City to look at changing fees

The costs of applying for a business license, installing sprinkler heads and other activities may increase soon in Huntington Beach, as the City Council prepares to vote on a number of fee adjustments at its meeting Monday.

Every two or three years, the city does a cost recovery study to ensure that the city’s spending remains up to date and that there is no wasteful spending either from the city or the taxpayers. The city last adjusted its fees for the 2004-05 fiscal year.

Among the proposals Monday are nearly doubling the cost of a business license from $22.25 to $40 and boosting the price of installing up to 30 safety sprinklers at a residence from $295 to $640.

If agreed upon, most of the new fees would take effect immediately and all those remaining, mostly having to do with zoning and landscaping, would take effect within 60 days.

City Administrator Fred Wilson said the fee adjustments will result in “no major changes” to the city and that residents will not even feel the difference.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m.

— Derek Swain