Source: CHRIS J. PARKER,CEO

The City Planning Department recently proposed new fees for its services that would collectively increase fees department-wide by more than 33 percent.

The proposed fee schedule “provides the City with an opportunity to more accurately reflect the cost of planning services,” the department announced in its most recent monthly newsletter. If adopted by the City Council, the proposed fee schedule will reduce the amount of money that goes from the city’s General Fund to the Planning Department’s operating budget down to $6.1 million annually from $14 million. Fees will cover 84 percent of the department’s budget vs. 64 percent currently.

In its report to the City Council, the department said that if the new fees were applied to current case numbers at the department, the department would have received $7.9 million more ($31.3 million theoretically vs. $23.4 million in actual fees received). That’s a 33.7% increase department-wide. Obviously, some fees will increase less than 33%; some will increase more.

The department’s report to the City Council is here:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-0969-S3_rpt_PLAN_12-02-2020.pdf

And here is the proposed fee schedule:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-0969-S3_misc_1_12-02-2020.pdf

The proposal is currently scheduled to be heard by the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee on Feb. 16.

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BTC Increases Fees, Requires Custom Map for Notifications

BTC, the official mailing contractor for the city’s public hearings, has increased the fees and requirements for notifications, effective today.

Costs at BTC have increased more than 25% on most of its services. For example, mailings have increased from $1.73 to $2.18 per address, a 26% increase.

BTC is also now requiring that applicants also submit a JPEG map of the subject property that highlights the property lines and shows at least two labeled, adjacent streets.