Fee Waiver Process
Purpose
The purpose of Policy B-2, Fee Waiving, is to establish policies and procedures for requesting waivers of County fees, permit charges, and other administrative costs for Public Benefit Projects. A Public Benefit Project refers to a project, program, or activity initiated, sponsored, or approved by the County government that provides a clear and measurable benefit to the public at large, rather than service only private or limited interests.
Eligible Fees
Fees waivers may be applied to building permits, encroachment permits, variances, zone reclassifications, administrative permits, use permits, or other County permits.
Ineligible Fees
The following fees are not eligible for waiver: appeal fees for a decision of the approving authority; Code Enforcement investigation fees; special district, school, state-mandated, technology, General Plan implementation, and time and material agreement fees; Traffic Impact Fees (TIF); and annual operating permit or license fees.
Process
A. Fee waivers are a direct expense to the County’s General Fund. Fees are established to cover the cost of services provided by County departments. Fee waiver requests will be monitored throughout the year and can be denied based on budgetary conditions.
B. An applicant requesting a fee waiver must complete the Fee Waiver Request form and include all required documentation to prove how the project meets the justification criteria, including, if applicable, a copy of the 501(c) registration paperwork.
C. A maximum amount of up to $5,000 may be waived for each requestor per project per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).
D. The head of the department that charges the requested fees for the waiver shall review the request, determine eligibility, and provide a written recommendation to the Chief Administrative Officer. Determinations shall be made in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
E. The Chief Administrative Officer will approve or disapprove the request for fee waiver in accordance with provisions set forth in this policy.
F. The Chief Administrative Officer shall have the discretion and authority to waive all or a portion of the fees for projects that meet these criteria up to $5,000.
G. The Chief Administrative Officer will report all fee waiver requests (denied and approved) to the Board of Supervisors annually.
H. The approved fee waiver shall remain valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance. If the related permit has not been obtained within that timeframe, the applicant will be responsible for paying any fee difference resulting from increases adopted after the waiver approval.