Chapter 6.03
IMPROVEMENT PLAN APPROVAL
AND INSPECTION FEES*

Sections:

6.03.010    Fees designated.

*Cross reference(s) – Department of public works, Ch. 2.28; environmental policy, Ch. 11.03; flood hazard regulations, Ch. 14.09.

6.03.010 Fees designated.

A. The city’s public works department is responsible for the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of a complex network of rights-of-way and public easements, including the placement of private utility facilities such as gas, electrical, telephone, fiber optic, and other lines and conduits. As a result, the public works department is responsible for the plan review, plan approval, inspection, and acceptance of all construction within any public easement or right-of-way and all public works improvements, such as streets, sidewalks, and walkways, street lighting systems, storm drainage systems (public and private), and public and private utilities. The public works department employs twenty-three (23) full-time equivalent employees to accomplish plan review, plan consultation, plan inspection, and onsite inspection of these third-party public works improvements. Accordingly, each developer/applicant must pay a plan review and inspection fee in the amount of eight (8) percent of the estimated construction cost of the proposed public works improvements. This fee will typically cover approximately one-half (1/2) the total cost for this city staff time to review and inspect each individual application.

B. In lieu of paying this eight (8) percent fee, the developer/applicant will have a one (1) time only option to pay the city’s actual costs for these services based on the current average hourly rate of eighty-five dollars ($85) per hour. This option can only be exercised at the time the fee is first imposed. If this option is selected, the developer/applicant must pay for all time incurred by city staff for plan review, plan consultation, plan inspection, and onsite inspection of the public works improvements to be constructed at the hourly rate established above, even if the final total amount exceeds the eight (8) percent fee.

C. In consideration of the mutual benefits received when another agency of the state (including, without limitation, counties, other cities, or special purpose districts) seeks to construct public improvements not intended for conveyance to the city but that will provide a regional benefit, the public works department will limit this fee to that portion of the work which affects the city’s interests, concerns, and improvements within and abutting the city’s rights-of-way.

D. In all cases, the minimum fee shall be no less than five hundred dollars ($500). The developer/applicant will be required to submit separate cost estimates for each public works improvement item. These will be checked by the public works department for accuracy. A nonrefundable deposit of fifty (50) percent of the total fee is due and payable prior to starting the review with balance due and payable prior to the approval of the construction plans.

E. Where the developer/applicant has opted to pay the city’s actual costs based on the above-stated hourly rate, a nonrefundable deposit of fifty (50) percent of the estimated total cost as prepared by the public works department is due and payable before beginning review; the balance of this estimate is due and payable before the city approves construction plans. If the actual costs incurred are less than the monies deposited, the city shall reimburse the difference upon the developer/applicant’s completion of the construction of the approved public works improvements. Any incidental interest earned on monies deposited with the city shall become the city’s sole property. If the city’s actual cost exceeds the amount deposited by the developer/applicant, the city shall bill the developer/applicant for the amount due, and the developer/applicant shall pay that amount within thirty (30) days of the date billed. Any amounts unpaid after the thirty (30) day due date shall be charged interest at a rate of twelve (12) percent per annum, and the city may use any rights or remedies available under the law to collect or seek reimbursement of the amounts due. In any event, the developer/applicant must pay all amounts due before staff will present the public works improvements to the city council for acceptance or before issuing a certificate of occupancy for a development associated with these public works improvements.

F. Two (2) re-reviews of the construction plans are included when the developer/applicant pays the eight (8) percent fee described above, but additional re-reviews, whether attributed to the developer’s action or inaction, shall be charged at a rate of eighty-five dollars ($85) per hour.

(Ord. No. 3085, §§ 2, 3, 1-19-93; Ord. No. 3490, § 1, 11-16-99; Ord. No. 3517, § 1, 7-5-00; Ord. No. 3534, § 1, 12-5-00; Ord. No. 3713, § 1, 9-21-04)