HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03261985 - IO.2 o�
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Internal Operations Committee Contra
Costa
DATE: March 25, 1985 County
SUBJECT: Fire District Administrative Fees
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Direct the County Administrator' s Office, Director of Planning, Fire Chiefs
Association and County Counsel to prepare a report for our committee on the
current provisions in the County Ordinance Code and state law relating to
the right and responsibility of fire districts to perform certain adminis-
trative functions such as issuing permits and checking development plans
for compliance with state law and county and city ordinances, and the
ability of the fire districts to charge fees for such administrative
functions. This study should include recommendations on what actions should
be taken to increase fee revenue where appropriate and insure that fire
districts have an opportunity to comment on development plans . This study
should include close cooperation with the cities since their input on this
issue is vital.
BACKGROUND
As a part of our committee ' s broader discussion of issues confronting the
fire service in the county, the problem of the increased level of plan
checking which is being done or should be done by fire districts was
discussed. In many instances this plan checking is a vital fire_ prevention
activity which can have long-term benefits in terms of insuring that
adequate fire prevention measures are installed in office and commercial
developments as well as major residential developments. The expertise of
the districts in doing this plan checking varies widely among the districts
and apparently there currently is no ability to charge a fee to offset the
increasing cost of this activity. It was noted that perhaps what . is
required are amendments to county and city ordinances that would require
that the appropriate fire district have the right to comment on development
plans and then have the right to charge a fee for this activity. It was
also noted that state law requires the fire district to issue a number of
different kinds of permits and in some cases to charge for this service.
Our committee believes that as a part of our overall study of fire service
in the county we need a comprehensive report on this issue which describes
current provisions of state, county and city laws at present and which
contains recommendations on what actions are needed to improve these fire
prevention activities and the sources of revenue to offset these costs.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURES) /
T. orlakson T. Powe
ACTION OF BOARD ON March 26, 1985 App OVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT I ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
County Administrator
CC: Director of Planning ATTESTED
County Counsel Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
Each Fire Chief in County (including SupervisorsXWCounty AdminidrAw
City Districts)
Fire Chiefs Assn.
M382/'14&yor' s Conference BY . DEPUTY
Each Mayo' in County