Avondale City Council to consider July 13 user-fee changes for Sept. 1 start
Avondale City Council is scheduled to consider a proposed citywide user-fee resolution on July 13, 2026—an effort that would set an effective date of Sept. 1, 2026 if council adopts the changes. The packet lays out proposed updates across departments, including park rental fee ranges, engineering/public-works traffic-control-related charges, a new domestic partnership registration fee, and proposed removals of certain police fingerprint fees.
What the proposed “user-fee” package would do
The notice packet centers on proposed changes to how the city charges for services and permits. It also explains that some fee titles and measurement units are being updated for clarity and consistency, without changing the underlying fee purpose in some cases.
Residents and local businesses can review the exact recommended changes in the packet’s Exhibit A, which lists “current” fees alongside the “proposed” fees and ranges by department.
Parks and recreation: proposed park rental fee ranges
If adopted, the fee changes could affect what residents and event organizers pay to reserve Avondale park facilities—especially for non-residents.
Exhibit A proposes updated ranges for multiple rental categories, including:
- Sport court rentals: a proposed non-resident range of $15.00–$40.00 per hour.
- Multi-purpose field/event lawn rentals: a proposed resident range of $15.00–$30.00 per hour and a proposed non-resident range of $25.00–$45.00 per hour.
- Facility rentals: a proposed resident range of $10.00–$75.00 per hour and a proposed non-resident range of $15.00–$100.00 per hour.
- Field Allocation Rentals: updated ranges that keep resident vs. non-resident pricing and use “prime-time” and “non-prime-time” categories.
The packet also includes a fee reduction for “major event” pricing, structured by the event’s first day versus subsequent days—so multi-day organizers are encouraged to review the exhibit closely.
Engineering / public works: new charges tied to lane & road restrictions
For contractors, developers, and organizers who need temporary traffic control, Exhibit A lays out both new fees and clarifying updates.
- Event TCP permit: a proposed Event TCP Permit – Designated Facility fee of $300.00 per event.
- Hourly plan review: a proposed Hourly Plan Review fee of $225.00 per hour (with smaller reviews addressed through the packet’s charging approach).
- Nighttime lane restriction fees: proposed new fees tied to temporary restrictions, including $50.00 per lane/day for every 1/2 mile for nighttime collector roads, and $25.00 per lane/day for every 1/2 mile for nighttime local roads.
- Other Traffic Control Plan updates: the packet also proposes renaming and updating unit-of-measure details for additional Traffic Control Plan categories.
New administrative fee: domestic partnership registration
The packet proposes creating a new Domestic Partnership Registration fee in the City Clerk’s Office at $50.00 per application, described as covering administrative processing.
Police department: proposed removal of some fingerprint fees
For residents who use police records and identification services, the packet proposes removing certain fingerprint fees because the service is described as no longer being provided.
- Fingerprint Fees – First Two Cards: current $15.00 per two cards; proposed $0.00 (remove fee / discontinued).
- Fingerprint Fees – Third or Additional Cards: current $5.00 per extra card; proposed $0.00 (remove fee / discontinued).
Because these are proposed removals, residents should confirm the final adopted fee schedule after the July 13 vote.
How to compare current vs. proposed fees
To estimate how costs could change, residents can compare Exhibit A against the City of Avondale’s FY 2026 Rates & Fees Schedule, which is the current baseline schedule.
For virtual access to the meeting itself, the City’s live stream information page says the stream is not monitored by staff, so anyone wishing to speak should appear in person. It also states the live stream begins approximately 30 minutes prior to the meeting start time.
What to do next
If you rent Avondale park facilities (especially as a non-resident), review the proposed Sept. 1 park rental ranges in Exhibit A. Contractors and event organizers needing traffic-control planning should also review the new nighttime lane restriction fee structure and the Event TCP permit and plan-review charges. Finally, residents who rely on police fingerprint services should check whether your specific use case is affected by the proposed fee removals.
Sources
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