straight across-the-board increase, however, would cause collection difficulties in many cases. To address this problem, the proposed fees are rounded. In some cases, application of the rounding rules means the percentage increase is not enough to increase the fee. The primary fees which are recommended to increase are group picnic, family camping, and horse camp weekend fees. Staff is proposing a total increase for the Marina berthing fees of 4.36%, consisting of the Consumer Price Index of 1.56%, plus an additional increase of 2.8% for capital needs. Based on a survey of neighboring marinas, the proposed fees should keep Coyote Point about in the middle of the market.

Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer The division is proposing to increase phytosanitary inspection certification fees. Phytosanitary inspections are performed at the request of growers and shippers in order to certify nursery stock and produce for export to other states and countries. These proposed fee increases will provide full cost recovery for these services and are part of the division’s plan to meet its FY2005-06 budget target.

FISCAL IMPACT

The proposed increase in County Fire plan review fees will realize an estimated $75,000 that will partially offset higher salary and benefit costs of existing CDF personnel. Staff estimates that the proposed Park fee increases will result in an overall increase of $14,750 in fee revenues. The increase in berthing fees at Coyote Point Marina is expected to generate an increase of $49,000 in Marina fees. The changes to Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer fees will generate an additional $22,500.