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Jefferson County panel recommends applicants submit their own legal notices; staff to review for $5
Summary
At its July 20, 2025 meeting the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals recommended that applicants pay for and submit legal notices themselves, with county staff reviewing notices for a $5 fee, rather than the office continuing to place notices for a flat $5 that has sometimes cost the county more.
The Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals recommended July 20, 2025, that applicants file required legal notices with the newspaper themselves and pay the actual newspaper cost, while county staff would review the notice wording for a $5 review fee.
Board members reached the recommendation after staff said the office’s current $5 flat-fee service sometimes costs the county more than it recovers. “So, when someone applies ... we offer a $5 fee to submit a legal notice for them. ... the last legal notice ... was $32.44,” a staff member told the board. The staff member said the office currently prepares and submits a plug-and-play notice to the Madison Courier for applicants but that the county is “kinda losing money” on the service.
The discussion reviewed options including (1) keeping a county-submitted notice with a higher flat fee (board members discussed $50–$55 as a possible cap), or (2) requiring applicants to deliver the notice and cover the newspaper’s charge while staff provide a review and correct the wording before publication. “If we did require the applicant to submit the legal notice themselves, I provide the legal notice wording and description. ... I can look over and make sure that it is correct,” the staff member said.
Members also noted that the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) gives the plan commission — not the Board of Zoning Appeals — authority to adopt fees. “Technically, under our UDO, the plan commission is the one who actually adopts the fees,” a staff member said; the board said it would forward its recommendation to the plan commission for final action.
A motion to forward the recommendation that applicants pay and submit the notices themselves, with staff review for a $5 fee, was made and seconded and carried on an affirmative voice vote. The board said it would present the recommendation to the plan commission when that body takes up the topic.
The board left open the alternative of returning with a higher flat fee if the plan commission prefers that path. Board members suggested staff could review past billing history with the newspaper to identify the highest typical cost and propose a reasonably calculated flat fee if the plan commission wants that option.
