Downey : Planning Fees Increased

The Downey City Council has unanimously approved slight increases in most Planning Division application fees, but as much as a threefold hike in fees to appeal decisions in planning cases. The new fee schedule was approved Tuesday and took effect Wednesday.

In urging the increases, Administrative Services Director Lee Powell said that application fees account for only a small part of what it costs to run the Planning Division. For example, expenditures from July 1 through Feb. 28 were $295,648, while application fee revenues were $16,324, Powell reported.

Under the new schedule, the fee for a zone change application increased from $400 to $430, but the fee for appeal of such cases climbed from $85 to $258. The city had charged $85 for all appeals, but under the new schedule it will charge 60% of the original application fee. If the application fee is less than $85, the appeal fee will be the same.

Application fees range from $50 for design review to $430 for zone changes.