Council adopts ordinance amendment and summary publication for building, planning and zoning fees

The Richfield City Council on Sept. 23 held a public hearing and approved the second reading of a transitory ordinance amending Appendix D of the city code to update building, planning and zoning fees. The council also authorized summary publication of the ordinance. Why it matters: building, planning and zoning fees are set by ordinance and must reasonably reflect staff time and costs associated with permit and review services. The change aligns fees with peer communities and aims to recover appropriate administrative costs while remaining compliant with state statute. Staff said that fees are reviewed annually to ensure charges reflect service costs and peer comparability. Because building and land-use fees must be set by ordinance rather than resolution, the council conducted the public hearing and approved the transitory ordinance; a separate resolution authorizing summary publication was approved afterward. The council closed the public hearing with no speakers and adopted the ordinance and the summary-publication resolution during the meeting.