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By Francisco Ramirez Jr., Chief and Editor, Kings Network News

In the heart of California’s Central Valley, Hanford stands at a crossroads. As a city rich with potential, we have the opportunity to foster economic growth, attract new businesses, and enhance the quality of life for our residents. However, excessive fees and outdated regulations often stifle the entrepreneurial spirit, preventing businesses from taking root and depriving our community of sales tax revenue and long-term prosperity. As the Chief and Editor of Kings Network News and a former mayor of Hanford, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of reducing bureaucratic barriers. By streamlining fees and regulations, Hanford can create a win-win situation, empowering businesses to thrive while boosting public services like safety and infrastructure.

The High Cost of Fees: A Barrier to Opportunity

The City of Hanford’s Master Fee Schedules for Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26 reveal a complex web of charges that can overwhelm businesses and developers. From fire inspections to building permits, these fees, while intended to cover administrative costs, often create insurmountable hurdles for startups and small enterprises. For example, the Fire Department’s fee structure includes charges like $160 for a second re-inspection and $182 for a third, which can accumulate quickly for businesses striving to meet compliance standards. Similarly, the Building Division’s tiered inspection fees, ranging from $23.50 for projects valued at $500 to over $5,608.75 for projects exceeding $1 million, add significant costs to development projects. For a single-family residence, development impact fees total $17,200.28, a steep price that can deter housing projects critical to our growing community.

These costs are not just numbers—they represent lost opportunities. A small business owner facing a $40 vendor fee for each Thursday Night Market event or a $365 encroachment permit for routine construction may hesitate to launch or expand. Developers, burdened by grading plan review fees as high as $4,400 for large residential projects or $5,700 plus $85 per acre for commercial sites over five acres, may look to other cities with lower barriers. When businesses can’t start or grow, Hanford misses out on sales tax revenue that funds essential services like public safety and road maintenance. It’s a lose-lose scenario we cannot afford.

Lessons from the Past: Deregulation Drives Growth

During my tenure on the Hanford City Council, we tackled these challenges head-on by reducing regulations that stifled economic growth. One glaring example was the restriction that furniture stores could only operate in the downtown area. This outdated rule limited business expansion and competition, keeping larger stores with greater sales potential out of other commercial zones. By eliminating this regulation, we paved the way for two prominent furniture stores to open outside downtown, boasting larger square footage and generating significantly more sales tax revenue. These funds have directly supported our police, fire services, and road improvements, proving that smart deregulation benefits the entire community.

Similarly, we addressed the requirement that optometrists could only practice downtown. This restriction prevented major retailers like Costco and Walmart from offering optometry services, limiting consumer access to competitive pricing. By removing this red tape, we enabled these retailers to provide affordable eye care, making services more accessible to residents who rely on cost savings. This change not only improved quality of life but also increased foot traffic to these stores, boosting overall sales tax revenue.

Another transformative step was lifting the restriction that theaters could only be built downtown. This outdated rule stifled innovation in entertainment options. By allowing theaters to be constructed anywhere in the city, we opened the door for future developments, such as a potential 4D cinema near the Costco area. Such projects could draw visitors from across the region, further enhancing Hanford’s economic vitality.

A Blueprint for Efficiency: Targeted Fee Reductions

To build on these successes, Hanford must take bold steps to reduce fees that burden businesses and developers. Based on the Master Fee Schedules, here are specific recommendations:

Fire Department Fees

• Consolidate Re-Inspection Fees: The $160 and $182 fees for second and third re-inspections can discourage compliance. A single, lower fee of $100 could encourage businesses to address violations promptly without financial strain.

• Lower False Alarm Penalties: The $390 fee for third and subsequent false alarms is punitive, especially for businesses installing new systems. A $100 fee for the first false alarm or a warning system could support startups while maintaining accountability.

• Streamline Plan Reviews: Fire alarm and sprinkler plan review fees, ranging from $182 to $1,104 based on system size, could be simplified into a flat or two-tier structure to reduce costs for larger projects, encouraging safety upgrades.

Business License Fees

• Reduce Mobile Vendor Fees: Fees like $25 per month for on-foot peddlers or $40 per event for market vendors can deter small businesses. Cutting these to $15 per month or $20 per event, or offering seasonal passes, could boost participation in local markets, driving economic activity.

• Expand Veteran-Owned Business Waivers: Extending the no-charge policy for veteran-owned businesses to include service-based enterprises could support more veterans in launching ventures, aligning with community values.

Building and Development Fees

• Simplify Inspection Fees: The Building Division’s tiered inspection fees create unpredictability. A simplified structure with fewer tiers or a capped maximum fee could make budgeting easier for developers, encouraging larger projects.

• Reduce Grading Plan Review Costs: Fees like $1,050 for single-family residential grading plans or $5,700 plus $85 per acre for large commercial sites could be lowered to $800 or a flat rate, spurring development.

• Offer Phased Impact Fee Payments: The $17,200.28 in impact fees for a single-family residence is a significant upfront cost. Allowing payments in phases (e.g., 50% at permit issuance, 50% at occupancy) could ease financial burdens for developers.

Process Improvements

• One-Stop Permitting Portal: Navigating fees across multiple departments is time-consuming. A centralized online portal for permit applications and payments could save businesses and developers valuable time.

• Fast-Track Permitting: A premium fast-track program for low-risk or high-priority projects, such as small businesses or affordable housing, could attract investment while generating revenue.

• Low-Cost Consultations: Reducing the Fire Department’s $142 consultation fee to $50 or offering one free pre-application meeting per project could prevent costly revisions and delays.

The Win-Win Vision: Prosperity Through Partnership

Reducing fees and regulations isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about creating a partnership between the city and its entrepreneurs. When we lower barriers, savvy business owners and developers can reinvest their savings into their ventures, hiring more employees, expanding operations, and attracting customers. This, in turn, generates more sales tax revenue, which funds our police, fire services, parks, and roads. It’s a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone.

For instance, the furniture stores now thriving outside downtown employ local residents and contribute to a robust tax base. The optometry services at Costco and Walmart make healthcare more affordable, improving residents’ quality of life while driving retail sales. A future 4D cinema could become a regional draw, putting Hanford on the map as a destination for entertainment. These successes show what’s possible when we trust business owners to do what they do best—innovate and grow.

A Call to Action

Hanford has the potential to be a beacon of opportunity in the Central Valley, but we must act decisively. City leaders should conduct a comprehensive fee study to identify costs that can be reduced without compromising safety or services. Pilot programs for fee reductions, such as lower vendor fees or phased impact fee payments, could test the waters, while grants could fund digital infrastructure like a permitting portal. By building on the deregulation successes from my time on the City Council, we can create an environment where businesses flourish and developers see Hanford as the place to invest.

Let’s make Hanford a city where entrepreneurs can start, grow, and succeed. By cutting red tape and reducing fees, we can unlock a future of prosperity, where every business that opens its doors strengthens our community. The time to act is now—together, we can make Hanford a true win-win for all.

Francisco Ramirez Jr. is the Chief and Editor of Kings Network News, a former Mayor of Hanford, and a passionate advocate for community-driven economic growth.