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Royce City Council tables long‑overdue update to building fee schedule after debate over penalties
Summary
The council postponed action on a proposed update to building inspection and permit fees after extended debate over a proposed $1,000-per-day penalty for working without a permit and where civil penalties should be placed in local code.
Royce City Council on April 1 voted 4–1 to table Resolution 2055, a proposal to update the city's building inspection, plan‑review and construction fee schedule that staff said has not been revised in almost 30 years.
Council members deferred the measure after more than an hour of discussion focused chiefly on enforcement language that would impose a steep penalty for working without a permit. City staff said the update would bring local fees in line with comparable jurisdictions and reduce subsidy from general taxpayers for services that benefit contractors and permit applicants.
City building official Matt Wilson told the council that the city’s “building fee schedule has not been updated for almost 30 years” and that staff used neighboring cities’ schedules as benchmarks. Building official Gail Supp said inspectors sometimes verify past work by spot checks and follow‑up inspections: “If this area is compliant, then it can be presumed that the whole, all the work was compliant as well.” Staff emphasized the ordinance language is intended to promote public safety by ensuring work is inspected and meets code.
Council members expressed split views on a line in the draft fee schedule that sets a $1,000 per‑day penalty for working without a permit. Several members said the figure was excessive for residential or small commercial work and suggested alternatives such as doubling the permit fee, a graduated per‑day fine capped at a lower maximum, or placing civil penalty language in the municipal code (Municipal Code 10‑27) rather than the fee schedule. The mayor urged consistency between any fee schedule entry and the municipal code.
Mayor: The council instructed staff to return with a set of options. Council members asked staff to draft 2–4 alternatives that clarify (1) how the fine would be assessed day to day, (2) distinctions between small residential oversights and large construction projects, and (3) whether enforcement belongs in the municipal code or the fee schedule. The council also discussed improving public education so homeowners and small contractors know when permits are required.
The motion to table carried 4–1. Staff said Planning and the building department will draft alternative language and bring options back to council for possible action at a future meeting.
What’s next: Staff requested council input on specific alternatives; council members asked to submit proposals to staff leads (Matt Wilson and Council Member Bridal) ahead of the next meeting.
