Paso Robles City Council approves fee increases, new park rules
– The Paso Robles City Council on Tuesday approved updates to city user fees, re-approved a rezoning measure, and introduced an ordinance to codify park regulations. Councilmember Kris Beal was absent.
Consent agenda
The council unanimously approved items on the meeting’s consent agenda.
Fee increases
The council unanimously approved raising fees for certain city services, such as fire inspections, police services, airport use, and utility connections.
Examples of changes include new charges for hangar rentals at the airport, scaled fees for film and photography permits, revised water meter fees, and higher fire and police service fees.
The last full fee review was done in 2005. The city hired ClearSource Financial Consulting in March 2024 to complete a new study, which had been delayed by the pandemic, winter storms, and other priorities.
Most fees will go up 10 percent starting Nov. 16, 2025. Beginning in 2026, they will increase each year with inflation. Recreation and library services will stay heavily subsidized by the city.
The city estimates the changes will bring in about $142,000 more each year. That money will help cover the actual cost of those services, freeing up the General Fund for other citywide needs.
The fee update will roll out in two phases. Tuesday’s vote covered public safety, utilities, airport, library, recreation, film permits, and administrative fees. Development-related fees will be reviewed in 2026.
Spring Street rezoning
The council unanimously re-approved the rezoning of 2508 Spring Street, fixing a paperwork error from an Aug. 5 vote.
The property contains an 8,067-square-foot commercial building that is planned to be converted into a deli, market, beer and wine tasting booths, and a private meeting space. Some of those uses are not allowed under the current zoning, so the property is being rezoned from T4-Flex to Town Centre 2.
Park rules ordinance
The council also unanimously approved the first reading of a new ordinance updating the city’s park rules, which have not been formally updated since 1994.
The new rules will:
Make park regulations enforceable with fines and, in serious cases, misdemeanor charges.
Require permits for large events and temporary structures such as inflatables, with clear timelines and criteria.
Clarify insurance and fee requirements for permitted events.
Ban public defecation and strengthen rules against harassment and disorderly conduct.
The ordinance is divided into 20 sections and will apply to all 14 city parks. Signs will be updated, bilingual permit applications will be created, and the city website will be revised to reflect the changes.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval. The ordinance will return for a second reading before taking effect.
Road repair plan
The council unanimously approved a five-year road repair plan funded by Measure I-24, the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2024. The tax replaced Measure E-12, which expired in March 2025 after generating $60.7 million for 46 road projects.
Measure I-24 is expected to bring in about $7 million each year, with a portion dedicated to road repair and maintenance. Combined with other funding sources, the city could spend about $15.4 million a year on roads, up from the $5.1 million average of the past 12 years.
City staff estimate Paso Robles faces $350 million in deferred road needs. The plan focuses on streets in the worst condition, those without major underground utility work needed, and areas that would benefit the community the most.
Key projects include multiple phases of the Orchard Bungalow neighborhood, several downtown streets, Zone 3A, and Vine Street between 10th and 13th streets. The plan also sets aside $500,000 each year for smaller street and alley repairs.
The plan will be updated each year as part of the budget cycle. Staff advised against borrowing money to speed up repairs, citing long-term interest costs.
Niblick Road improvements
The council also unanimously approved the final decorative design details for the Niblick Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan, first adopted in 2020. The project will add a 10-foot elevated path for bikes and pedestrians while keeping the current number of vehicle lanes.
The city secured a $13.9 million state transportation grant in 2022, which requires a $3.4 million local match for a total cost of $17.3 million.
An ad hoc committee of planning commissioners reviewed design features this year and presented recommendations at a public open house on Aug. 13. Chosen details include safety fencing, banner light fixtures, landscaping, crosswalk materials, modest shelters, and design elements highlighting Paso Robles High School. The materials emphasize red brick, black and rusted metals, and traditional styles consistent with nearby intersections.
Public feedback was more positive for the revised designs compared to earlier concepts. Public art is not included but may be considered later by the city’s Arts and Culture Committee.
All-electric subdivision
In another unanimous vote, the council approved a request from Trumark Homes to build all-electric housing tracts in parts of the Olsen–South Chandler Ranch development. The project, approved in 2020, allows up to 1,293 homes.
The decision means Trumark will not have to install natural gas lines in Planning Areas 3, 8, 11, and 12. Instead, homes will use electric appliances, consistent with state building codes and the city’s Climate Action Plan.
Staff said the move avoids financial penalties tied to installing both gas and electric lines, since utilities no longer share those costs.
Some concerns were raised earlier this year about power outages and utility capacity. Staff noted that most gas furnaces also require electricity. Trumark will offer optional battery backups, and PG&E is upgrading infrastructure to meet demand. Gas mains will still exist along major streets, but will not be extended into the new tracts.
Click here to view the council agenda.
Watch the meeting in its entirety below:
