Community Development seeks options to close multi‑year budget shortfall; staff to return with fee and year-to-date analyses

Community Development Department (CDD) and County Administrative Office staff reported midyear budget work showing that Planning, Building and Code Enforcement have run multi‑year deficits after prior transfers and fee changes. Staff listed activities not currently cost‑recoverable (public outreach, records requests, administrative support for grants and abatement programs) and said the department will return with a detailed fee and cost‑recovery analysis and year‑to‑date budget status on Feb. 10.

CDD Deputy Administrator Shannon Walker Smith said the building division midyear was balanced after internal adjustments but planning remained in deficit despite vacancy management. Deputy CAO Casey Moreno presented a 10‑year revenue/expense review showing that operating transfers and fee reductions in prior years masked structural shortfalls that are now coming due. Moreno outlined three repayment scenarios for the department loan (one‑, two‑ and three‑year options) and noted that options to bridge the gap included reorganizing staff, identifying grant/revenue sources and reviewing the master fee schedule.

Supervisors said they needed explicit year‑to‑date financials (expenditure pacing and revenue collection vs. budget) before supporting staff reductions or fee increases. The board directed staff to prepare precise year‑to‑date budget statements and a public fee analysis to show what subsidies currently exist before any decisions on layoffs or fee changes.