The City of Santa Rosa is embarking on a comprehensive development cost of services study and fee update in order to streamline the city's fees related to development; build more simplified fee structures for developers, contractors, and members of the public to understand; and create clarity as to which fees may apply to a given project or service.
The city last performed a fee study from 2009 to 2013, and this update will enable staff to set the new fees—and a new methodology for calculating fees—with transparency, accountability, and accuracy. This new study is expected to be completed by September 2023 and may be used to incentivize the production of affordable housing units, modernize public record research, expand online permit services and performance tracking, expand service delivery options that equitably support a diverse community, incentive sustainable environmental practices, or other city policy goals.
As part of the initial outreach, the city is asking for early input on the fee structure: how fees are collected, what services should be reduced or offset by general fund subsidy, and how the fee schedule is set up to be more user friendly, among others. You can start that survey now: