THOUSAND OAKS : Developers’ Fees to Jump in April

Developers who want to build in Thousand Oaks will see hefty increases in fees beginning April 8, under a plan adopted by the City Council.

“We’ve seen a good deal of our resources taken away from us,” Councilman Alex Fiore said Tuesday night before the unanimous vote to approve the increased fees. “We’ve got to be able to run a city here, and we’ve got to be able to collect our costs.”

The largest increases are for services provided by the Planning, Building and Safety and Public Works departments, where officials inspect and approve construction plans.

Some fee increases for the Planning Department were substantial because they have not been raised in 10 years, said Stephen C. Elam, deputy finance director.

Thousand Oaks spent almost $4.8 million in fiscal year 1988-89 to provide services and collected only $2.7 million in fees, according to a study by an outside consultant.