Planning Division Fees

The Planning Division Fee Schedule includes several categories:

• The “Planning Fee” refers to the base fee for the Planning Permit or service.
• The “10% Surcharge” is a charge for certain deposit-based fees.
• The “Technology Fee” covers costs associated with our permit tracking system.
• A check mark indicates that the fee is a deposit. The deposit covers the typical cost of reviewing your project. If the actual cost is higher, you’ll get a bill for the difference. 
• We collect Department of Public Works (DPW) fees when a project needs their review.
• We collect Environmental Health Service (EHS) fees when a project involves a property served by a well or septic system.

We confirm your permit fees after reviewing your proposed permit application package. Then, we collect your fees when we accept your application package. When you’re ready, follow our step-by-step for submitting a permit application. 

In the meantime, use the fee schedule to get an idea of how much your Planning Permit might cost. 

Again, it’s important to note:

• You pay all the fees upfront when you submit your application.
• If your project needs more than one permit, you pay the full “Planning Fee” for the most expensive one.
• Any other permits cost half the regular price of the “Planning Fee”
• We apply DPW fees for:
  • Projects that need Coastal Permit or Use Permits
  • Projects on vacant lots
  • Significant modifications to driveways, parking areas or parking structures
  • Projects with more than 250 cubic yards of grading, work on creeks or near SCAs
  • Commercial, industrial or institutional projects subject to accessibility requirements
  • Projects on FEMA flood zones
• We apply EHS fees for projects on properties with wells and septic systems. We apply these fees once even if you need more than one Planning Permit.
• For example, the fees for a Design Review and Variance application on a property with a septic system would be:
  • Total Fee = (Design Review Planning Fee + 10% Surcharge + Tech Fee) + (Variance Planning Fee at half price +10% Surcharge + Tech Fee) + DPW + EHS 
     

These costs are not included in the half-price deal:

• Fixing code violations
• Environmental studies
• Other special services
• Reviewing building permits
• Annual subscriptions for updates
   

Your project may need permits and fees from other departments or agencies. It’s always best to check with all other permit authorities to cost out your full project. 

These may include fees from Building and Safety Division, Public Works, Environmental Health Services, and others.