Ventura Municipal Code Art. 2 Fees

Except as otherwise provided by federal, state, or local laws, or other city council authorized restrictions, all fees applicable to this chapter including, without limitation, the basic rate, will be established by city council resolution. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)

Applications for a permit authorizing an activity in a city facility will be accompanied by an application fee based on the estimated administrative costs incurred by the city for processing applications and issuing permits. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)

A condition of issuing a permit is that the permittee will pay the city the lowest qualifying basic rate as follows:

A. Category 1 permittees pay zero percent of the basic rate. Permittees must be nonprofit groups with current Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) status, government agencies, community councils, and public schools.

B. Category 2 permittees pay 50 percent of the basic rate. Permittees must be community service groups or organizations without current Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) status. Permittees’ activities must provide services that meet community needs.

C. Category 3 permittees pay 100 percent of the basic rate. Permittees in this category include persons conducting private events that may charge fees, but not profit from the event. Examples of Category 3 permittees are:

1. Individuals, groups, businesses, and organizations holding private functions including, without limitation, weddings, wedding receptions, anniversaries, sports and recreational activities, and other similar types of activities.

2. Nonprofit groups and organizations that have closed memberships such as social clubs; political organizations; religious groups; and unions.

D. Category 4 permittees pay the full basic rate plus 50 percent. Included in this category are activities conducted by businesses with city business licenses using facilities for profit. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)

A condition of issuing a permit is that the permittee must pay the city additional facility use fees equal to the city’s total estimated direct cost for providing services. These fees will be determined by the director based on estimates by the applicable servicing city department(s) of the actual cost incurred by the city in providing such services. Such service charges will include, without limitation, charges for labor, supervision, overhead, administration, and the use of any and all city equipment, supplies, and the like. Additional charges may be imposed to cover the cost of extraordinary permit investigation and/or staff costs, if the director determines this necessary. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)

A permit will not be valid unless, in addition to the other conditions contained in this chapter, the permittee pays all additional use fees to the city within five business days after a permit is issued. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)

A. The director will refund all fees submitted pursuant to this chapter, except for the application fee, if a permittee cancels a permit not later than 10 business days before the date of an event.

B. The director will refund 50 percent of the basic rate and all other fees, excluding the application fee, if a permittee cancels a permit later than 10 business days before the date of an event.

C. If a permittee cancels a permit later than 10 business days before the date of an activity the director will refund 50 percent of the basic rate fees and all other fees excluding the initial application fee and any fees for canceled services such as security, police, or insurance incurred by the city. (Ord. No. 2019-024, § 1, 12-9-19)