The costs for certain developments within Gilroy could increase, if City Council approves an ordinance currently being prepared by City staff.
As proposed by Development Center Manager Lee Butler at Monday night’s City Council meeting, a 15 percent surcharge would be tacked onto the cost of filing an application with the Planning Department and a 4.6 percent surcharge would apply on public works projects and certain building applications.
City Council voted unanimously to direct City staff to prepare the ordinance as presented by Butler, but there was discussion amongst some councilors as to whether buildings in downtown Gilroy should be excluded from the surcharges.
“Staff is recommending that the surcharge apply to all planning applications, all public works engineering applications and most building permits,” Butler said.
Residential permits that don’t impact the exterior of a structure would be excluded, according to Butler, but if a homeowner chooses to add on a second story to a residence, they’d have to pay more.
“The building permit surcharge proposed by Gilroy is significantly lower than that charged by other cities,” he said.
“We have some of the highest fees in the state,” rebutted downtown advocate and developer Gary Walton, who called on City Council to exclude blighted downtown buildings from the proposed fee hikes.
Butler explained that the additional surcharges would provide funding for certain long-range planning activities, including the preparation of the new General Plan – an effort that is currently underway and expected to take two years to complete.
City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance at an upcoming meeting this year.
City Council approves purchase of Uvas Debell Park
After a unanimous vote, City Council approved a purchase agreement for the 100-acre Uvas Debell Park Preserve from Santa Clara County.
The transaction will not cost the City anything, according to Gilroy Operations Manager David Stubchaer, and it will allow the City to have control over the rules and regulations of the park for the first time.
But before the City takes over the property, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors must approve the agreement, which is slated for consideration at the Feb. 25 Supervisors meeting.
