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Building department: permits steady but electronic permitting and fee review recommended
Summary
The county building official reported 553 permits and 1,690 inspections in 2024, said permit fees have historically covered costs though revenue looks low this year, and recommended electronic permitting, digital archiving and a review of core permit fees compared with peer localities.
The building department presented 2024 permit and inspection figures and recommended investment in electronic permitting and a fee review to ensure the department remains self‑funded.
"Over the last year, we issued 553 permits. 67 new dwellings, 15 new commercial buildings ... The total number of inspections was 1,690," the building official said. He explained the department has tracked permit revenue against budget and that fees have generally covered the department's cost in prior years but are projected lower this year.
Why it matters: The building department's permit fees are intended to offset operating costs. Staff recommended an updated fee schedule for some permit categories (noting commercial solar projects and tower permits as examples) and asked the board to consider indexed or comparative fee adjustments to reflect workload and peer locality practices.
Operational improvements: The department plans to implement electronic permitting software to streamline applications and inspection reporting and to begin digital archiving of older permanent files. Staff also said they will provide a core fee comparison with nearby counties for the board's budget discussions.
Ending: The board requested the building office provide the core permit fee comparisons and said fee adjustments can be considered in the FY26 budget process.
