Trustees discuss permit fees, deposits and next steps to adopt updated international code

Village trustees discussed permit-fee levels, plan-review deposits and inspection requirements and asked staff to prepare amendments to adopt the latest International Codes. The issue matters because permit fees and inspection rules determine how much construction oversight costs property owners and how staff recovers review and inspection expenses. A speaker identified as Staff member said the minimum permit fee “should cover our expenses and then bare minimum,” adding that inspection costs should be accounted for in fee calculations. Another speaker noted plan-review deposits are currently $500 per review and described a billing practice that treats the deposit as part of the overall project cost, explaining the final bill may include an outside cost component representing roughly 20–40 percent of outside review expenses. Trustees directed staff to return with formal amendments. Staff member Seth said the next step is for staff to draft the amendments that would be needed to adopt the 2024 International Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code (speakers in the discussion clarified the specific editions during the exchange). Seth said the board would not vote on adoption that night but would receive a presentation and review the proposed language at a later meeting. The discussion also touched on inspection timing during construction and whether the minimum fee structure should ensure that basic inspections are covered. One participant urged that inspections occur while a house is being built rather than after the fact; another said the fee structure must at least cover the village’s direct costs. Direction: staff to prepare ordinance/amendment text for adopting the updated International Code and to detail permit-fee calculations and billing/plan-review deposit practices for board consideration. No motion or vote occurred. Next steps: staff will circulate draft amendments before the next meeting and provide cost/fee calculations for trustees to consider.