The overview
Presented by Curtis Leeth, Shavano Park assistant city manager, the proposed ordinance would amend administrative building permits and emergency medical fees to align with current city expenses. The discussion touched on noise ordinances, roofing permits, delinquent payment collection fees, residential work permits and emergency medical services fees.
Proposed fee increases include a raising the remodeling rate from $0.87 per square foot to $1 per square foot' increasing electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits by $50; removing the delinquent collection fee; and lowering the noise ordinance levels from 63 decibels to 55 decibels for residences and commercial levels from 70 decibels to 63 decibels.
Darrell Dover, Shavano Park EMS chief and fire marshal, said the EMS increases were due to the increased cost of medical supplies and costs associated with maintaining paramedics and an operating system for the city.
"We worked out an average, and we're looking at minimizing the fee for our residents with a small incremental increase of about $100 for use of service,” Dover said. “We will not change the fee for our residents if they call us out and they are not transported. ... [The fee] will increase [for] nonresidents [who] will see the bulk of the increase, and that will be an average of about $1,400 per call where we were previously at about $1,000 per EMS call, depending on the nature of the the emergency and what services are provided.”
Prior to the vote, Alderman Albert Aleman questioned whether these fee increases are covering the costs of the services.
Leeth said that though it is difficult to gauge the total costs, city staff believes the increases are a fair way to offset costs.
“We think that [these are] very fair cost increases we’re proposing. ... [It’s a] very fair way to get to [get] compensated [as well as a fair way] to measure the increased costs to employ people and these services,” Leeth said.
During the discussion, the City Council also decided to postpone the deliberation of the noise ordinance levels for the second reading. They also recommended removing the 30% collection fee, and Shavano Park City Manager Bill Hill suggested maintaining the current $150 roofing fee, instead of the suggested increase to $200.
Mayor Bob Werner also ensured that the permit fees for residential projects were for substantial projects and not for small interior work, such as changing dry walls.
After the discussion, the City Council unanimously voted to approve the first reading of the ordinance.
What’s next
City staff will continue working on the amended fees and will present the changes during the second reading of the ordinance at a later meeting.
