Lane County delays vote after staff proposes 22.5% permit-fee increase to close $1.3 million gap

Keir Miller, Land Management Division manager for Lane County, told the Board of County Commissioners on March 11 that a consultant study found the division now recovers only about 35% of its costs and that the division faces a roughly $1,300,000 structural budget deficit for the coming budget year.

Miller said the consulting firm FCS Group recommends a 22.5% across‑the‑board increase to base fees for planning, stormwater, sanitation and code enforcement, and county staff presented a parallel ordinance to raise building program fees by the same percentage. Miller said most increases would take effect July 1 if the board adopts them.

The changes, Miller said, are meant to limit further draws on Land Management Division (LMD) reserves and avoid service reductions: “We are looking at a $1,300,000 budget deficit,” Miller said, adding that without fee changes the division would either draw down reserves further or cut services and staff. The consultant estimated the division’s cost‑recovery rate fell from about 65% in 2015 to roughly 35% today, driven chiefly by rising labor and overhead costs.

Why it matters: LMD conducts permitting and land‑use reviews for unincorporated Lane County; slow permit processing has both practical and reputational consequences, while higher fees can affect homeowners, contractors and small developers. Miller said the…