Chapter 3.26
LAND USE FEES
Sections:
3.26.050 Time and manner of payment of fees.
3.26.060 Processing of applications.
3.26.070 Administrative appeals.
3.26.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a fee structure for staff and consultant review of land use applications or proposals such that the full cost of said review is borne by the applicant or proposer. (Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.030 Imposition.
Fees shall be imposed upon all applications and proposals contained in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated into this chapter by this reference. Such fees (hereinafter referred to as “fees”) shall consist of base fees, plan review and inspection fees and consultant fees.
A. Base fees compensate the city for city staff time, a set number of hours for the city engineer, administrative costs and overhead incurred by the city in connection with reviewing a particular application or proposal from the application date to the day of final decision. Base fees are established for each type of action.
B. Plan review and inspection fees compensate the city for city staff time, administrative costs and overhead incurred by the city in connection with performing plan review and field inspection from the day of a final decision on a land use application to final occupancy approval. Plan review and inspection fees are based on actual hours spent by city staff in the course of this work. The hourly rates for city staff are established in Exhibit A and final payment of plan review and inspection fees is due at the time of final occupancy review.
C. Consultant fees are intended to compensate the city for the cost of all consultant costs incurred by the city in connection with any application or proposal identified in Exhibit A. As used in this chapter, “consultant” means any person providing professional services who is not an employee of the city. As used in this chapter, “consultant” includes without limitation, the city attorney, the city building official, and the city engineer (for hours in excess of the set number of hours for the city engineer as noted in Exhibit A) and any other consultant deemed necessary by the city. Consultant fees shall equal the total cost of all consultants utilized by the city in connection with the processing and review of a particular proposal plus an administrative fee. The total consultant fee shall be based upon the amount of actual time expended by the city consultants on an application or proposal from the date of application to final occupancy. The city may bill for consultant costs at any time during this period.
D. The land use fees which are adopted by the enactment of the ordinance codified in this chapter are contained in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated into this code by this reference. Hereafter, this land use fee schedule may be amended or otherwise changed by resolution. (Ord. 1102, 2022; Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 858, 2005; Ord. 801, 2002; Ord. 715, 1996; Ord. 667, 1994; Ord. 583, 1990; Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.040 Calculation of fees.
The proponent of any proposal within the scope of this chapter shall pay the following fees to the city for reviewing, processing and inspecting the proposal:
A. If a particular proposal involves more than one type of action, the total base fee paid to the city shall be the total of the base fees for all types of action; and
B. All plan review and inspection fees incurred by the city in connection with review and inspection of an action following a final land use decision;
C. All consultant fees incurred by the city in connection with the processing, inspection and review of such proposal. (Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.050 Time and manner of payment of fees.
Fees required pursuant to this chapter shall be paid as follows. Upon receipt of an application relating to any proposal within the scope of this chapter, the city planning official shall collect the total base fee based on the current fee schedule. (Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 858, 2005; Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.060 Processing of applications.
The city shall not begin to process any application within the scope of this chapter without payment of the base fee. No license, certificate, permit, or approval within the scope of this chapter shall be issued until all fees and additional charges imposed pursuant to this chapter have been paid in full. (Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.070 Administrative appeals.
The fees collected from the proponent of any proposal pursuant to this chapter shall include costs incurred by the city in connection with any administrative appeal (including any quasi-judicial appeal) which may be made by any person in connection with such proposal. (Ord. 557, 1990)
3.26.080 Refund – Waiver.
A. Refunds are permitted, if applications are withdrawn, as follows:
1. Fifty percent refund prior to DNS when SEPA decision is required;
2. Fifty percent refund prior to public notice for those applications exempt from SEPA;
3. Fifty percent refund prior to application routed to other city departments when exempt from SEPA and public notice.
B. No fee established under this chapter shall apply to any city project funded by the city’s general fund. (Ord. 925, 2009; Ord. 557, 1990)