HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/2/2024 Item 7a, Burgnon
Nick Burgnon <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Agenda Correspondence for 7/2/24 City Council Meeting Item 6.a
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
Hello,
I am writing to provide comment on item 6.a of the July 2, 2024 City Council Meeting for the City of San Luis
Obispo. Many of these fee changes I am in support of, but I believe there are some areas that the Council should
consider whether full cost recovery from the user is an overall benefit to the City.
I am entirely in support of the increased cost of project appeal fees as project appeals have historically been
weaponized to financially tank projects with little cost to the appellant. Appeals cost the original project applicant
an incredible amount of money which will be passed off to the end user in higher housing costs, commercial
leases, or land cost. I am also in support of the reduced plan review and inspection costs for new commercial and
new multi-family residential development as anything we can do to incentivize that type of development is a net
positive for our community. Similarly, the decrease in many fire fees will do a lot to help bring down the cost of
residential development in our city. I am also in support of the change to many other user fees as they seem to be
a reasonable reflection of the cost of providing that service.
There are some fees that I see with very significant increases that I would ask you to consider as some of these
services do create community benefit rather than benefit solely to the applicant. Many fee areas such as
Development Review, Development Agreement, Affordable Housing MOUs, Director’s Action, Rezoning, Specific
Plan, Subdivision Services, and several Building Fixed Fees are increasing by well over 100% and some even more
than 400%. While these are actions directly related to a service provided to an individual, they are for projects
such as housing, power generation, and commercial development which are undoubtedly community goods.
These fee increases will be passed onto the end user and ultimately make it more expensive to build and live in
San Luis Obispo.
I ask that the Council consider these fees in the context of cost of living for current residents, and ability to work
and live in the City for future residents. If we are serious about tackling housing affordability as a community, we
need to do everything we can to make it easier and cheaper to build housing, even if that means not seeking
maximum cost recovery with fees.
Thank you,
1