The city council finds and determines that:
A. 
The Legislature of the state of California has found and declared that certain species of fish, wildlife and plants are in danger of, or threatened with, extinction due to habitat destruction and exploitation.
B. 
The Legislature has further found and declared that these species of fish, wildlife and plants are of historical, economic and scientific value to the people of this state and the conservation, protection and enhancement of these species and their habitat is of state-wide concern.
C. 
The Legislature has further found and declared that it is the policy of the state to conserve, protect, restore and enhance the habitat of species that are listed as threatened or endangered, candidates for such listing as well as other species of concern (collectively, listed, candidates for listing and other species of concern shall hereinafter be referred to as "species of concern").
D. 
The Congress of the United States has found and declared that the preservation of species of concern is an important national and regional issue which requires the cooperation of cities, counties, the states, the federal government and the owners of property affected by these species.
E. 
The listing of the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat as an endangered species has resulted in significant adverse economic impacts upon the city and western Riverside County and is likely to have contributed to the recent decline in property values of not only lands which are occupied, but also lands which are not occupied by that species.
F. 
The city and county, together with the cities of Corona, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Perris, Riverside and Temecula and the County of Riverside have formed the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency ("RCHCA") whose purpose is to plan for, acquire, administer, operate and maintain land and facilities for ecosystem conservation and the creation of habitat reserves to implement habitat and ecosystem conservation plans and program for the species of concern. The RCHCA, and each of its members, including the city of Moreno Valley have recently adopted "The Habitat Conservation Plan for the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat in Western Riverside County, California" (SKRHCP) and have been issued an incidental take permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and a Management Authorization from the California Department of Fish and Game, all of which documents require certain implementation actions on the part of its members, including the city.
G. 
The city council has previously adopted Ordinance 212 and related Fee Resolution 89-92 which imposed an impact and mitigation fee of $1,950 per acre to be used exclusively for the preparation and implementation of a habitat conservation plan for the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat.
H. 
The board of directors of the RCHCA has recommended to each of its members that each city and the county amend its ordinance: (1) to enact the implementation measures as set forth in the SKRHCP, the Section 10(a) Permit and the Management Authorization; and (2) to reduce the impact and mitigation fee to $500 per acre. The recommendations of the RCHCA with respect to the impact and mitigation fee is based upon the current cash reserves of the RCHCA, its likely expenditures during the ensuing three years to implement the terms of the SKRHCP, which will benefit many other species of concern, and to negotiate and develop an ecosystem based multiple species habitat conservation plan which will protect all species in order to reduce the likelihood of additional state or federal listings and to support permits to take species of concern should they be listed in the future.
I. 
The city council has determined that the benefits accruing to parcels which are occupied by the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat as well as those which are not so occupied are roughly proportional and that a meaningful parcel by parcel evaluation of the benefits which will accrue to those parcels as a result of the implementation of the SKRHCP would not result in a meaningful difference in the amount of the fee so imposed.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
The purposes of this chapter are:
A. 
To adopt and require certain implementation measures as required by the SKRHCP, the Section 10(a) Permit and the Management Authorization; and
B. 
To adopt and impose an impact and mitigation fee to provide funds to the RCHCA to implement the terms of the SKRHCP.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Development permit"
means a grading permit issued pursuant to the International Building Code as adopted by the city in Chapter 8.20 of this Code. For purposes of this chapter, grading permit shall also include any other permit authorizing the disturbance of the soil such as a permit authorizing surface mining.
"Final inspection"
means a final inspection as defined by in the ordinances of the city, or if no definition therein exists, then as such term is defined in the most current adopted version of the Uniform Building Code, or if no definition there exists, then as such term is defined by the laws of the state of California.
"Habitat conservation plan"
means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. Section 1539 and applicable provision of the California Endangered Species Act, California Fish and Game Code Section 2050 et seq.
"Impact and mitigation fee"
means the fee imposed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
"Parcel"
means all real property located within the parcel or parcels for which a development permit is applied.
"Plan area"
means all real property located within the city situated within the boundaries described in Attachment A attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996; Ord. 759 § 5.2, 2007)
All those certain lands located within the boundaries on Attachment A attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter and incorporated herein by this reference, which are located within the city are designated the plan area for the SKRHCP.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
A. 
Until the city has been notified by the RCHCA that those certain core reserves as identified in the SKRHCP have been completed, the city, from information provided by the applicant for the development permit, shall complete and deliver to the RCHCA a land disturbance report for all development permits issued for real property located within the boundaries of the plan area which shall set forth the location of the land disturbed, the number of acres within the parcel to be developed, the amount of the impact and mitigation fee paid, if any and the number of acres occupied by Stephens' Kangaroo Rats which have been disturbed, if any, as described in a biological survey, if required.
B. 
The city shall complete and deliver to the RCHCA a core reserve land disturbance report, from information provided by the applicant, which sets forth the nature of the project, the number of acres occupied by Stephens' Kangaroo Rats which will be disturbed and the mitigation paid or provided as required by the SKRHCP for development permits for real property located within the boundaries of any core reserve which may now or in the future be located within the boundaries of the city, as identified in the SKRHCP.
C. 
The city shall cause all land disturbance reports and all core reserve land disturbance reports to be forwarded to the RCHCA no later than the fifteenth day of each month.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
Prior to the issuance of any development permit for any project which meeting the following criteria, the applicant for such development permit for projects located within the boundaries of the plan area shall provide the city with a biological survey for SKR:
A. 
Until the city has been notified by the RCHCA that the core reserves as identified in the SKRHCP have been completed, any development permit for projects within known Stephens' Kangaroo Rat occupied habitat according to the most recent Stephens' Kangaroo Rat distribution map available to the city;
B. 
Any development permit for projects within any core reserve as identified in the SKRHCP;
C. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, biological surveys shall not be required in the following instances:
1. 
Emergencies: actions taken by the city or other public agencies in response to public emergencies including, but not limited to floods, earthquakes and fires,
2. 
Secondary structures: construction of secondary structures including, but not limited to garages, granny units and swimming pools on developed lots,
3. 
Agriculture: bona fide agricultural activities which do not involve the construction of permanent improvements which require building permits,
4. 
Fire prevention: fire prevention activities as set forth in that certain cooperative agreement regarding fire prevention entered into among the city, the California Department of Fish and Game and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service dated February 16, 1995 and any subsequent amendments thereto.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
A. 
All applicants for development permits within the boundaries of the plan area shall pay an impact and mitigation fee of $500 per gross acre located within the parcel to be developed and the area disturbed by related off-site improvements, except as provided in Section 8.60.090 of this chapter. No development permit of real property located within the boundaries of the plan area shall be issued or approved without the payment of the impact and mitigation fee and the submission of the biological survey, as required by this chapter.
B. 
Impact and mitigation fees shall be reduced by 75% for nonprofit entities. For purposes of this section, nonprofit entities shall be defined as those entities identified in 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
C. 
Impact and mitigation fees for single-family residential developments, wherein all lots within the development are greater than one-half gross acre in size, shall be $250 per residential unit.
D. 
Agricultural development which requires a development permit, including, but not limited to, dairy farms and excluding poultry farms and the construction of single-family residences in connection with said agricultural development, an impact and mitigation fee of one dollar ($1.00) per square foot of the buildings to be constructed shall be paid provided that at no time shall such fee exceed the amount required to be paid if a fee of $500 per gross acre were applied to the parcel proposed for agricultural development.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)
A. 
The impact and mitigation fee shall be paid upon issuance of a development permit. In those cases where a development permit had been previously issued and impact and mitigation fees have previously been paid pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or fee Resolution 89-92 but such development permit has expired, the applicant for a new development permit on the same property, upon submission of proof of such payment satisfactory to the provisions of the community development director, shall pay the impact and mitigation fee less the amount previously paid. In the event the fee previously paid was more than the impact and mitigation fee, the applicant shall not be entitled to a rebate.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996; Ord. 694 § 1.1, 2005)
For purposes of this chapter, applicants for the following types of development shall not be required to pay an impact and mitigation fee unless such applicant voluntarily participates in order to mitigate the disturbance of habitat occupied by the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat.
A. 
Reconstruction of structures damaged or destroyed by fire or natural causes;
B. 
Rehabilitation, remodeling or additions to existing structures on the same parcel;
C. 
Development of any parcel for which the California Department of Fish and Game and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has approved other mitigation measures; provided, however, that in the event the cost of such mitigation measures equal an amount less than the total amount of the impact and mitigation fee imposed hereby, the applicant for a development permit shall pay the difference between the cost of the approved mitigation procedures and the impact and mitigation fee which would otherwise be payable pursuant to the terms of this chapter;
D. 
Development of a parcel by local, state or federal governments for governmental purposes;
E. 
There shall be credited against the fees imposed by this chapter mitigation fees already paid in respect to all or a portion of the land which is in the development project;
F. 
Development of public utility transmission facilities other than substations, treatment facilities or pumping stations;
G. 
Any development within the area identified in the city's general plan as the Moreno Valley Ranch Specific Plan (SP 193). The project proponent for the specific plan dedicated 240 acres of land for habitat preservation purposes for the benefit of the Stephens' Kangaroo Rat. The dedicated land was incorporated into the San Jacinto Reserve Area as identified in the SKR-HCP. In addition, the project proponent also provided a lump sum payment to RCHCA.
(Ord. 502 § 2.1, 1996)