06.04 - Planning and Zoning 2005 Year-End Report

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For the most part,the City collects application fees for this work. In 2005,there was a large amount of planning work compared to previous years. For work that required public hearings, the City collected $12,475. This compares to just $5,36o in 2004. The extra revenue directly correlates to the increase in subdivisions the City experienced this past year. The Community Growth Institute also tracks and bills for work that has not been budgeted for. This work includes things that are not predictable or commonplace. This typically includes violations and applications that take longer than one month to process. As per City policy, these expenses can be directly recouped from the applicants. In 2005,the City was billed for$6,400 in extra expenses. These are broken down as follows: 7, °, Wildemess Point $ 2,389.50 Corky Smith $ 534.70 Dwight $ 306.07 Anderson $ 191.75 Bauefly Brothers $ 737.50 Helbling $ 379.82 Blessner $ 147.50 Rezoning $ 774.38 Hemmerich $ 533.47 Watt $ 147.50 Whitt $ 250.75 All except for the"rezonings"are directly tied to either an application or a violation, which are reimbursable. Because Planning and Zoning services provided by the Community Growth Institute are on an as-needed basis,the Planning and Zoning Staff is able to adjust its efforts as the workload decreases,and likewise when it increases.This flexibility leads to greater efficiency and productivity, thus ensuring that routine expenses are kept below budget, while at the same time enabling staff to meet unforeseen needs. The Community Growth Institute's website(www.commurAWowth.com), and the on- line availability of Planning and Zoning information on the website—including permit applications,fee schedules, meeting schedules, staff reports,meeting minutes, the Comprehensive Plan,zoning ordinance and the zoning map—has helped to make the staff's operation more efficient and saved the City money.All on-line services and features are provided at no additional charge to the City. We encourage all City Council members to examine the costs that other communities incur for a similar level and continuity of professional planning within their communities. CITY OF PEQUOT LAKES PLANNING AND ZONING 20o5 REPORT 7