Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Planning Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews proposed increases to building inspection and zoning fees; vote expected next meeting
Summary
City planning staff presented a proposed amendment to chapters 175 and 480 of the fee schedule to raise reinspection fees, zoning application and permit fees, and other planning fees; staff and committee support were reported and the ordinance will return for formal approval at a subsequent meeting.
City planning staff presented proposed changes to chapters 175 (building) and 480 (zoning) of the cityfee schedule to increase several fees, citing increased staff time, contract inspector costs and the need to align with neighboring communities.
Doug, the Planning and Community Development director, described the proposal as intended to pass more of the true cost of reviews to applicants and to encourage applicants to submit complete materials. Key elements of the proposal included raising reinspection fees (to align with the contracted inspectorrate, cited by staff as comparable to $85), increasing the variance application fee for the Zoning Board of Appeals, instituting a pre-application meeting requirement to reduce incomplete submittals, clarifying and differentiating fees for new commercial construction versus a change of use, charging per phase for a general development plan, increasing the minimum sign permit fee from $50 to $75, and increasing the fee for zoning verification letters that staff provide for property transactions.
Doug said the reinspection fee change is intended to fully cover the contractorinspector's time and travel. City staff member Neil said the fee changes are also intended as an enforcement and compliance tool to discourage repeated incomplete submissions. A council member noted that the Finance and Personnel Committee had voted in support of the changes and that the ordinance is not being approved at this meeting; it will return for action at the next meeting and council members were encouraged to ask questions before then.
No formal council vote was taken on the ordinance at this meeting; staff will return with the ordinance for consideration at a future meeting.
