Fredonia updates code-enforcement fee schedule; adds charges for commercial solar and battery storage projects

The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees on Monday adopted changes to the municipal code-enforcement fee schedule to reflect increased costs and to add fees for project types not previously charged.

What changed

Key items in the adopted fee schedule include:

- In-ground swimming pool permits: $100 plus 2% of the cost (the percentage was discussed and clarified during the workshop before adoption). - Commercial solar projects: $2,000 plus $150 per acre. - Battery energy storage systems (BESS): $5,000 (new fee). - New cell towers and co‑locations: $4,000 for new towers; $2,000 to co‑locate on an existing tower; modifications $1,500. - Site-plan review, subdivisions and variances: updated fee ranges; reinspection fee increased from $45 to $75 per reinspection.

Why it matters: The fee schedule update reflects an effort to modernize village fees that had not been changed in many years, to recover inspection and administrative costs, and to create a permit framework for emerging project types such as utility-scale solar and battery storage.

Discussion points

Code-enforcement staff and trustees said the existing schedule had not kept pace with costs in roughly 13 years. Workshop discussion clarified specific items that caused confusion (for example, whether the pool cost percentage was 0.02% or 2%), and staff said they compared neighboring towns when setting the new charges. The board emphasized the goal of being consistent with nearby communities and establishing fees now so projects such as solar and battery storage would have an established permitting path.

Board action

The resolution adopting the new fee schedule passed by voice vote. Trustees recorded their ayes in the minutes; the resolution authorized immediate implementation of the updated fees.

Speakers

- Code enforcement staff (speaker name not specified in the transcript) - Trustee Wandel (planning-board liaison) - Village trustees

Authorities

- Local code amendments and municipal permitting authority (as applied in the fee-schedule resolution). The resolution text itself establishes the fees.

Clarifying details

- Staff noted the existing schedule had not been updated for approximately 13 years and that new fees were introduced to cover inspection and administrative costs. - Pool-permit percentage was discussed at the workshop and clarified prior to adoption.

Actions

- Resolution adopting the updated code-enforcement fee schedule (includes commercial solar and battery storage fees, pool permit language and reinspection fees): approved (vote recorded in meeting minutes). Outcome: adopted.

Proper names

[{"name":"Village of Fredonia Code Enforcement Office","type":"agency"},{"name":"Battery Energy Storage System","type":"other"}]

Searchable tags

["code_enforcement","fees","solar","battery_storage","permits"]

Provenance

[{"block_id":"2068.3052","local_start":0,"local_end":320,"evidence_excerpt":"...approval of code enforcement fee schedule... There was an increase there as well... the fee schedule is fairly outdated...no fees for new solar projects and battery storage projects."},{"block_id":"8034.74","local_start":0,"local_end":420,"evidence_excerpt":"Whereas the village intends to raise the fee schedule for the code enforcement office... commercial solar projects proposed 2,000 plus 150 per acre. Battery electric storage systems, $5,000... reinspection fee where violations have not been corrected goes from 45 to 75."}],