Developmental Impact Fee

Eventful day!

Met with contractor, discussed how to progress with demolition given the permits delay.

Architect arrived during contractor meeting by coincidence, in pursuit of a sewer cleanout as the city's Public Works requires be added (do we already have one? looks like not). Ah. Nothing like seeing your architect and your contractor talking to each other.

This morning we sent an email to the city asking some of the strange fees on the comments list, expressing waning confidence in the whole process. For example, one of the requirements was to upgrade our water meter -- which we already did in 2004. Doesn't the city have a record of this?

This afternoon, someone from Public Works showed up at our house taking photos. Rare, but Dave and I were both home. We asked the guy about the comment "The new accessory building would add the following fees: $1157.13 fee for the SS" that was hand-crossed-out. He said that was a "developmental impact fee," then asked how many bedrooms we have now (4 or 5 depending on if you count closets), then said it was for adding a bedroom. Shrug when I said it's a suite and might not be two rooms, then something about it depends on how you play the rules. Little did I know at the time he wasn't talking about 4-5 bedrooms to 5-6 -- he thought the house had 2. And what's SS?

Encroachment permit? For water meter upgrade. No way Jose, we already did that in 2004, got the signed and paid permit right here. More hand-waving about a sewer cleanout, saying it had to be half-on city property, but a brick retaining wall forces it entirely onto our property, so how could we need an encroachment permit? More hand-waving. Claims neither of our sewer laterals are in the city's records (what, we're on septic?). All public utilities easements and services are supposed to be on the plans, he claims.

Finally, he put us off about the "developmental impact fee" by telling us to look at the fee schedule on their Web site. We did: City of Sunnyvale Fee Schedule. Nothing obvious about "developmental impact fee."

We're documenting all this and will request a full fee itemization. For almost $10,000 in permit fees alone, we're entitled. Unfortunately, this is costing valuable time too.