Council to mull fee hikes

CITY HALL — The cost of doing business in Glendale could get more expensive if the City Council tonight approves moderate fee increases for building-related permits as a way to head off the impact of rising inflation.

The proposed fee increases, which would also include fire inspections and a new technology surcharge, are expected to generate an additional $630,000 annually to cover rising service costs at the city’s Planning, Public Works and Fire departments.

More expensive materials, fuel and staffing have prompted the latest round of proposed fee hikes — mostly between 3.3% and 6.7% — to reduce the financial impact of issuing building permits, checking plans and inspecting fire code compliance, city officials said.

The new round of proposed fee increases, some of which have not been raised since 1997, are not directly tied to the widespread budget reductions imposed on the general fund last month because the fees are meant to pay for many of the services.

“Our fees are not really intended to fill any gaps or address the budget situation,” city Building and Safety official Stuart Tom said. “Permit fees only cover the cost of providing those services.”

Most of the adjustments are tied to climbing inflation, which has increased 19.5% since 2002, according to city reports. Others, including new charges for public project notices and historic property applications, would cover losses that currently have no return.

Nearly a dozen “artificially” low-priced planning and design review applications would also be ratcheted up between $100 and $600 to increase revenues and ease the effects of recent budget cuts, senior city planner Jeff Hamilton said.

The Building and Fire Board of Appeals voted July 16 to approve the proposed fee revisions and recommend them to the City Council for adoption.

Included in the proposal is a provision to automatically allow for annual fee increases based on inflation measured by the consumer price index, or the average price of goods and services purchased by households.

The provision would allow fee adjustments within only 5%. Anything more would require City Council review, according to the proposal.

The smaller, annual adjustments would skirt the need to “play catch-up” after longer periods of time with steeper fee increases, building officials said.

While the latest fee proposals are relatively small, earlier fee hikes have been more pronounced. In 2002, building and safety permits shot up 30%.

If the City Council adopts the new fee structure tonight, the adjustments would take effect in 60 days.

Hamilton said that while the new rates for some applications are hundreds of dollars more, he did not expect an onslaught of applicants trying to beat the fee increases.

“Projects usually have a life of their own and a timing of their own,” he said.

The City Council will take up the proposal at its regular meeting at 6 tonight in council chambers, City Hall, 613 E. Broadway.

 JASON WELLS covers City Hall. He may be reached at (818) 637-3235 or by e-mail at jason.wells@latimes.com.