RPVCCA_CC_SS_2015_04_21_02B_Film_Permit_FeesCITYOF
MEMORANDUM
RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO: CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: SUSAN BROOKS, MAYOR PRO TEM
DATE: APRIL 21, 2015
SUBJECT: FILM PERMIT FEES
RECOMMENDATION
Direct Staff to further research and recommend updates to the City's film permit fees.
DISCUSSION
We have been advised by Staff on several occasions this year about the surge in location
filming activity in the City. During the first quarter of 2015 alone, the City collected more
than $71,000 in film permit and business license fees for location filming in the City,
exceeding the total film permit revenue collect for the entire 2014 calendar year by twenty-
three percent (23%). However, with this increased filming activity have come increased
complaints from residents about the effect of this activity upon their quality of life. My
question—and that of many constituents—is whether or not the film permit fees collected
by the City justify the inconvenience caused to residents and cover the City's costs to
process these permits.
Preliminary figures on the film permit fees collected by other South Bay and coastal
communities are summarized in the attached matrix. A review of this matrix suggests to
me a few issues that call for additional research:
• The maximum daily use fee for City property (i.e., parks and public right-of-way) in
Rancho Palos Verdes is $822. Many other jurisdictions appear to be collecting
much higher daily use fees for City property, particularly beach communities such
as Hermosa Beach, Malibu, Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica.
• The City does not collect daily use fees for filming on non -City property. Many
other jurisdictions appear to collect such fees.
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STUDY SESSION: Film Permit Fees
April 21, 2015
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• The City charges lower film permit application fees for filming on non -City property
than it does for filming on City property. Many other jurisdictions appear to collect
the same fee for all film permit applications on both public and private property.
Aside from the City's stunning natural beauty and unique locations, I believe that the City's
comparatively low film permit fees may also be luring an inordinate amount of location
filming to the City. This City Council has supported location filming as an important
regional economic driver in the past. However, the desire to support the film industry
must be balanced with the obligation that we owe to our constituents to protect the unique
quality of life in the City. Therefore, I ask my City Council colleagues to join me in directing
Staff to prepare a comprehensive survey of film permit fees, and to return to the City
Council with recommendations for any revisions to the City's film permit fee schedule at
a future date to be determined.
Attachments:
• Film permit fee survey matrix (Page 3)
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Application Fee
Daily Use Fee
Jurisdiction
Public
Private
ROW
Public
Private
ROW
Rancho Palos Verdes
$263-$595
$147-$299
$263-$595
$223-$822
None
$223-$822
Dana Point
$50
$50
Unk.
None
None
Unk.
El Segundo
$640
$640
$640
$100
$100
$750
Hermosa Beach
$205-$491
$205-$491
$205-$491
$1145-$2568
$1145-$2568
$1145-$2568
Lomita
$150
$150
$150
$83
$83
$83
Los Angeles (City)
$60-$625
$60-$625
$312
$75-$450
Unk.
Unk.
Los Angeles (County)
$60-$625
$60-$625
$148
$100-$400
Unk.
$328
Malibu
$137-$815
$137-$815
$137-$815
$1631-$2446
$166-$331
$544
Manhattan Beach
$135-$425
$135-$425
$135-$425
$320-$2500
$320-$2500
$320-$2500
Palos Verdes Estates
$150-$300
$150-$300
$150-$300
$750
$750-$1500
$750
Redondo Beach
$735
$735
$735
Unk.
$400-$1500
Unk.
Rolling Hills
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Rolling Hills Estates
$600
$600
$600
$200-$1000
$100-$500
$1,000
Santa Monica
$109-$318
$109-$272
Unk.
$103-$2647
$218-$543
Unk.
Torrance
$193-$551
$251
$193-$551
$193-$287
$79
$193-$287
Note: ROW = "right of way" (i.e., streets)
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