Chapter 17.800 — APPLICATIONS AND FEES

A. The owner of real property, or the authorized agent of the owner, may submit an application for a permit or legislative change request under this title relating to development on the property. The application shall be in writing and shall be filed with the planning director upon forms provided by the city.

B. The application shall be accompanied by an application fee as provided in section 17.800.020, and by the plans, specifications, and other information required by the planning director.

C. The applicant and its successors in interest shall agree, in a form acceptable to the city attorney, to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the city, its council members, boards, commissions, officers, employees, and agents from and against all damages, costs, and attorneys' fees that may arise in connection with the city's processing, issuance, or denial of a permit under this title, excluding the City's staff attorney fees. The city, in its sole discretion, may utilize outside counsel to defend any claim.

D. The applicant shall attest by signature on the application that the information stated in the application is true to the best of the applicant's knowledge and belief. (Ord. 2024-0017 § 67; Ord. 2021-0024 § 42; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

A. Application fee established. An application fee is hereby established and imposed on applicants for a permit, a request for legislative change, or an appeal under this chapter, to cover the costs of all aspects of administration of the city planning agency and all other city departments relating to the processing and decision on the application. Costs include application intake, processing, review, and evaluation; hearings and appeals; meetings, consultations, and research; preparation and revisions to plans and policies that the city is required to adopt to make necessary findings and determinations; environmental reviews and studies; and other service charges, enforcement, and administrative overhead. The amount or method of calculation of the application fee (including deposits and hourly rates), and each component of the fee, shall be established by resolution of the city council.

B. Application fee options. The application fee is due and payable upon submission of the application, and shall be in the amount and subject to terms as follows:

1. Fee based on estimate of processing costs. An application fee based on an estimate of staff time and resources that will be expended on the application shall be paid upon submission of the application. If the actual cost of processing the application exceeds the initial fee paid, the planning director shall mail notice to the applicant, using the applicant's address stated in the application, specifying the amount of the additional fee and stating that the additional fee is immediately due and payable.

2. Fee based on actual processing costs. An application fee based on actual staff time and resources expended on the application shall be calculated using the applicable hourly rate and shall be billed and paid in accordance with administrative rules and regulations established by the planning director. The planning director may require a deposit upon submission of the application. Monthly invoices shall be mailed to the applicant, using the applicant's address stated in the application, specifying the amount of fees owing and stating that the fee is immediately due and payable. 3. Selection of application fee option. The planning director shall determine whether the fee for an application shall be based on an estimate of, or the actual, processing costs, taking into account the project type and complexity.

3. Suspension of application processing due to failure to pay fees. The planning director shall suspend the processing of an application if the applicant has not paid any portion of an application fee in full prior to noon of the next hearing date scheduled for the application. The application shall be reactivated following full payment of fees, unless the application has been denied or withdrawn under section 17.800.030 or section 17.800.040.

ailure to pay fees. The planning director shall suspend the processing of an application if the applicant has not paid any portion of an application fee in full prior to noon of the next hearing date scheduled for the application. The application shall be reactivated following full payment of fees, unless the application has been denied or withdrawn under section 17.800.030 or section 17.800.040.

C. Fee waiver or reduction. The planning director, in the director's sole discretion, may waive or reduce an application fee for residential developments assisted by the federal or state governments or by a local public entity, as defined in California Health and Safety Code section 50079, or other residential developments intended for occupancy by persons and families of low and moderate income, as defined in California Health and Safety Code section 50093, or persons and families of middle income, as defined in California Government Code section 65008, subdivision (c). D. Refund of application fee. If an application is voluntarily or involuntarily withdrawn prior to a decision on the application, the applicant is entitled to a refund, without interest, of those portions of the application fee paid to the city for performance of services or payment of costs associated with the application that have not yet been performed or incurred. The applicant shall submit an application for the refund within 30 days of withdrawal of the application. Failure to submit a timely application for a refund shall be an absolute waiver of any right to the refund.

E. Appeal. The amount or propriety of an application fee may be appealed only under chapter 1.24. (Ord. 20240017 § 68; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

A. Purpose. This section is intended to implement the Permit Streamlining Act (California Government Code section 65920 et seq.), and it should be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the Act.

B. Determination of completeness. Within 30 days of submittal of an application and payment of the initial application fee, or of submittal of additional information in response to a written determination of an incomplete application, the planning director shall determine whether the application is complete or if additional information is required, and shall provide the applicant with a written determination. If additional information is required, the determination must also specify what additional information must be submitted.

C. Time for review. Except as otherwise provided by law, the city will approve or deny development projects, as defined in California Government Code section 65928, within the timeframes in the Permit Streamlining Act.

D. Information requests on a completed application. After the application has been determined to be complete, the planning director may, in the course of processing the application, request that the applicant clarify, amplify, correct, or otherwise supplement the information required for the application.

E. Extensions of time to complete application. This section shall not be construed to prevent an applicant and the planning director from mutually agreeing to an extension of the time period established by section 17.800.030.B. F. Appeals related to application completeness. An applicant who is dissatisfied with the planning director's determination regarding the completeness of the application may appeal the determination to the planning and design commission. The appeal shall be heard and decided as provided in chapter 17.812. The appeal shall be heard and resolved by the planning and design commission not later than 60 days from the date of the appeal. If the planning and design commission determines that additional information is required to render the application complete, the applicant shall submit the additional information within 30 days of the effective date of the decision, unless the planning and design commission specifies a longer period of time. If the requested additional information is not provided within the time specified in this subsection F, the application shall be deemed withdrawn. (Ord. 2026-0001 § 28; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

17.800.040 Withdrawal or denial of application for failure of applicant to process in a timely manner.

A. Failure to process. An applicant shall timely process an application for a permit or a request for legislative change that has been accepted as complete under section 17.800.030. The planning director may determine an applicant has failed to process an application in a timely manner if—

1. 60 calendar days have passed since the application has been deemed incomplete; and

2. The applicant has failed to provide the required information requested by the city.

B. Notice. Upon a determination that an application is not being processed in a timely manner, the planning director shall give mailed notice to the applicant of this determination and advising the applicant of the right to either withdraw the application or appeal the planning director's determination. The notice also shall advise the applicant that if the application is not withdrawn or appealed within 15 days of the date notice was given, the application shall be deemed denied.

C. Withdrawal. The applicant may withdraw an application by notifying the planning director in writing within 15 days of the date notice was given under subsection B of this section that the application is withdrawn. An application that is withdrawn shall not be subject to the one year restriction set forth in subsection F of this section.

D. Appeal. The applicant may appeal the planning director's determination that an application is not being processed in a timely manner to the planning and design commission. The appeal shall be heard and decided as provided in chapter 17.812, except the appeal shall be filed within ten days of the date notice was given under subsection B of this section.

E. Issue on appeal. The sole issue to be considered by the planning and design commission on appeal shall be whether the application was being processed in a timely manner. If the appeal is sustained, the application shall be referred back to the planning director for further processing.

F. Effect of denial for failure to process in a timely manner. An application that is denied for failure to process in a timely manner under this section shall be considered a denial subject to the one-year restriction on re-submittal of applications under section 17.800.050. (Ord. 2026-0001 § 29; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

If an application for an administrative or discretionary permit, or a legislative change request, has been denied in whole or in part by a final decision under this title, a new application for substantially the same permit or legislative request shall not be filed for a period of one year from the effective date of the final decision. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)