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Committee directs staff to draft resolution raising building permit fees using CPI; projected revenue modest
Summary
The Development Committee directed staff to prepare a resolution to increase county building permit fees based on recent Consumer Price Index adjustments. Staff estimated additional revenue between about $294,000 (using 2024 actuals) and approximately $350,745 (2026 projection) depending on activity levels.
Kane County staff presented a plan to update building permit fees that have not been adjusted since 1999. Using Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases through 2024 as a baseline and modest rounding, staff proposed an across‑the‑board adjustment for fixed fees and square‑foot/height‑based fees. The committee asked staff to prepare a formal resolution for a future meeting.
Why it matters: raising permit fees would shift some staffing costs to permit applicants whose activity drives plan review and inspections, reducing pressure on the county’s general fund amid upcoming budget discussions.
What staff proposed and why - Mark Van Kerkhoff said staff applied CPI values through 2024, rounded conservatively downward in many cases rather than rounding up, and calculated expected revenue increases. Using 2024 permit activity, the estimated additional revenue would be about $294,000; using a 2026 projection, staff estimated roughly $350,745 in additional fee revenue depending on permit volume. - Dr. Iqbal asked why staff did not apply a 2025 CPI projection; Van Kerkhoff said the 2024 CPI numbers are a conservative and justifiable baseline but staff can explore incorporating more recent monthly CPI data or language that allows adjustment when final 2025 CPI data is published. - Stephen Ford from the state’s attorney’s office offered to work with staff on draft resolution language and said the office could include language that allows a further revision once 2025 final numbers are available.
Outcome and next steps - Committee consensus: staff should prepare a resolution for the next meeting memorializing a CPI‑based fee increase and include legal language to address any subsequent 2025 CPI adjustments. The county’s stated rationale is to align fees with higher review/inspection costs and have applicants who create demand cover more of the service costs.
Taper: Staff will return with a draft resolution and the committee will consider formal adoption at a future meeting; any final change will be implemented by ordinance/resolution and published to applicants.
