Placerville Municipal Code Ch. 11 Development Fees for Fire Protection Services

The city council of the city hereby finds and determines that new development in the city imposes additional service requirements upon the fire department of the city and impairs the ability of the fire department to provide proper and adequate fire protection to the existing residents of the city. The city council further finds that it is essential to the proper and orderly development of the city that new development be allowed to proceed only if adequate provision is made to provide proper fire protection services for such new development. (Ord. 1430, 1-26-1988)

As a condition to any permit for the development of any residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial use in the city, the developer shall be required to pay a fee, as defined herein, to the city. (Ord. 1430, 1-26-1988)

COMMERCIAL USE: Any use for commercial purposes, as defined in title 10 of this code.

DEVELOPER: Any person, firm, or corporation requesting a building permit for the construction of any residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial building or unit.

FEE OR FEE STRUCTURE: A fee as established by the city. The fee approved by the city council shall be reasonably related to, and shall not exceed, the cost of providing fire protection services to the development, and shall be determined to otherwise comply with existing law.

The fee may include uniform schedules and rates based upon the type of use of the property and the risk classification of the proposed structures on the property. The risk classification may include, but need not be limited to, the amount of water required for fire suppression on the property, the proposed structural use, and other factors relating to potential fire and panic hazards and the cost of providing the fire suppression by the city to the property. The fee may also be based upon the developer's pro rata contribution to an established capital facilities outlay program established by the city. The capital facilities outlay program shall be based upon reasonable estimates of the anticipated growth and development within the city during the term of the capital facilities outlay program and the facilities necessary to provide adequate and proper fire protection services to the development. Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting the city from establishing a different fee schedule, so long as the fee is reasonably related to the cost of providing service to the proposed development, or is otherwise allowed under existing law. All fees shall consider the extent to which sprinkler systems in the proposed development will reduce the service requirement of the fire department to the proposed development. All fees shall also consider the extent to which credit should be allowed the developer for fire protection fees previously paid by the developer or his predecessor on the property.

INDUSTRIAL USE: Any use for industrial purposes, as defined in title 10 of this code.

INSTITUTIONAL USE: Any use for the charitable, educational, hospital, church purposes to the extent such use is not also considered as commercial, residential or industrial under title 10 of this code.

PERMIT: Means, but not by way of limitation, the approval of any parcel map, tentative map for minor or major subdivisions, the approval of any variance, use permit, rezoning, design review, or the issuance of a building permit, unless the applicant can demonstrate exclusion under Government Code section 65961.

RESIDENTIAL USE: Any use for residential purposes, as defined in title 10 of this code. (Ord. 1430, 1-26-1988)

The fee described herein shall be payable prior to the issuance of a building permit for any property subject to the provisions herein. The fee shall only be required for property within the city provided the city council has reviewed and adopted a fee structure as provided herein. The fee shall not be required unless it has been adopted by the city council not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the filing and acceptance of an application for a building permit. The hearings by the city council shall be noticed pursuant to Government Code section 65090 and section 54992. The fee shall be paid directly to the city, whereupon developer shall provide city with a "receipt of payment" from the city at the time the developer requests a building permit. (Ord. 1430, 1-26-1988)

The fees collected herein by the city shall be kept in a separate fund and used solely to offset impacts to the city created by new development for fire protection services. (Ord. 1430, 1-26-1988)