The project’s entitlements were delayed several months due to the Planning Department’s insistence that the planning application be delayed until the approval of the new Peery Park Specific Plan. The practical outcome of the new specific plan was that the project’s sewer and water connection fees were due to increase by an additional $1.2M at the beginning of the following year. However, due to the Planning Department’s delay, the project was not schedule for Planning Commission until November of the preceding year, which meant it would not submit for plan-check until the following year – and thus be subject to the additional $1.2M fee. However, due to some shrewd negotiating, we were able to have the City accept a pre-payment of the fee before the actual permit submittal, and in doing so saved our client over $1M on the project.