HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/2/2024 Item 7a, Cross
Brett Cross <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:7.a REVIEW AND ADOPT REVISED CITYWIDE USER AND REGULATORY FEES
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
Dear City Council members,
Ok, I don't what say about the appeal fee recommendations, other than this is "crazy"- especially the planning appeal
fee. I won't even get into some of the "minor" permit fees. The staff report points out there have only been 14 planning
appeals in the past 5 years. And I don't think, or can't find, whether those appeals were applicants or "non applicants".
Staff provided a comparison of other community's fees associated with appeals. I actually did the same, not knowing that
staff had provided that information in a separate memorandum. I ended up actually speaking with Morro Bay's City Clerk
because I couldn't find their fee schedule. The discussion was brief but important. She told me that the City had set the
cost at that low level (actually it is currently $326 and is going up to $336) to make sure people were able to appeal and
were not inhibited because of the cost. Keep that in mind. Plus Paso Robles is only $248.
You folks need to think about, not only, what the "message" is to residents but the practical implication are if you decide to
increase planning appeals ($3,4080 for planning appeal) along with any of the other appeal fees that staff is
recommending. You will effectively eliminate appeals from the public except if they are rich. And I'm not kidding about
using the word rich.
And here's the example. Let's just say you make $60,000 gross annually. So that's $5000 gross a month. That's gross. So
what is really the net. You've got Federal, and State taxes, plus Social Security and Medicare. Then you have health
insurance and retirement. Lop 30% for taxes so you end up with around $3500. So now take out health insurance-insane
now days even with employer contributions, so lets say $400 and what for retirement- $300?. So net is now $2,800. So it
takes almost 5 weeks of income to pay for the planning appeal fee. Think about that.
If you want to stop appeals then adopt fees that the average person can't afford. That is in essence what the staff
recommendation is.
I would suggest following Morro Bay's lead, because they get it.
Sincerely,
Brett Cross
1217 Mariners Cove
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
1