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City of Vancouver, Washington

 City Proposes Suspending Fee Increases In Response To Economy

Thursday, October 08, 2009
Contact: Pat McDonnell, City Manager – (360)487-8600
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City Manager Pat McDonnell has directed city staff to suspend fee increases for 2010. Later this year, the City Council will be asked to suspend the already-approved 10% land use fee increase for 2010 and to make the annual Consumer Price Index adjustment for development review and building permit fees for 2010, which will result in a one percent decrease in fees. Parking permit fee adjustments will also be suspended for 2010. Increases to parking fines and parking meter rates will not be considered for 2010.  In addition, the city's Transportation Department will ask City Council to forego the annual adjustment to the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) Program for 2010.  This is the second year in a row that the city has decided not to increase TIF fees, maintaining them at 2008 levels.

"We are aware that these measures will impact our cost recovery goals. However, we also know that people and businesses are struggling right now and will do what we can to help," said McDonnell. "We will address the recovery targets in the future when the economy stabilizes."

"Deferring increases is important but we are also going through all of our permitting processes and timelines to see where we can make adjustments to ensure consistency and predictability," said McDonnell.  For example, after reviewing one part of the process, the city is proposing to adjust the thresholds for when certain smaller projects must go through a "Type 2" (notice and comment) process.  "It's about making it easier to get things done."

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