COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council
FROM: Jill Olsen, Administrative Services Director
SUBJECT:Title
Discussion and Action: Ordinance No. 24-1347 Amending Lake Havasu City Code Section 3.20.040, Schedule of Fees and Service Charges, to Add and Revise Fees and Service Charges (Introduction) (Jill Olsen)
Body
FUNDING SOURCE:
N/A
PURPOSE:
To consider introducing an ordinance amending City Code Section 3.20.040 and updating City costs recovered.
BACKGROUND:
Annually, the City undergoes a review of fees and charges as required by Chapter 3.20 of the City Code. The City has established a method to adjust fees by using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) when calculating recommended fee changes, and every few years, staff completes a detailed review of services and adjusts the fees based on actual costs. During this process, departments review the personnel, time, and specific costs involved in each service; evaluate the need for new services as the citizens’ needs change; and determine which fees are no longer required.
The last full review was in 2021 for fees effective January 1, 2022, so another detailed review was completed in 2024 for fees effective January 1, 2025. Departments had the opportunity to review the proposed fee changes and make necessary adjustments to the proposed 2025 Master Fee Schedule that is included with this Council Communication.
Please note the following changes to the Master Fee Schedule:
• New fee: S-025 Height Adjustment Review
• New fee: S-267 Access Card/Key Fob Deposit
• New fee: S-268 Agreement/Contract Processing (Airport)
• New fee: S-311 Special Event/Program (P&R)
• New fee: S-356 Sponsored Swim
• New fee: S-365 Baseball Field Prep
• New fee: S-366 Banners
• New fee: S-582 Operational Permit - Hazardous Materials
• New fee: S-583 Operational Permit - Special Event (FD)
• Removed fee: S-253 Fuel Farm Facility Charge
• Removed fee: S-451 Polygraph Exam
• Removed fee: S-563 Modification to Fire Alarm Plan Check/Inspection
• Revised fee: S-001 Phasing Plan Review / Plan Change Review
• Revised fee: S-016 Boad of Adjustment, Planning, Building/Fire Appeals
• Revised fee: S-024 Sign Permit Review
• Revised fee: S-110 Business License Processing
• Revised fee: S-251 Airfield Rental Fees
• Revised fee: S-310 Teen Break
• Revised fee: S-362 Fencing Rental
• Revised fee: S-554 Environmental Research & Technical Assistance (FD)
• Revised fee: S-564 Clean Agent System, Halon, or Alternative Systems
• Revised fee: S-566 Installation of Liquified Petroleum Gas Tank Plan Check/Inspection
• Revised fee: S-571 Temporary Membrane Air Structure, Tents, Canopies Plan Check/Inspection
• Revised fee: S-574 Fire Flow Pressure Readings
• Revised fee: S-579 State Licensed Facility Inspection
• Revised fee: S-580 Home Safety and Babysitting Classes
• Revised fee: S-600 Public Safety Electronic Media Reproduction
As seen in the above list and the attached Proposed Master Fee Schedule (Schedule), some fees have increased and some have decreased. This is primarily due to the analysis that entails reviewing how each service is provided, adjusting the process to improve any possible efficiencies, determining the amount of time and cost of materials, and calculating the total cost (time and materials) for provision of each service. For services that reflect market rates, the applicable markets were researched to determine if the City was charging within a reasonable range of those markets.
The Schedule shows the current 2024 Adopted Fee, the Proposed 2025 Fee, and the difference between the two for quick reference of all changes. Yellow highlighted fees are either new, restructured, or have changes to the cost-to-recover percentage.
Fee changes would be effective January 1, 2025.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adjustments to fees are based on a detailed time and materials analysis. Increases and decreases in fees match current costs or market rates.
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance No. 24-1347
Proposed 2025 Master Fee Schedule
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended action
I move to introduce Ordinance No. 24-1347 amending Lake Havasu City Code Section 3.20.040.