AGENDA TITLE:
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Set Public Hearing for November 19, 2025 to Consider Adopting a Resolution Setting the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan Development Fees For 2026 (CD)
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MEETING DATE:
November 5, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Cynthia Marsh, Deputy Director/City Planner
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Set public hearing for November 19, 2025 to consider adopting a resolution setting the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan development fees for 2026.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On February 21, 2001, the City of Lodi adopted the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJMSCP). The plan includes a schedule of fees to be paid by property owners who propose to develop their property with non-agricultural uses. These fees are used to mitigate for the cumulative impacts of new development on habitat lands within Lodi and San Joaquin County. It is necessary for all jurisdictions covered by the plan to approve the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) fees in order for the jurisdiction to continue to participate in the plan. The fees are reviewed on an annual basis.
The proposed 2026 SJMSCP development fees were adjusted by SJCOG, Inc. staff, Willdan, and the Habitat Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) Financial Subcommittee, following the required five-year financial update to the San Joaquin County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJMSCP). The last review was in 2020. For the current 2025 update, the main areas of focus were the categories of the fee model regarding land costs to be used for mitigation (Category A), required restoration/enhancement costs on preserve lands (Category B), and monitoring, management, and administration of the program and preserves (Category C).
The proposed 2026 SJMSCP development fees were adjusted using the recommended SJMSCP five-year financial model update for the respective categories and are compared to the 2025 SJMSCP Development fees (Table 1) in the most common habitat categories under the plan. The change is an overall increase of 8.3% in the most impacted categories of Agricultural and Natural Habitat Classifications from the prior year.
Table 1- Compared 2026 & 2025 SJMSCP Development Fees - Most Common Fee Habitat Types
|
|
2026 Fee Proposed |
2025 Fee Adopted |
Difference |
Percent Change |
|
Agricultural/Natural |
$17,868 |
$16,492 |
$1,376 |
8.3% |
The increase is due primarily to a rise in the land acquisition component (Category A) for agricultural land values of comparable sales and updating of current costs for land management and enhancement activities for on-going preserves (Category B).
The San Joaquin Council of Governments Board approved the HCP fee schedule for 2026 during their September 2025 board meeting. The Board coordinates the review of land costs to ensure that the current land mitigation costs will satisfy habitat conservation and purchases. All local jurisdictions are requested to approve the new fee schedule that will take effect on January 1, 2026.
STRATEGIC VISION:
5F. Infrastructure: Funding for the maintenance of future development project is sustainable and self-supporting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.