Commissioners on the Doña Ana County Planning and Zoning Commission pressed county building staff on Jan. 9 for clearer public guidance on permit fees, enforcement fines and the permit application process, and asked staff to explore web-based tools to help residents and small builders comply.

The discussion followed a list of questions submitted in advance by Commissioner Fisher, who said residents are unclear how fines and initial permit fees are calculated and asked that the commission be able to predict a fee range when it considers enforcement or corrective actions. "I'm not clear on how the fines are calculated," Fisher said, adding that multiple unpermitted structures raise questions about whether enforcement charges apply per structure or per overall project.

Sean, a county building staff member, told the commission that standard building-permit fees are based on project valuation and that flat fees exist for specific items (for example, some driveway permits). "For each building, there is a separate building permit fee... they would be fined for each project that they did without a permit," Sean said. He added that staff have discretion to charge only the regular fee when a property owner self-reports and appears to be coming into compliance.

Commissioners asked staff to make permitting more "resident friendly," Commissioner Fisher said, arguing that punitive fines can discourage voluntary compliance. Commissioners proposed a public-information push and a chat feature on the county website so that property owners can quickly determine whether they need a permit and what documents are required before applying. "Do we have ability to add a chat site to our... site on the Internet where somebody could... ask a question?" Fisher asked. Staff responded that they would consult the county PIO and IT departments about adding such a feature and that they already provide descriptive materials on when permits are needed.

The commissioners also discussed building permit checklists and constituent handouts. Staff acknowledged the need to align the staff checklist with the public-facing information sheet so that item numbering and acronyms are consistent and understandable. Commissioner comments emphasized that applicants should receive a simple step-by-step list of required documents and process steps before they submit plans.

On surveys and premanufactured buildings, staff said existing surveys will generally be accepted if there are no new structures or inaccuracies; there is not typically an automatic expiration date on a survey. The 2021 International Building Code requires a permit for structures larger than 120 square feet, staff said, and temporary use allowances exist for containers used during active construction.

Ending: Staff agreed to provide the fee schedule/code references to commissioners, to review and simplify public checklists, to consult on a possible web chat feature and to present updated materials at a future meeting.