Commission recommends fee schedule clarifications to city council, moves to add transparency for rentals

The Pleasanton Civic Arts Commission voted to recommend that City Council adopt a resolution updating the master fee schedule (section 8) to make rental fees more transparent and to add a new marketing-package fee.

Anne Giancola moved the recommendation; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call. Staff told commissioners the update mainly breaks out charges already being collected (projectors, lighting, piano tuning, ticketing, staff fees and cancellation charges) while marketing-package fees are a new optional service.

Heidi Murphy said the goal is transparency and to keep fees current so they track inflation, avoiding large, infrequent increases. “The only fees that are new are those [marketing] package fees,” Murphy said, adding the plan is to roll this package of fee updates to City Council in April or May ahead of the July 1 fiscal year start.

Commissioners asked for supporting detail on base rental costs and comparisons; staff said equipment pricing was benchmarked against other cities and that base fees vary by customer type (business, nonprofit, co-sponsored groups) and are listed on the city’s website.

What happens next: staff will compile the commission’s recommendation and the updated fee schedule for City Council consideration as part of the spring budget and fee update process.