Development Services Activity Revised Schedule for FY 2015Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
band
AI -America City
11111r
2007 • 2012 • 2013
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Revised FY 2015 Fee Schedule for Development Services Activity
DATE: May 12, 2014
For the FV2015 operating budget, the City Council adopted Planning Service's
recommended 10% increase for most development fees. The Development Services
Activity has a self-supporting guideline of 24% raised through user fees.
Subsequently, Planning Services has reviewed the fees to determine if the fees
accurately reflect the cost to provide these services, including processing applications,
preparing staff reports and public notices, field inspections, and record-keeping.
Planning Services staff found that most fees reflect the cost to provide the services, with
a few exceptions.
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens recommends City Council approval of a
revised Fiscal Year 2015 fee schedule for the Development Services Activity in the
Planning Services Department. It is further recommended the City Council approve a
resolution rescinding the previous fees and adopting a new fee schedule.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
brill/14 ,,,,,
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
THE CITY OF
DUB
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
Dubuque
ktlital
Aa-Amedca City
'VIII.►
2007 • 2012 • 2013
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
SUBJECT: Revised FY2015 Fee Schedule for Development Services Activity
DATE: May 12, 2014
INTRODUCTION
This memo transmits a revised FY2015 fee schedule for the Development Services
Activity in the Planning Services Department. A resolution rescinding the previous fees
and adopting a new fee schedule is enclosed.
DISCUSSION
For the FY2015 operating budget, the City Council adopted the staffs recommended
10% increase for most development fees. The Development Services Activity has a
self-supporting guideline of 24% raised through user fees.
Subsequently, Planning Services has reviewed the fees to determine if the fees
accurately reflect the cost to provide these services, including processing applications,
preparing staff reports and public notices, field inspections, and record-keeping.
Planning Services staff found that most fees reflect the cost to provide the services. The
exceptions are discussed below.
Development Review Fees
Application fees for plats and planned unit developments (PUDs) include additional
charges of $10/lot for preliminary subdivision plats, and $50/acre for rezonings and for
new or amended PUDs. The analysis indicates that if the per lot and per acre charges
are dropped from these applications, these fees will more accurately reflect service
cost. The result would be an estimated annual revenue loss of $1,550.
Sign Inspection Fees
The inspection fees for billboards are $100 per year per billboard, and the service cost
is $54.02. Fees for electronic message signs are $50 per year per sign, and the service
cost is $54.02. The analysis indicates that fees for billboard inspections should changed
to reflect service costs. The anticipated annual revenue loss would be $4,500.
Revised FY205 Fee Schedule for Development Services Activity
Temporary Use Fees
Fees for on -premise temporary uses, such as outdoor garden centers, are based on
square footage and duration. Fees collected in 2012 ranged from $193 to $5,796 for
seven on -premise temporary uses. The service cost for an on -premise temporary use
permit is $114.48.
Fees for off -premise temporary uses, such as Christmas tree sales, are based on
duration at $11 per day. The duration ranges from a few days to 30 days or more.
Fees collected in 2012 ranged from $198 to $320 for three off -premise temporary uses.
The service cost for an off -premise temporary use permit is $54.02.
The analysis indicates that the permit fees for on -premise and off -premise temporary
uses should be changed to reflect costs to provide the services. The result will be an
estimated annual revenue decrease of $12,721.
RECOMMENDATION
Analysis of Development Services fees concluded that most fees reflect the cost to
provide these services, with a few exceptions. Consequently, Planning Services Staff
recommends a revised fee schedule. Adoption of the revised fee schedule would be
result in an estimated annual revenue loss of $18,771 for the Development Services
Activity.
REQUESTED ACTION
The requested action is for City Council adoption of the resolution establishing a revised
FY2015 fee schedule for the Development Services Activity.
Enclosures
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Jenny Larson, Budget Director
F:\USERS\LCARSTEN\WPITEMP\Memo MVM App Fees revised.doc
2
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
Jenny Larson, Budget Director
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Dubuque
*****
ADnmedcacnr
11111!
1007.3011•x013
Kyle L. Kritz, Associate Planner
Planning Services Department Application Fee Analysis
May 1,2014
INTRODUCTION
As part of FY15 budget process, the Planning Services Department was asked to
review the application fees charged for applications that are processed for the Zoning
Advisory Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and/or reviewed by Development
Service staff. I have reviewed the fee schedule and calculated the wages and benefits
for the processing of the various applications and have the following information to
report.
DISCUSSION
In analyzing the fees charged for processing applications for the Zoning Board of
Adjustment, Zoning Advisory Commission and Development Services, the minimum
time necessary to process each application was used as well as the wages of the
lowest paid staff member who would process the application. For example, many of the
site plans are processed by the Assistant Planners, so their wage scale was used rather
than the Associate Planner pay scale, even though the Associate Planner often
processes applications for site plan review. The goal was to analyze the fees based on
the minimum staff expense used to process the application. In addition to wages and
benefits, overhead was calculated based on adding 11.3% of wages and benefits.
The only issue found in the analysis of the application fee is the charging of a $10/lot
fee in processing a preliminary plat, and the $50/acre charge used for rezonings, new
planned district and amended planned districts. While staff expenses exceed the base
fee for these four applications, the unit charge for lots and/or acres could exceed the
staff expenses.
BUDGET IMPACT
If the per lot and per acre charges are dropped from the Preliminary Plat, Rezoning,
New Planned District and Amended Planned District fees, the annual revenue loss will
Planning Services Department Application Fee Analysis Page 2
be approximately $1,550.00. This represents an approximately 2% decrease in
revenue.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend that the existing fees are sufficient to cover the minimum amount of staff
wages and benefits needed to process these applications. I would recommend that the
per lot and per acre charges be dropped from the Preliminary Plat, Rezoning, New
Planned District and Amended Planned District applications respectfully.
Thank you.
2
f:\users\mrettenb\wp\budget\fy15 budget\psd fee analysis for fy15 budget kyle 5_01_14 memo.doc
RECOMMENDED FY 2015 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEE INCREASES
*No proposed fee increase
FY 2013
Cases
Current
FY2015
Proposed (10%)
FY 2015 Proposed
10% Fee Increase
Variance
$303 +::$2/notice
: $333
+ $2/notice
Conditional Use Permit
$303 + $2/notice
$333
+ $2/notice
Appeal
$61
$4,356
$67
Special Exception
$121
$133
$1'.,936
TextAmendment
':. $242
$266
$0
Minor Subdivision Plat
$242
$266
$532
Preliminary Plat/MajortsSubdivision
$484 +.$10/lot
% $532
+I $10/lot
Final Plat/MajorSubdivision
$242
0
$266
Rezoning S
$363 +$50/acre + $2/notice
-:
$399 +$50/acre +:::$2/notice
New Planned District (PUD)
$605 +$50/acre + $2/notice
$3,993
$666 +$50/acre + $2/notice
Amended Planned District (PUD)
$363 +$50/acre + $2/notice
::
$399 : +$50/acre + $2/notice
Sign Permit Reviews
$33
$36
Extension of Subdivison Bonding
$33
$336
$36
Billboard Inspection Fee
$100 billboard/year
14
$100 billboard/year*
Electronic Message Site Inspection Fee
$50-sign/year
$50 ,:sign/year*
Simple Site Plan
$61
$8,710
$67
Minor Site Plan
$154 (no per acre fee)
i:.
$169 (no per acre fee)
Major Site Plan
$275 (no per acre fee)
.:$624
$303 (no per acre fee)
Limited: Setback Waiver
$61
$1,331
$67
Target Area Zoning Enforcement
$8,710 /year
$8,710
/year
Flood Plain Permit
$121
$518
$133
Flood Way Permit
$605
$666
Simple Subdivision -Staff Review -
$12
$68,054
$13
Simple Subdivison-Council Action Required
$242
$266
Waiver from Site Design Standards -
$303
$333 ..
Maps and Ordinances
$10-$30 /document
$10-$30
/document*
Temp. Use Permit: Off -Premise: Retail
$11 per day
$11 per day*
Temp. Use Permit: On -Premise Seasonal
$0.003 sq foot/day
$0.003
sq foot/day*
*No proposed fee increase
FY 2013
Cases
FY2013
Revenue
FY2015
Proposed (10%)
14
$4,242
$4,666
9
$2,727
$3,000
1 :
$61
$67
36
$4,356
$4,792
8
$1'.,936
-:
$2,130
0
$0
$0
1
$484
$532
5
$1,210
$1,331
10
'.$3,630
: :$$;993
0
$0
$0
1
':$363
, $399
110
$3,630
$3,993
$0
'$0
90
$9,000
$9,000
$0
5
$305
$336
9
$1,386
$1,525
14
$3,850
$4,235
58 710
$8,710
3
5363
$399
0
$0
$0
52
.:$624
::$686.
5
$1,210
$1,331
5909
;$999.
2
$60
$60
2
$518
$518
6
$18,236
$18,236
$68,054
$71,206
Revenues do not include fee of $2 per notice, which generated an estimated $1,600 for approximately 800 notices sent in FY 2013 for variances, conditional use permits,
rezonings, new PUDs, and amended PUDs.
Note: Maximum Fee Cap of $1,000 still applies to rezonings and amended PUDs.
Maximum Fee Cap of $2,000 still applies to new PUDs.
FY 2015
5 Amount
Increase
10%
51912 Zoning
$1,505
Admin Fees
51913 Sub Plat
$1,647
Fees
Total
$3,152
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
Dubuque
Harmon
11111!
2007 • 2011 • 2013
TO: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
FROM: Guy Hemenway, Assistant Planner
SUBJECT: Electronic Message Sign and Billboard Fee Calculations
DATE: May 1, 2014
This memo outlines the process used, and staff time expended, to process electronic
message sign and billboard sign fees and conduct field inspections. Both the billboard
and electronic message sign inspection processes are very similar.
It takes approximately .25 hours staff time to prepare written notification to mail out to all
owners of billboards and electronic message signs. Each mailing costs approximately
50 cents. It takes approximately .75 hours to travel to each sign, monitor the sign
through its compete cycle, and then travel half -way to the next sign. Staff evaluates the
sign(s) to determine if they follow the established static and transition times and adhere
to the on- and off -premise regulation. It takes approximately .25 hours to record the
results and prepare the invoice.
The Assistant Planner's wages plus benefits and overhead is $48.37/hour and the
Secretary's wages plus benefits and overhead is $35.48/hour. Therefore, calculating
the Assistant Planner's and Secretary's wages and the mailing fee, the total cost to
process and conduct either a billboard or electronic message sign inspection is $54.02.
Currently we charge $50/inspection for electronic message signs and $100/inspection
for billboards.
This memo has been provided for your information.
GH/mkr
(:\users\guyh\temp\fee calculations for ems and billboards 05_14.doc
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
FROM: Guy Hemenway, Assistant Planner
SUBJECT: On and Off- Premise Temporary Use Fee Calculations
DATE: May 1, 2014
Dubuque
manicactry
11111'
2007 .2012 • 2013
This memo outlines the process used, and staff time expended, to process applications,
assess fees and conduct field inspections for on- and off -premise temporary uses.
The Assistant Planner's wages plus benefits and overhead total $48.37/hour and the
Secretary's wages plus benefits and overhead total $35.48/hour. On -premise
temporary uses (outdoor garden centers) require approximately .25 hours staff time to
mail applications to each big box retailer. It takes approximately one hour in the field to
measure the perimeter of the garden center and compare these measurements with the
submitted sketch diagram. Follow-up requires approximately 1 hour for second
inspections (to determine if the garden center has changed its configuration, moved
beyond the existing perimeter or exceeded the reported display duration). It takes
approximately .25 hours to record the results and prepare the invoice. Therefore,
calculating the Assistant Planner's wages and the Secretary's wages and the mailing
fee, the total cost for a processing and conducting a temporary garden center inspection
is $114.48.
The cost charged for a standard outdoor garden center is predicated on square footage
and duration and is not contingent on the staff time expended. The fees in 2012 varied
from $193.00 to $5,796.00. This fee was instituted at the request of the City Manager
outlined in the enclosed memo dated December 10, 2002 and followed by the enclosed
memo from Planning Staff dated January 26, 2003 detailing how the fee was
established and how it was calculated based on the City Manager's request.
Off -premise temporary uses (eg. Christmas tree sales, frozen food sales and hot tub
sales) are charged $11 per day. The Assistant Planner generally processes the
application. It takes approximately .25 hours to process an off -premise temporary use
application and prepare the invoice and approximately .75 hours to visit and inspect
each use. This makes the total cost for processing each off -premise temporary use
On and Off -Premise Temporary Use Fee Calculations Page 2
May 1,2014
$54.02. Some off -premise uses are only operating for a few days generally over the
weekend, but some, such as Christmas tree sales, operate for 30 days or more. Off -
premise temporary uses are rare, with only two or three a year. However, as the cost is
based on the display duration, it is not directly tied to the amount of staff time required
to process the application and conduct the inspection.
This fixed rate per day temporary use fee has been in place, I believe, since I started
with the City in 1990. The original temporary use fee was changed to off- premise vs.
on -premise when we began to regulate outdoor garden centers by square footage and
commercial tax rate at the City Manager's request in 2002.
This memo has been provided for your information.
Enclosures
f:\users\guyh\temp\fee calculations for outdoor garden centers.doc
2
MEMO
A N D U M
December 10, 2002
TO: • Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Commercial Permits - "Outdoor" Use
I had one thought on a way to charge a business that wants to use space. outside of
their building for a long-term sales area, like landscaping sales. We could take the
square footage of their store and divide it into their assessed valuation. Divide the
number by 12 months. Take this per square foot of assessed valuation per month and
multiply it by the square footage of their long-term temporary square footage, then
multiply that by how many months they want to operate that use. This would then be
multiplied by the tax rate..
A 100,000 square foot building valued at $10 million would have a $100 per square foot
assessed valuation divided by 12 months. This is $8.34 per square foot per month. If
they want to have a 1,000 square foot area to sell landscaping,.this would be $8,340
valuation per month times the six months they want to operate, which equals $50,040.
Multiply the $5Q040 valuation times $30 per thousand (estimated tax rate) and they
would pay $1,500 for the permit in this example.
What are your thoughts?
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
cc: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
�y �z�l�(o-z-
TEM CITY 0
/uB' E MEM ( 1_ AN
TO:
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
FROM: Guy Hemenway, Assistant Planner,
SUBJECT: Assessment of Temporary Use Fees for Big Box Development
J
January 26, 2003
In response to the memo from City Manager Michael Van Milligen dated December 10,
2002, regarding temporary use fees, I researched the assessed valuation and square
footage of buildings for big box retail in excess of 30,000 square feet. The retailers
evaluated are Wal-Mart, K -Mart, Target, Eagles on Locust, Eagles on Elm, Eagles on
JFK, Hy -Vee on Asbury, Lowe's, Menard's Shopko and Toys -R -Us. The square footage
ranged from 220,000 square feet for Wal-Mart to 29,604 square feet for the Eagles on
Elm Street (just slightly below the 30,000 sq.ft. threshold). Assessed valuations of the
buildings ranged from $9,137,460 for Wal-Mart to $980,190 for the Eagles on Elm
Street.
For each big box retailer I took the assessed value of the building, divided it by the
square footage and then divided by 12 months. The high value was $4.49/square
foot/month for the Hy -Vee on Asbury and the low was $2.01/square foot/month for K -
Mart in Plaza 20. Most values hovered in the $250-$350 range. I calculated all the
taxable values for each property and established a $3/square foot/month average.
This average is then divided by the current commercial tax rate (I rounded the current
tax rate from $30.68 per thousand to $30.00 per thousand). Then, I applied this formula
to a typical 5,000 square foot outdoor display area for six months of display time. The
fee for this typical outdoor display would be $2,700.
In an effort to be consistent and more efficient, I recommend standardizing the average
taxable value per square foot per month at $3.00. This means that any big box retailer
in excess of 30,000 square feet would be charged $3.00 per square foot times the
square footage of their display area times the number of days they wish to display.
Therefore, the average factor for temporary use would be .003 (this number represents
the daily rate not the monthly rate). If a retailer wished to use 5,000 square feet of lot
area for a seasonal display for six months, they would be charged .003 times 5,000
times 180 days which would total $2,700. This formula, .003 times the square footage
of display area times the amount of days displayed would represent an average for
assessed valuation of all the city's big box retailers and simplify temporary fee
assessment.
If these fees are deemed too excessive, the formula could be adjusted to 75% or 50%
of the tax rate,
This memo is provided for your information.
Prepared by: LauraCarstens,CityPlanner Address: CityHalI,50W.13thSt Telephone: 589-4210
Return to: KevinS.Firnstahl,CityClerk Address: CityHall-50W.131St Telephone: 589-4121
RESOLUTION NO. 148-14
RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 70-14, ESTABLISHING A
SCHEDULE OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEES, AND ADOPTING IN LIEU
THEREOF A NEW SCHEDULE OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEES AS
PROVIDED IN TITLE 16 OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES,
UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
Whereas, the City Council of the city of Dubuque, Iowa establishes by resolution
certain fees for development services pursuant to the Unified Development Code,
pursuant to the attached schedule of Development Services Fees.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. Resolution No. 70-14 and its Schedule of Fees is hereby rescinded
effective July 1, 2014.
Section 2. That the attached Fee Schedule is hereby approved.
Section 3. That the attached Fee Schedule shall take effect on July 1, 2014.
Passed, approved and adopted this 19th day of May 2014.
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
Attest:
Kevin . . irnstah , City Jerk
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Development Services Fee Schedule
Effective July 1, 2014
Type of Application Fee
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
Variance $333 + $2/notice
Conditional Use Permit $333 + $2/notice
Appeal $67
Special Exception $133
ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION
Waiver from Site Design Standards $333
Text Amendment $266
Minor Subdivision Plat $266
Preliminary Plat/Major Subdivision $532
Final Plat/Major Subdivision $266
Rezoning $399 +$2/notice
New Planned District (PUD) * $666 +$2/notice
Amended Planned District (PUD) ** $399 +$2/notice
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW SERVICES
Simple Subdivision — Staff Review
Simple Subdivision — Council Action Required
$13
$266
Extension of Subdivision Bonding $36
Limited Setback Waiver $67
Sign Permit Reviews $36
Site Plan Review
Simple Site Plan $67
Minor Site Plan $169
Major Site Plan $303
Flood Plain Development
Flood Plain Permit
Flood Way Permit
Temporary Use Permits
Off -Premise Retail
On -Premise Seasonal
$133
$666
$54
$114
Billboard Inspection Fee $50/billboard per year
Electronic Message Sign Fee $50/sign per year
OTHER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Maps, Ordinances, Reports ***
Copies ***
* Maximum Fee Cap of $1,000
** Maximum Fee Cap of $2,000
***Fees higher for oversize and color copies
$10-30/document
$0.10/page