The Ukiah City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved an updates to decades-old fee structures for electric utility services and business licenses. The council also received an update on new FEMA flood zone maps.
City Engineer Tim Erikson told the council the city received a letter from federal officials indicating that the six-month clock had begun for adopting updated and expanded FEMA flood zone maps. Erikson said the city’s ordinances are likely already in compliance, but verifying that will be a “heavy lift.”
“It’s kind of a bummer,” Erikson said. “We seem to be losing this fight ... and we just want to do everything we can to make sure the maps are accurate.”
Planning Manager Katherine Schaefers said the updated FEMA flood zones, along with revised high fire hazard severity zones from CAL FIRE, require a reevaluation of local emergency preparedness strategies. In response, the city and Mendocino County developed the Mendocino Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Management Plan and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The city’s Office of Emergency Management also provided bilingual resources, training, and emergency materials to help residents prepare.
Diana Ramos, the city’s electric rate and resource analyst, presented findings from a comprehensive review of electric utility fixed fees, which have not been updated in more than 25 years.
“Over the past several decades, the cost of labor, materials, and equipment has increased,” Ramos said. “The current fees no longer reflect the true cost of providing these services.”
The proposed updates cover services such as new construction and electrical panel upgrades.
Councilmember Susan Sher questioned why the fees hadn’t been raised since 1997. “People got away with a lot for many years,” she said.
City Manager Sage Sangiacomo said staff are still identifying outdated fees as part of an ongoing effort to review rate schedules annually.
“Some of these fixed fees don’t come up a whole lot,” Sangiacomo said. “But I appreciate that departments are continuing to look for those and add them for annual review.”
Mayor Doug Crane said inflation over the past two decades has significantly eroded the value of the city’s fee structure.
“The dollar today is not the same as a dollar tomorrow or next year,” Crane said. “What’s changed is the value of the medium of exchange — the dollar itself.”
The council also approved new application and renewal fees for business licenses, which had not been updated since 1993.
Chief Building Officer Matt Kaiser said the current renewal fee of $5 will rise to $30. The new application fee will jump from $10 to $206 for brick-and-mortar businesses operating within city limits.
“The reason for the higher application fee is the time and resources involved in planning, zoning, and building inspections,” Kaiser said. “We need to ensure the business can operate legally at its location.”
The updated license fees apply only to new applicants and renewals, not existing license holders. All measures passed unanimously.
