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Council approves amended building‑inspection fee schedule but removes proposed large per‑day penalty for unpermitted work
Summary
The Royce City Council approved Resolution 25‑5 updating building inspection, plan review and construction code fees, but the council struck a proposed penalty clause that would have imposed large per‑day fines for working without a permit.
The Royce City Council voted to approve Resolution 25‑5 on May 6, adopting an updated fee schedule for building inspections, plan reviews and other construction permits while removing a proposed punitive per‑day penalty for working without a permit.
Staff and council members had been discussing the fee schedule for several meetings. The item before council on May 6 included a proposed penalty intended to deter unsafe, unpermitted construction; staff said extreme violations in recent years motivated stronger penalties. Several councilmembers and members of the public urged a balanced approach that differentiates inadvertent home‑maintenance mistakes from deliberate or dangerous commercial or contractor misconduct.
During debate, council members discussed alternatives including warnings, a graduated fine tied to the permit value, and the use of stop‑work orders and court enforcement for the most serious violations. After discussion, a motion passed to approve the fee schedule (Attachment A) while striking the language that would have applied a daily fine of up to $1,000 for working without a permit. The motion was seconded and the resolution was approved on a roll‑call vote.
Staff said the revised schedule clarifies which residential activities normally require permits — for example, furnace or air‑conditioning replacements, water heaters, gas‑appliance work and electrical panel changes — and encourages public education so homeowners understand when permits and inspections are necessary. A staff follow‑up was requested to make explanatory permit guidance available on the city website and in the permitting office to reduce inadvertent noncompliance.
The council did not adopt the higher per‑day fine; staff retains existing remedies including stop‑work orders and code‑enforcement referrals to the courts for ongoing noncompliance. The resolution as approved updates fees but removes the proposed per‑day penalty clause.
