Paying for Planning

This case study identifies the current cost of services, fees, and subsidies across the local government and recommends what the fees should be to decrease the reliance on other funding sources and fill the gap. The planning department removes six fees citing changed purposes or inefficiencies, and adds three new fees across the community development, planning commission, and zoning board of appeals. They continue to not charge a fee for six services because the process involved in those services save money and time for the city that exceeds the value forgone in revenue. These new practices increase cost recovery from 55% to 88% with no assumed change in demand.