Commission discusses fee schedule, subdivision and annexation costs; staff to consult finance about adjustments

Planning and Zoning reviewed the citys fee schedule and discussed whether fees for permits, subdivisions and annexations should be raised to better reflect current administrative and professional costs.

Staff and commissioners noted that the fee schedule was last updated in January 2016 and that construction costs have risen sharply since 2019. One planning member said building costs have roughly doubled since 2019 and suggested raising fees; another said fees are not a major source of city revenue but should better reflect staff time and professional pass‑through costs.

Examples discussed included the subdivision base fee of $500 plus $50 per lot and professional (pass‑through) fees for surveyors and engineers. Staff said those professional fees already capture variable review time (for example, recorder fees, surveyor charges and staff review time) but commissioners suggested professional fees may still be low compared with actual staff effort. Staff recommended consulting with Daphne (finance) and preparing revised fee figures; commissioners indicated they might consider a roughly 50% increase in some fees as a starting point, with precise figures to be developed.

The group also discussed annexation processing time and the administrative burden of notifications and recordkeeping. Staff noted that certain costs (surveyors, engineers) are pass‑through professional costs and that clerical time is listed under professional services in the current schedule but may not fully cover actual personnel time.

Ending: Staff will consult the finance office (Daphne) to model fee adjustments, prepare recommended changes for Planning and Zoning review, and return with specific numbers for the commission to consider and forward to city council.