REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GEORGEANNE A. WHITE, City Manager
THROUGH: HENRY FIERRO, Budget Director
Budget and Management Studies Department
BY: NIGMA SHOOK, Senior Budget Analyst
Budget and Management Studies Department
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 585th Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution No. 80-420 to Add, Adjust, Move, Revise or Delete Various Fees (Subject to Mayor’s Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council adopt the 585th Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution No. 80-420.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The attached resolution to adopt the 585th Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule (MFS) Resolution No. 80-420 addresses annual routine revisions to the following sections of the MFS: Airports; Convention Center; Finance; General Government; Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS); Planning and Development; Public Utilities; Public Works; and Transportation/FAX.
BACKGROUND
The annual revision of the Master Fee Schedule (MFS) is being presented at this time to enable adjustments approved by Council to be incorporated into the planning of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget. Staff will proceed with estimating revenues for FY 2026 based on the adoption of these revisions to the schedule. The following narrative outlines the proposed fee adjustments by department; Exhibit A (Redline) and Exhibit B (Summary) are also included reflecting exact changes.
• Airports, Fresno Air Terminal (FAT): Add clarifying text and footnotes to associated fees. Delete duplicate Landing Fees and various Commercial Aviation Permit Operators (CAPO) fees as these types of flights do not use the terminal but instead use Fixed Base Operators (FBO) facilities and are subject to their fees. Increase various Parking fees to cover the cost of operating the new garage; based on market research, fees are also below market rate. Increase Non-returned and Replacement Security Badge fees and add a new Refund for returned lost or stolen badge fee to encourage the return and recovery rate of badges as the Department must meet TSA’s 5% threshold requirement of unrecovered badges. Add Telos and DHS pass-through fees incurred by the Airport as part of issuing badges per TSA requirements. Increase Contracted Airport Public Safety Services and Maintenance Charges fees to cover increased cost of labor and overhead.
• Airports (FCH): Add clarifying text and footnotes to associated fees. Decrease and restructure landing fees to simplify the billing and fee collection process. Delete Remain Overnight (RON) fee as this fee is processed by Fixed Base Operators (FBO). Duplicate Maintenance Charges fees as reflected in FAT section.
• Finance: Assign proper fees to Taxicab Driver application and permit fees inadvertently transposed under the FY 2025 annual amendment #580.
• General Government: Increase Electrician and Property Maintenance Worker fees at City Hall to recover the cost of labor and overhead. Add new Trolley fees and an associated footnote regarding Rentals, Cleaning, and Sponsorships, relating to private rentals.
• PARCS: Add clarifying text and footnotes to associated fees, condense Recreational Swim fees, increase Swimming Instruction fee for subsequent lessons to recover cost to provide service and add a new associated Non-City of Fresno Resident fee. All Fresno Resident youth are eligible for one session (up to five hours of instruction) free of charge, subsequent instruction is subject to fees if not eligible for the Youth Fee Waiver program. Add Security Deposit fees for Field Reservations at Regional Sports Complex and Community and Neighborhood Parks, add Tent Camp Site fees at Camp Fresno to accommodate tent camping requests, and add State Race fees for state qualifiers at Woodward Park bicycle motocross (BMX) to accommodate races and practices. Delete the National Bicycle League Annual Membership fee as this is now directly passed through to BMX USA.
PARCS’ proposed amendments were presented to the Parks, Recreation, and Arts Commission (PRAC) on December 16, 2024. Per the Measure P ordinance, PRAC is required to review, and make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on fees related to parks, trails, and open space. PRAC voted 8-0 in support of all proposed amendments except for the increased subsequent swim lesson fees for City of Fresno residents from $50 to $100. There was a discussion noting that the youth fee waiver would apply, and that the first swim session would remain free to youth residents; fee increases would only apply to each subsequent session for youth ages 3-17 as well as to adults 18 and older. PRAC requested additional information which will be provided to the Commissioners.
• Public Utilities (Solid Waste Management Division): Add clarifying text and footnotes to associated fees. Delete duplicate Illegal Pile dumping fees and outdated Private Collection fees that are now handled through franchises. Increase various fees relating to Container Exchanges, Solid Waste - Special Haul, Foreman’s Charge, Illegal Dumping Cleanup, Skip Fee, and Roll-off Franchise Application Fee to recover staff time and overhead. Decrease Illegal Dumping Cleanup - 1-hour minimum fee to adjust for current cost recovery per a time and task study performed by staff. Add a reference to the new Annual Bulky Item Collection Service which will commence on July 1, 2025 and will allow residential customers to schedule a once per year special curbside collection, free of charge and by appointment.
• Public Utilities (Water Division): Increase various fees relating to Service Work, Water Temporary Service, Well Drilling Permit and Inspection, and Well Destruction and Abandonment to recover the costs of labor, overhead, and equipment. Add a new 3-inch Fire Hydrant Meter/AMR Deposit with GPS fee to cover the cost of the GPS system used to track the Department’s travel meters. The Department’s goal is to have all meters equipped with GPS for improved inventory tracking.
• Public Works: Add a new Tree Replacement Permit fee and associated footnote to recover the cost of replacing a City tree in accordance with FMC 13-305-Tree Preservation.
• Transportation/FAX: Revise two footnotes to clarify language, specifically relating to appropriate ADA language and to memorialize the City’s authority to waive or reduce ride fare during the activation of heating and cooling centers per resolution No. 2023-320. The removal of time frames for special or promotional fare reductions and waivers allows the administration greater flexibility and does not impact the ability to meet the required Transportation Development Act (TDA) farebox recovery percentage. The Department believes the loss in fares is very minor compared to the positive change such waivers have in the community.
Other: At the direction of the City Manager, all text stating that fees may be revised or waived by the “department director” will be revised to reflect “City Manager or designee”. These revisions are proposed to be made in the following departments: Airports, Convention Center, General Government, PARCS, Planning and Development, Public Utilities, Public Works, and Transportation/FAX.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Pursuant to the definition in California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed changes to the Master Fee Schedule are not a “project.”
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this agenda item does not include a bid or award of a construction services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2026 Budget will be built on the assumption that the fees contained in the 585th amendment will be implemented. The effective date of this amendment is July 1, 2025.
Attachments:
FY26 Annual Master Fee Schedule Resolution & Exhibit A
FY26 Annual Master Fee Schedule Exhibit B