TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Manager to work with appropriate staff to report back to City Council on a potential "sliding scale" cost schedule for Conditional Use Permits (CUPs).
DISCUSSION
Each designated planning zone in the City has a permitted use. When a business or service wants to become established in an area that is not currently zoned for their services, a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is required. A CUP is designed so that the applicant may operate in a zone not originally intended for their purpose, but under conditions that protect nearby communities. In residential areas, daycare centers and churches are examples of conditional uses. In commercial zones, auto repair shops and liquor stores may be conditional uses.
In the City of Long Beach, a CUP costs a flat fee of approximately $11,000. Other nearby cities that charge flat fees include the City of Paramount ($575) and the City of Cerritos ($200). The only City whose CUP rate may be higher than ours is Los Angeles, which employs a "sliding scale" method of determining CUP costs anywhere from $2,000 to approximately $15,000 dependent upon associated staff costs.
A high, flat rate for a CUP could be strongly prohibitive for new development, services and uses in Long Beach. Development Services staff has been studying the potential use of a "sliding scale" system for CUP costs. At this time, the Council should respectfully request a report on the progress of this potential change.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK O'DONNELL
COUNCILMEMBER, FOURTH DISTRICT
RAE GABELICH
COUNCILWOMAN, EIGHTH DISTRICT