Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Building Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Building and planning reports lower permit revenue; county expands interlocal services for nearby cities
Summary
County building and planning officials reported a dip in permit revenue compared with last year but said operations are steady; officials also described interlocal agreements to provide plan-review and floodplain services for Castle Rock and to assist Longview and Kelso on plan review and inspections.
Tracy Jackson, director of building and planning, and Susan Eugenis, county engineer, told commissioners the county’s building and planning enterprise is operating largely as a self-supporting fund but has seen lower permit revenue this year compared with last.
Revenue and permits: Jackson said licenses and permit revenue were budgeted at about $1.364 million; the department had collected roughly $350,646 to date and was slightly below last year’s totals. Jackson said most activity is single-family, alterations and accessory-dwelling-unit work, and the department is hoping for a large commercial permit that would substantially increase revenue.
Staffing and operations: Jackson said the department has 15 filled positions and one vacancy; personnel budget for building and planning is about $2.24 million with $547,900 expended to date. She also distributed monthly reports and year-end permit tallies that are available to the public online.
Interlocal agreements and service contracts: Jackson described an existing arrangement to provide plan review and inspection support to Kelso and said the city of Longview is considering a personal-services agreement to have the county fill in for Longview’s plan reviews and inspections during vacations and illnesses. An interlocal agreement to expand services to Castle Rock — originally for building only — will add floodplain management administration and appears on that city’s agenda; Jackson said the Castle Rock expansion will come forward to the county as an amendment.
Why it matters: Jackson said the department operates almost like an enterprise: efficiencies and faster permit reviews generate more permit activity and revenue. She told commissioners the county’s interlocal partnerships can help neighboring cities maintain continuity of service and can bring incremental revenue to the county.
Next steps: Jackson asked commissioners to note the Castle Rock agenda item and said the Longview personal-services agreement will be returned to the commissioners for approval when finalized. No formal vote was recorded during the briefing.
