Updating the Master Fee Schedule, Universal Residential Design Ordinance, and sewer charges
On June 3, City Council will review proposed changes to the Master Fee Schedule, which affects multiple departments. These changes include adding parking citations for blocking bike lanes, reducing fees for home improvement and green upgrades, and introducing a vacant building monitoring fee.
Council will also consider amending the Universal Residential Design Ordinance to ensure that townhome-style developments are no longer penalized by accessibility requirements they physically cannot meet. Additionally, Council will consider a 3% annual increase in sewer service charges. If a majority of property owners protest, the increase cannot proceed.
Below is a summary of items on the Regular Agenda, along with instructions on how to participate.
[1]Updating the Master Fee Schedule
City Council will hold a public hearing to consider adopting proposed changes to the Master Fee Schedule [3] (link downloads document) for the Police Department, Library, Public Works Department, Fire Department, Planning, Building, and Transportation Department, and the Rent Program.
The proposed changes aim to reflect inflation adjustments, cost recovery goals, and regulatory updates. Most eligible fees are proposed to increase by 2.7% per the Consumer Price Index unless otherwise specified. The Affordable Housing and Development Impact Fees are proposed to increase by 5.1% based on the Construction Cost Index.
Highlights of proposed changes by Department include:
- Public Works – Adding parking citation fees for blocking bike lanes ($75), unauthorized use of Electric Vehicle spaces ($45), and parking near crosswalks ($40).
- Planning Building and Transportation – Reducing fees for home improvement and green upgrades and adding a Vacant Building Monitoring Fee ($2,906/year) and a Tobacco Retailer License Fee ($981/year).
- Library – Introducing new replacement fees for lost laptops but eliminating fees for lost library cards and processing lost/damaged materials.
- Police – Revising Concealed Carry Weapon permit fees due to increased processing volume and legal changes.
- Fire – Planning to phase in full cost recovery over seven years.
[4]Updating the Universal Design Ordinance
City Council will hold a public hearing to consider amending the City’s Universal Residential Design Ordinance, which ensures that new housing is accessible to people with mobility impairments or disabilities. The ordinance currently requires all new units to meet visitability standards, which make units visitable to all individuals regardless of ability. Additionally, 30% of units in developments with five or more units must meet universal design standards, which expand access to more areas of the home.
The amendment aims to adjust requirements for townhouse developments to reflect construction realities, reduce regulatory burdens, and streamline administrative processes. Proposed changes include exempting townhomes with less than 150 square feet of habitable first-floor space (typically due to garages) from the visitability requirements, and townhome developments with fewer than 10 units from the 30% universal design requirement. There will also be updates to decision-making authority, terminology, and administrative requirements. The proposed amendments were previously reviewed by the Planning Board [5] and Commission on Persons with Disabilities, receiving unanimous recommendations for approval.
[6]Increasing sewer service charges
City Council will consider approving a 3% annual increase in sewer service charges from Fiscal Year 2025-26 through Fiscal Year 2029-30 to fund ongoing sewer operations, maintenance, and infrastructure upgrades, as well as to comply with legal mandates.
The City operates its sewer collection system, which connects to EBMUD for treatment. Much of the City’s sewer infrastructure is aging and requires rehabilitation. The City is subject to a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies, which requires reducing stormwater infiltration and preventing sanitary sewer overflows. Since 2015, the City has consistently implemented annual rate increases of 3% to fund sewer work.
City Council notified 19,243 property owners in April about the proposed changes and public hearing. If a majority of property owners protest, the increase cannot proceed. Guidelines for protest are here [7]. (link downloads document)
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The City seeks the rate increase to fund pipeline replacements and capital projects, maintain operating and capital reserves, comply with EPA Consent Decree mandates, and ensure financial sustainability without burdening the General Fund.
How to participate
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 3, at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public are welcome to participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda [8] (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides a chance to address the Council regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Council has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is intended for routine items and approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, where each issue receives a presentation and time for Council discussion and public comment.
Complete this online form [9] to request reasonable accommodation.
Click here [10] for Zoom registration. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128; the Meeting ID is 834 8889 8933.
Information to assist with remote participation is available online in the Public Comment and City Council Meeting Guide [11]. The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page [12]. Note that comments posted there are not monitored.
For each issue, public speakers will have three minutes to speak if there are fewer than five speakers or two minutes to speak if there are five or more speakers.
Community members may also email Council Members [13] on issues of interest before meetings.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post [14]. Contact her via [email protected] [15]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen [16] and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen [17].