The purpose of this section is to enhance the overall image
of the city through aesthetic and cultural improvements. The program
also serves to help implement the image enhancement program of the
1993 adopted city general plan.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)
There is created a fund to be known as the "public image enhancement
fund" to account for fees paid pursuant to this article. The fund
shall be maintained by the city treasurer, and shall be used solely
for the implementation of the public image enhancement program.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)
The provisions of this section shall apply to all new development
in residential zones of building valuation of one hundred thousand
dollars or more, or for new or remodeled development in all commercial
and industrial zones of building valuation of one hundred fifty thousand
dollars or more. For the purposes of determining overall project applicability,
the estimated valuation of the ultimate completed development proposal;
or, in the case of phased development or phased subdivision, the overall
estimated project valuation upon completion of the final phase shall
determine applicability. Building valuation shall be computed using
the latest building valuation data as set forth by the city building
division.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)
Fees are to be paid at time of certificate of occupancy issuance
in the following amounts:
Residential: 0.5% of building valuation. For an owner-constructed
and -occupied single-family residential unit, the first one hundred
thousand dollars of building valuation is exempt from fee calculations;
fees shall be calculated based on valuations greater than one hundred
thousand dollars. For all other uses, fees shall include the first
one hundred thousand dollars of building valuation.
Commercial or industrial: 1.0% of building valuation. Expenditure
of fee may only be allotted for public space and right-of-way improvements.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996; Ord. 923 § 5, 1999)
The following projects are exempt from the provisions of this
article:
A. Remodel
of existing single-family development where such remodeling does not
entail the complete demolition of the unit down to foundation;
B. Residential
units covenanted for low or moderate income housing;
D. Reconstruction
due to damage inflicted by an earthquake or natural disaster if so
declared by the mayor of the city.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)
There is hereby established the public image enhancement priority
program to delineate the categories and priorities of various public
image enhancement projects. Such priorities shall consist of signage,
landscape or median improvements at key entry points to the city;
art in public places; street banners or pole flags; railroad overpass
or overhead pedestrian crosswalk signage; median and parkway improvements
or similar image enhancement programs as determined by the city council.
The actual list of program priorities shall be adopted or amended
by resolution of the city council upon recommendation by the planning
commission. Specific project enhancements or expenditures from the
public image enhancement fund can only be made for those enhancements
contained in the priority program.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)
The planning commission shall act as the advisory body to the
city council involving expenditures from the public image enhancement
fund.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996; Ord. 923 § 6, 1999)
Fees paid into the public image enhancement fund which are not
committed within five years from the date of payment may be returned
to the current owner of the development project, with all interest
earned, if a written request for return is filed with the city clerk
after the fifth year anniversary of payment, and refund of fees is
approved by the city council. No refund shall be appropriate if the
city council determines that the fee is needed for the public image
enhancement program within an additional two years or that the administrative
costs of refunding uncommitted fees pursuant to this article exceeds
the amount to be refunded.
(Ord. 887 § 5, 1996)