LaSalle County committee moves to negotiate SafeBuilt fee increases after contractors report delays

The LaSalle County Land Use Committee on July 2 authorized staff to negotiate a contract amendment with SafeBuilt that would incorporate a proposed increase in building-permit fees after SafeBuilt warned it “cannot continue to operate at a negative gross profit margin.” Doug Stockley, the committee chair, said the recommendation will go to the county finance committee and then to the full county board for final approval.

Committee members and SafeBuilt representatives said the increase is intended to cover expanded plan-review work after the county adopted newer building-code requirements and to fund more review hours and on-site inspections. Brian (staff member) told the committee that SafeBuilt’s most recent schedule, dated June 2, included a $90-per-hour commercial plan-review rate, a $3.60 flat plan-review fee for projects under 7,500 square feet and an accessory-structure fee set at $0.17 per square foot.

The issue matters because contractors and homeowners told the committee in recent weeks that…