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Commissioners postpone vote on building‑permit fee increases after contractor objections; second hearing set for July 2
Summary
Wasco County building official outlined proposed increases to structural and trade permit fees and a five‑percent annual escalation; contractors and builders pressed for more time and questioned why the county’s building codes fund has a large reserve. The board continued the public hearing to July 2 for additional comment.
Mark Mambos, Wasco County building official, presented a proposed revision to the county’s building‑permit fee schedule at a public hearing on June 18. He told the board the State Building Codes Division had reviewed the proposal and that the county sought to increase mechanical, plumbing and electrical fees by roughly 5 percent and structural fees “approximately 35%.” Mambos said the adjustment would align Wasco County with regional jurisdictions and that the package included a proposed automatic 5 percent annual increase through 2030 to help offset rising operational costs; an effective date of Sept. 22, 2025, was cited.
Nut graf: The proposal prompted extensive public comment, mostly from local contractors, who objected to the scale and timing of the structural fee increases and asked for more time and transparency. Multiple contractors and builders said the county’s building‑codes fund had a substantial beginning balance and called for a closer look at reserves before approving large increases.
In public testimony, local contractors raised concerns that a near‑35 percent structural fee increase would be burdensome and asked the board to delay action so contractors and the department could review fund balance details. Ron Hegeman, a local builder, asked the board to “revisit” the increase; another commenter said his firm had not received the state’s notification and requested more time to evaluate the changes. Mambos defended the schedule as consistent with the statewide valuation methodology and said the State Building Codes Division had approved the fees; he also explained that higher permit revenue in the current year reflected several large projects.
After discussion the board agreed that more time for public review was appropriate. Commissioners continued the hearing and set a follow‑up session for July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. so contractors and others could review the proposed schedule and submit comments. Staff were asked to publish clearer, accessible budget and fund‑balance detail for the building‑codes fund and to confirm state posting and stakeholder notices ahead of the next hearing.
Ending: The continuation preserves the board’s ability to act later while giving industry stakeholders and staff time to reconcile reserve levels and projected revenue versus operating costs. The State Building Codes Division approval remains in place; any local changes after the July 2 hearing would be submitted again to the state for final staging and an effective date.
