Residents would pay more to launch a boat at American Lake and to reserve space at a city park for an event under a proposal headed to a Lakewood City Council vote Monday.
City Manager Andrew Neiditz said a budget shortfall of about $1 million gave officials more impetus to take a look at fees the city hasn’t adjusted in some time.
Lakewood staff members also brought forward increases to building and planning fees, but the council referred those to a citizen advisory committee for further study.
During a study session Monday night, council members worried that building and planning fee increases could hinder economic development. They also said there might be a backlash from voters if the city sends a street maintenance fee to the ballot this year.
“I think you’re going to have some resistance to that,” Councilwoman Marie Barth said.
Mayor Doug Richardson said the council “needs to be careful and prioritize” which fees to increase.
The major fee increases in the Parks and Recreation Department are for special events and for launching boats on American Lake. Special-use permits to reserve space at a city park for an event drawing 500 or more visitors would double from $500 to $1,000. Permits for smaller events drawing 100 to 200 visitors would increase from $150 to $200.
One-time American Lake boat launch fees would rise from $10 to $15. Passes for frequent users of the launch would increase $10.
Parks and Recreation Director Mary Dodsworth said park fees would remain close to what other cities charge.
The Washington Civil War Association has performed battle re-enactments at Fort Steilacoom Park on and off for more than a decade. It spent $7,000 for its event there last year, including water and portable toilets, said Marc Williams, the association’s vice chairman. Of that total, it paid $762 to the city.
No event is scheduled for this year, and Williams said the permit fee increase would be a factor in deciding whether to return.
“We can only bear so much of the cost before it gets passed on to members of the public,” he said.
Lakewood’s Planning and Building departments had proposed numerous fee changes, including a jump in business license fees from $45 to $65 a year and an 18 percent increase in building permit fees.
A 2011 study commissioned by the City of Tacoma examined permit fees around the region and found Lakewood’s development fees were lower than those charged by other cities, according to a staff report.
Now it will be up to the city’s Planning Advisory Board to draft a recommendation for council consideration.
Councilman Paul Bocchi said the city should schedule fee adjustments instead of waiting for them to lag and then have to consider even larger hikes. Officials agreed fee adjustments should be considered during adoption of the 2013-14 budget.
The city is laying off four employees to close a 2012 shortfall of slightly more than $1 million. Employees who will lose their jobs are the city’s information systems manager, fleet maintenance coordinator, part-time geographic information systems coordinator and a permit technician.
The layoffs will occur between mid-March and mid-April.
The city also will eliminate four positions that are currently unfilled: a community service officer, building inspector, accountant and a part-time office assistant.
Christian Hill: 253-274-7390
christian.hill@thenewstribune.com
Twitter: @TNTchill
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