La Verne Municipal Code Ch. 3.27 Fire Development Fees—hillside Development Overlay Zone

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a development fee for fire suppression and emergency response services to be imposed on future residential development projects to provide their equitable share of the cost of mitigating emergency and fire responses in the hillside development overlay zone, and to mitigate the increased demand for fire suppression and emergency response services created by the construction of such developments in areas that are not adequately served by existing fire facilities and equipment.

(Ord. 829 § 2(1), 1991)

Except as provided in this chapter, the developer of each dwelling unit located within the hillside development overlay zone in the city shall pay a fire protection development fee in an amount established by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 829 § 2(2), 1991)

Fees required by this chapter from a dwelling unit developer shall be paid before final inspection of the dwelling unit on which fees are imposed; provided, however, that if a residential development contains more than one dwelling unit, then the fees imposed by this chapter on the entire development shall be paid before final inspection of the first dwelling unit in that development. For these purposes, "final inspection" is defined as that term is defined in Government Code Section 66007.

(Ord. 829 § 2(3), 1991)

Any project, developed in accordance with an approved development agreement, which provides for a fire protection fee and payment procedure, shall be exempt from the imposition of this fire protection fee.

(Ord. 829 § 2(4), 1991)

Any person subject to a fee required by this chapter may apply to the city council for a reduction or adjustment of that fee based upon the absence of a reasonable relationship between the impact of that persons residential development project on fire services demand. Any person seeking a fee adjustment must apply, in writing, on forms provided by the finance officer who shall transmit a copy to the director of community development. Such application for fee adjustment must be filed not later than thirty days prior to the public hearing on a development permit application for the residential development project or if no such permit is required, the time of application for a building permit for the residential development project. Each such application shall state in detail the factual basis for the request for reduction or adjustment and shall be accompanied by the city's application fee for such fee adjustment applications.

The planning commission shall consider an application for fee adjustment at the public hearing regarding the application for a development permit, or, when no public hearing regarding a development permit is required, at a separate hearing by the planning commission within sixty days after the fee adjustment application is deemed complete by the director of community development. Decisions of the planning commission are advisory to the city council. The decision by the city council shall be final.

(Ord. 829 § 2(5), 1991)