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Staff proposes fee schedule overhaul and updates to building valuation tables; council asks for clearer implementation steps
Summary
Community development staff presented a packet proposing updated fees, a modernized building-valuation table (the town had been using a 2003 table at 75% that understates current valuation), and process improvements for online applications; council asked staff to return with specific fee amounts and implementation steps.
On May 20 the town’s community development staff presented a draft fee schedule and accompanying materials that aim to update building valuation data, add or clarify fees for plan review and grading/excavation, and improve internal application-tracking and public-facing processes.
Charlotte told the council the town has been operating with an outdated building-valuation table (a 2003 table applied at 75%), which understates construction valuation and results in lower plan-review and permit fees than current national valuation tables would yield. She provided a 2024 ICC building valuation table in the packet and recommended the town adopt updated valuation data so fees align with current cost assumptions.
Staff also proposed reintroducing or clarifying an excavation/right-of-way permit and creating a clearer split between public-works and community-development responsibilities for utility/encroachment, grading and excavation work. Charlotte said the town’s new online permit platform (CivicReview) will show applications and checklists to applicants, but internal communication among staff needs tightening so that applicants and staff know which staff member is the point of contact and which steps are completed.
Councilmembers asked for specific fee amounts and requested justification tied to cost recovery. Staff said the presentation was a first step and committed to return with recommended fee numbers, implementation language for grading/excavation/encroachment permits, and a plan for transitioning valuation tables and the online permitting process.
Ending: Staff will prepare a revised fee schedule with explicit fee amounts and a proposed ordinance amendment to reinstate a grading/excavation permit, plus internal process changes to clarify staff responsibilities for application tracking and public inquiry handling.
