REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 10, 2015
FROM: JANE SUMPTER, Budget Manager
Budget and Management Studies Division
BY: SHARON MCDOWELL, Senior Budget Analyst
Budget and Management Studies Division
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - 525th amendment to the Master Fee Schedule (MFS) Resolution No. 80-420 addressing fee changes and annual routine revisions to various City departments
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve the 525th Amendment to the MFS Resolution No. 80-420.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The attached resolution to adopt the 525th Amendment to the MFS Resolution No. 80-420 addresses fee changes, and annual routine revisions to the following departments: Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services, Police, Public Utilities, and Development and Resource Management.
BACKGROUND
The annual revision of the Master Fee Schedule is being presented at this time to enable any adjustments approved by the City Council to be incorporated into the planning of next year’s budget. Staff will proceed with estimating revenues for FY 2017 based on the adoption of these updates to the schedule. The following narrative details the proposed fee adjustments by department; a summary schedule of changes is also included.
Parks, After School, Recreation & Community Service: PARCS is proposing various adjustments to their fee schedule which are described below.
• Riverside Municipal Golf Course Green Fees are being adjusted per the lease agreement, with the fees increase based by the June 2015 CPI. The increase totals 0.92 percent. These fees will be effective January 1, 2016.
• The Amphitheater, Regional Community and Neighborhood Park Group Activity Areas fee is being adjusted upward to recover the costs of a dedicated staff person to monitor and assist with the needs of larger events such as walks and runs. Additional language is being added to include the designation that a pavilion or picnic shelter can be defined as a group activity area when reserved for use at a special event. Due to infrequent use the fee category for non-profit groups for these venues this category is being proposed for deletion.
• Two new rental fees are being added for the reservation and use of the Pergola in Roeding Park and the Redwood Glen at Woodward Park.
• Also proposed are adjustments to Camp Fresno and Camp Fresno Jr. Fees. It has been five and six years since these fees have been adjusted and the additional revenue generated will be used for much needed capital infrastructure improvements at the facilities. Also proposed is the elimination of the resident/non-resident fee structure for fees at these facilities. Fees will now be charged at a single rate regardless of residency status. All Camp Fresno and Camp Fresno Jr. fee adjustments will be effective January 1, 2016. The PARCS Department is also bringing forward a resolution to Council to allow for an annual administrative Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment of the fees each January 1st. This resolution will be in effect for five years following its adoption. After the initial five year period the PARCS Department will need to return to Council should it be the desire to continue administratively adjusting these fees for the CPI.
• Text changes are proposed for the following:
o Remove “Amphitheater” from the title of the Amphitheater, Regional Community and Neighborhood Park Group Activity Areas fee. The only amphitheater these fees would pertain to is located at Eaton Plaza which already falls into the same category;
o Remove the reference to the group fee being for “Private or non-City groups” under the Regional Community and Neighborhood Park Group Activity Areas fee; and
o Adding a footnote to allow picnic table reservation fees to be applied to the tables located within the Woodward Park Group Activity Areas in groups of two or four tables on select dates such as holidays.
Police: The Police Department is proposing adjustments to their daily range fee and daily motorcycle rental fee to fully recover costs.
Public Utilities (Solid Waste Management Division): Solid Waste Management Division is proposing various adjustments to their fee schedule which are described below.
• The division is proposing to adjust the Container Exchange fee; New Container Exchange for 64 & 96 gallon container fees; Solid Waste Special Hauls and Foreman’s Charge fee. Each of these adjustments is based on cost of service.
• New for FY 2017 is the Illegal Dumping Cleanup fee. This fee is being proposed to recover the costs associated with the disposal of illegally dumped materials.
Public Utilities (Water Division): The Water Division is proposing various adjustments to their fee schedule which are described below.
• The division is proposing to increase the Fire Hydrant Damage Repair fee, After-hours Turn On Service Work, the 3-inch Meter Turbine Deposit, and the Underground Utility Re-mark fee to recover the cost of service and materials.
• Currently the division charges $400 for intentional damage to meter/meter box, angle meter stops and curbs that do not require excavation to repair. Due to large variances in the scope of repairs not requiring excavation it is difficult to quantify a fixed fee, therefore the division is proposing that repairs be reimbursed at the fully burdened cost of repair. Also proposed is the inclusion of automatic meter reading equipment to the equipment already designated in the fee.
• The restructuring of several fees is also proposed, including:
o The division is proposing the restructuring two fees to improve collection rates on fees charged for service work related to the remedy of illegal water connection. Both the Blind Washer and Service Disconnection/Restoration fees consist of one fee covering the costs of two service events. The first event is the disconnection of water service and the second event is restoration of water service once accounts have been brought current. Under the proposed restructuring these two existing fees would be split into their component disconnection and restoration parts, becoming four fees. Any cost increase is to cover the current cost of providing the service.
o Also proposed for restructuring is the Well Drilling Permit and Examination fee. Once again this is a combined fee that covers the cost of a well permit and well inspection and the existing fee can cover three or more wells. At present the division is not fully recovering costs where multiple wells are involved. The division is seeking to separate the fee into its component parts and change the fee to a per well basis. Any cost Increase reflects the current cost of providing the service.
o The division has also proposed the restructuring of the Well Inspection fee. At present the fee is a combined fee for permit and inspection and is charged based on if a well abandonment or well destruction is required. The fees proposed separate the permit and inspection components and update the cost of providing service.
• Text changes are proposed by the Water Division include:
o Changing the title of the Well Drilling Permit and Examination fee to the Well Drilling and Inspection fee; and
o Changing the title of the Well Inspection, per well site to Well Destruction & Abandonment.
Development and Resource Management (DARM): The Department is proposing various adjustments to their fee schedule which are described below.
• Various fee adjustments have been necessitated by the new Business Friendly Fresno planning process. Under this new process Conditional Use Permits and Site Plan Reviews are categorized at different levels based on the complexity of the review required. Rates are being adjusted to reflect the current overhead rate and amount of time required for each level of review.
• Due to a new lower overhead rate the Voluntary Parcel Merger, Lot Line Adjustment, Final Parcel Map filing (5 lots or more), Final Parcel Map Filing (4 lots or less), Final Tract Map Filing (per map), and Final Tract Map (per 50 lots) fees are being lowered to reflect the current cost of providing these services.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
N/A
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2017 budget will be built on the assumption that the fees contained in the 525th Amendment will be implemented. The effective date of this amendment is July 1, 2016 unless otherwise noted.
Attachments
Master Fee Schedule Summary
525th Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution
Master Fee Schedule Exhibit A