OXNARD : City Errs in Figures for Developer Fees

The city of Oxnard mistakenly undercharged the developer of a 100-unit senior citizen apartment project more than $200,000 in development fees, according to a city memo released last week.

Because of a “mutual mistake” in the development agreement with the IDM Corp. of Long Beach, the city asked the firm for $225,253 in fees, said the memo from Acting City Manager John Tooker to the City Council.

After a routine review of the agreement, city officials later determined that IDM should have been charged $471,550, Tooker said in an interview.

Tooker said the mistake was made when IDM officials miscalculated certain building dimensions that are used to determine fees. He said the mistake was not identified until after the City Council voted to approve a development agreement with IDM.

In a closed-door session last week, the City Council decided to require IDM to pay an additional $209,000 in fees and to forgo the remaining $37,253 to settle the matter, City Atty. Gary Gillig said Monday.

The council also agreed to several modifications of the development agreement, including the removal of a provision that requires the firm to include trash compactors in the apartments, the memo said.

The council had voted in July, 1988, to sell IDM a three-acre lot on the corner of Bard and Saviers roads for $950,000. IDM had agreed to build 88 one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units.