City manager and planning director propose updated fee schedule, new permits and sign-removal charges

City Manager Hall and Planning Director Brian Moore presented a draft update to the city’s fee schedule on Sept. 2, proposing modest increases to many permits, correcting several discrepancies in existing code, and adding new permit types and an enforcement charge for illegal signage. Moore said the last comprehensive update was in 2018 and that rising operational costs — postage, printing and materials — motivated the changes: “some of these were just added a $5 fee to just to kinda keep up with the inflation of the cost that we have,” Moore said. He identified a specific code discrepancy in ordinance 1290.23, which sets the penalty for work started without a permit at double the permit amount; the fee schedule currently lists a $10 penalty that Moore said does not match the ordinance. The draft would add a solar permit (ground-mounted at $85 plus $0.50 per square foot under the proposal) and create a vacation/dedication permit process for vacating alleys that would require a survey and publication. Moore also said some fees shown on the city website reflect prior errors (for example, an incorrect percentage for major-subdivision infrastructure charges that was listed as 2.5% instead of 0.025%) and that staff has corrected the calculation in their permitting software. Councilmembers asked for clarification on several items during the presentation. Councilman Vaughn asked why above-ground pools require permits; Moore replied that the permits document setback and safety rules (for example, minimum distances from property lines and prohibitions against front-yard placement) and referenced the code for size limits. Councilmembers and staff discussed special-event permitting and whether an administrative permit could be used to collect required insurance and electrical approvals. Signage and enforcement drew extended discussion. Moore said city crews and code enforcement spend staff time removing unauthorized signs — including out-of-town commercial signs — and proposed adding a sign-removal fee so the city can invoice the responsible party after due process; his example figure for an invoiced removal was $25 per sign. Moore also described plans to clarify the code for garage-sale, political and business advertising signs, distinguishing permitted private-property signage from prohibited signage in easements or public rights-of-way. Moore noted that some permit categories remain intentionally low compared with neighboring cities; he cited solar-permit fees in other cities as high as $350–$400 and said the proposed fees keep the city “well below that average.” Moore and Hall told council the updated schedule would be posted and that staff plan to bring formal legislation in the coming months for adoption. No ordinance was passed at the meeting; council directed staff to continue work and to provide corrected website text and any additional clarifying language prior to final action.