HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-08; City Council; MinutesMINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF : THE CITY OF CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL, CARLSBAD
MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT AND HOUSING AND
REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (Joint Special Meeting)
DATE OF MEETING: June 8,2004
TIME OF MEETING: 6:OO p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: City Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor/President/Chair Lewis called the Meeting to order at 758 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present:
Absent: None
Council/Board/Commission Members Lewis, Finnila, Kulchin, Hall,
Packard
PUBLIC HEARING:
7. AB # 17,660 - REVISED MASTER FEE SCHEDULE FOR CITY SERVICES.
Senior Accountant, Cheryl Gerhardt, presented the staff report, using a power point
presentation (copy on file in the City Clerk's Office). Ms. Gerhardt presented a history of the
work done by the Revenue Enhancement Goal Team to identify potential new revenues and
update current fees.
Ms. Gerhardt continued by describing the review process that was conducted by a consultant to
determine the true cost of providing services. She explained that the Study was done to update
the cost allocation plan and fee study and to determine the overhead and administrative costs,
which are used to establish the fully burdened hourly rate and calculate the true cost of a unit of
service.
Ms. Gerhardt stated that the Fee Study reviewed all significant development-related and
general service fees, with the exception of development impact fees, and that the following fee
changed were recommended:
Development Fees
Ms Gerhardt stated that the study showed that the existing development fees should be
increased 25% to reflect the true cost of providing the services, and noted that the fees were
last reviewed and increased in December, 2000. She explained that staff recommends that the
fees be increased 15% this year and 10% next year. She noted that if the true cost of the
service increased less than 15%, the fees were increased only enough to reflect the cost. She
reported that the exception was the Building Permit Fees, which are recommended to be
increased 5% for an average project.
General Fees
Ms. Gerhardt reDorted that the staff recommends that Police and Fire Prevention Inspection
Fees be increased 15% to bring them closer to the cost for providing the service. She' stated
one proposed new fee is the $15.00 Police Department charge to verify mechanical violation
corrections, and noted that the fee will not apply to Carlsbad residents or to tickets issued by
the Carlsbad Police Department.
June 8,2004 JOINT MEETING OF THE CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL, CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT AND
THE HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Page 2
Ms. Gerhardt explained the recommendation to increase the fees for Special Events (Charges
for providing police assistance for events) from $35.00 per hour to $65.00 per hour, which is the
current actual cost for providing the service.
Facilitv Fees
Ms. Gerhardt reported that facility fees were not included in the Fee Study, but are based on
staff surveys of market rates for facility use in other jurisdictions. She stated that a new fee is
proposed for Temporary Recreation Entertainment Equipment as part of park picnic rentals,
which will help to control the numbers of large inflatable equipment in the parks, and off-set the
damage to park lawns, landscape, and irrigation lines. The fee proposed is $10.00 for
residents and $20.00 for non-residents.
Athletic Field Licahtinq
Ms. Gerhardt reported that the City has fourteen lighted fields, which cost $8.63 per hour to
light, and that all users, except for Resident Non-Profit Organizations, currently pay a light use
fee ranging from $15.00 to $30.00 per hour. She noted that a new $5.00 per hour fee is
proposed for all Resident Non-Profit Organizations, effective January 1 , 2005.
Council/Board/Commission Member Kulchin requested information regarding the range of
charges for lighting costs, and the number of groups using the lights.
Ken Price, Recreation Director, explained that the fees range from $15.00 to $30.00, based on
the type of organization using the facility. He reported that approximately nine sports
organizations used the fields in calendar year 2003 (primarily Carlsbad non resident
organizations) for the following activities: Pop Warner football, softball, soccer, youth baseball,
and La Costa 35 basball, and distributed a chart showing an analysis of athletic field lighting
use (copy on file in the City Clerk’s Office).
Council/Board/Commission Member Finnila inquired why the chart did not show day use.
Mr. Price responded that staff does not recommend any fee for day use of the fields by resident
non-profit organizations.
Council/Board/Commission Member Packard asked if the proposed fee is only for lighting
costs.
Mr. Price responded that the resident non-profit organizations do not pay for athletic field
usage, except for tournament play, when they pay for use of the lights.
Mayor/President/Chair Lewis inquired regarding the cost for use of School fields that the City
maintains, as well as the cost for use of the tennis courts.
Mr. Price responded that there is no charge for use of School fields that are maintained by the
City, because they are not lighted, and that there is no charge for use of the tennis courts, as
the City pays for the cost of the lights.
Council/Board/Commission Member Hall questioned the picnic area rental fee, which the report
shows would increase annual income by only $500.00, and inquired if it would cost more that
that to collect the fees.
June 8,2004 JOINT MEETING OF THE CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL,
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT AND THE HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Page 3
Mr. Price responded that it might, but explained that the application is very simple, and does not
require much time or fiscal impact to process.
Council/Board/Commission Member Hall expressed concern that the collection of the fees
would exceed the money that is collected, and recommended deleting the picnic area rental
fee.
Council/Board/Commission Member Hall asked if staff had contacted those who hold special
events to notify them of the fee increase and the impact on their events.
Lt. Michael Shipley responded that meetings were held with special events promoters, who do
not support the fee increase due to the fiscal impact to their events.
Council/Board/Commission Member Packard asked when the Fire Inspection Fees would be
presented to Council.
Karyn Vaudreil, Fire Marshall, responded that fees that are included in the fee schedule now,
are one-time fees, which are proposed to be increased by 15%. She noted that a study is
currently being done to look at an ongoing annual inspection permit fee system.
Packard inquired regarding the last paragraph, on Page 4 of the staff report regarding
subsidizing fees to encourage compliance.
Senior Management Analyst Bobbie Hoder responded that some are for Planning related
permits, such as Campaign Sign Permits, Daycare Permits and Satellite Antenna Permits. She
stated that these fees may be set slightly lower than fully burdened cost, in order to encourage
citizens to comply and to obtain the permits.
Council/Board/Commission Member Kulchin inquired why the permit for campaign signs is
subsidized.
Ms. Hoder responded that most of the cost associated with campaign signs is for their removal.
She stated that the deposit, that is required for the permit, can be used to reimburse City costs
for removing the signs, if the candidates do not remove them.
Mayor/President/Chair Lewis opened the duly noticed public hearing at 8:28 p.m. and issued
the invitation to speak.
Scott Molloy, 6336 Greenwich Drive, Suite A, San Diego, representing the Building Industries
Association (BIA), expressed concern regarding the proposed 15% fee increase and with the
10% fee increase that will be proposed next year. He recommended instead, increasing the
fees 10% this year and 5% next year, in conjunction with a review of how the overhead,
administrative and operating costs associated with the fees are calculated. In addition, he
questioned what is included as direct costs in the fully burdened rate, stating that these are
higher than those of other jurisdictions.
Mr. Molloy also questioned why some of the existing fees, which were replaced by new fees,
were not adjusted downward. He stated that the trails fee was previously included as part of
the grading permit fee, and that even though a new trails fee has been established, the grading
permit fee had not been lowered, but has gone up. He expressed opposition to the trails fee,
and noted that City fees are already higher than average for the region.
June 8,2004 JOINT MEETING OF THE CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL,
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT AND
THE HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Page 4
Council/Board/Commission Member Packard inquired regarding the unbundling of the
development fees, such as trail fees, and asked why the other fee was not decreased.
Ms. Gerhardt responded that the trails program was enhanced with the addition of a Park
Planner to work on the program. She reported that the recommended fees will not double
charge for services, as fees for some of the services were not being charged before.
Liz Ketabian, Park Planner, explained that she had provided cost and time information to the
goal team regarding trail plan checks, which determined the fee. She noted that previously,
plan checks for trails were reviewed as part of the grading plan, and that now, in addition to that
review, a Park Planner reviews grading plans, improvement plans, and landscape plans for trail
alignments and compliance with citywide trails standards.
Brian Roth, 2052 Avenue of the Trees, Carlsbad, of Keith Kennedy & Associates stated that his
company manages several of the events downtown for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
and Carlsbad Village Business Association. He expressed opposition to the proposed increase
in the special events fees due to the financial impact on those organizations and events. Mr.
Roth stated that these events are planned and programmed six months to one year in advance,
and requested time to discuss the matter with those organizations and to bring back impact
statements.
Seeing no one else wishing to speak, Mayor/President/Chair Lewis closed the public hearing at
8:38 p.m.
Mayor Pro-TemNice PresidenWice Chair Finnila stated that staff had been asked to look for
ways to increase revenues and get to 85% cost recovery. She stated her preference to
continue to have city police, not private security, provided for large events due to liability issues.
In response to inquiry from Coucil/Board/Commission Member Hall, Ms. Gerhardt responded
that the consultant report shows the amount of time spent by employees and the unit cost per
hour, for each fee. She noted that this information is available for review in the libraries and at
the City’s Faraday Offices.
Coucil/Board/Commission Member Hall expressed concerns regarding the large increase
proposed for the special events fees and the effect on the event sponsors.
Coucil/Board/Commission Member Packard inquired if the City Manager would have the
authority to waive the fees for certain events.
City Manager Patchett responded that staff is working on revisions to the Special Events
Ordinance that would include a provision for special circumstances and community events, to
allow the City Manager to waive fees up to a certain amount. He stated that the Ordinance will
be returned to Council in the fall.
Mayor/President/Chair Lewis concurred with the comments of Council/Board/Commission
Member Hall regarding the impacts, of raising the special events fees at this time, on the
organizations that already have events set.
Mayor Pro TemNice PresidenWice Chair Finnila stated that she would like the
Council/Board/Commission to determine an effective date, if the fee were deferred.
June 8.2004 JOINT MEETING OF THE CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL,
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT AND
THE HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Page 5
Council/Board/Commission Member Kulchin expressed concern about subsidizing the costs for
events that are held by for-profit organizations.
ACTION: On motion from CounciI/Board Member/Commissioner Hall, the
Council/Board/Commission determined to defer the effective date of the
increase in the Special Events Fees until January 1, 2005.
AYES: CounciVBoard Members/Commissioners Lewis, Kulchin, Hall and
NOES: Council/Board Member/Commissioner Finnila
Packard
ACTION: On motion by Mayor Pro TemNice PresidenWice Chair Finnila, the
CounciI/Board/Commission approved the following, as amended to defer
the effective date for the Special Events Fees until January 1, 2005:
The Council adopted RESOLUTION NO. 2004-1 83, adopting the Master
Fee Schedule and establishing the fees for general City services,
development-related services and development impact fees; and
The Board adopted RESOLUTION NO. 1209, adopting the Master Fee
Schedule and establishing the fees for general services, development-
related services and development impact fees; and
The Commission adopted RESOLUTION NO. 383, adopting the Master
Fee Schedule and establishing the fees for general services,
development-related services and development impact fees.
- AYES:
NOES: None
Lewis, Finnila, Kulchin, Hall, Packard
ADJOURNMENT:
By proper motion, the Joint Special Meeting of June 8, 2004, was adjourned at 850 p.m.
LIC~R~INE M. WOOD, CMC
City ClerWSecretary to the Board
Karen R. Kundtz, CMC
Assistant City Clerk