Sonoma County set to hike wide range of fees

Sonoma County supervisors have signed off on fee increases for a wide range of government services, including building ?and planning permits, park ?use and law enforcement programs.

Most of the increases, from ?3 to 6 percent, are aimed at maintaining basic services, as well as covering rising wage and health care costs for county employees, according to county officials. Fees for building and planning permits are set to go up 4 percent July 1. Charges to reserve group campsites at Sonoma County Regional Parks will rise ?12.5 percent on May 1, to $225, and charges to take commercial photos at county parks are set ?to go up 4 percent, to $157 per ?day.

Fees for a concealed weapon permit are going up 112 percent, from $100 to $212.

Supervisors on Tuesday also approved a slate of new fees. Some cover costs for new programs and some are aimed at generating new revenue for existing services.

New fees include a new ?$700 annual charge for retailers to sell tobacco products outside city limits and administrative charges to enforce new rules on vacation rentals.

Starting May 1, there will be a host of fee increases at county parks, including a new $15 fee to use bocce ball courts and equipment, increased costs to use showers - $2 for five minutes - and a new $7 fee to launch boats with trailers.

Starting July 1, fees are set to increase 33 percent, to $20, for a 24-hour permit allowing fishermen to sell their catch to the public from their boats. Some beer and wine tasting rooms that serve food will be required to pay a new $154 annual permit fee, jail booking fees are set to increase 4.2 percent, to $180, and costs to store and pick up a body from the county morgue are going up ?214 percent, to $314.

New fees and fee increases are expected to generate $4.2 million in additional revenue next year.

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ahartreports.