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Board adopts updated development‑service fee schedule; some BZA fees held flat
Summary
Stafford supervisors unanimously approved ordinance O24‑16 on Sept. 17 to replace the county’s development services and planning & zoning fee schedules, updating permit, inspection and specialty review fees while keeping four BZA‑related fees at existing levels to avoid discouraging appeals.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted ordinance O24‑16 on Sept. 17 to update fees for building permits, plan reviews and planning & zoning services. Paul Sante, chief director of community development, said the update follows a consultant analysis (Matrix Consulting) that used a bottom‑up cost‑recovery approach and peer comparisons with neighboring jurisdictions.
Sante told the board the proposed schedule addresses inflation, personnel and increased complexity in trade inspections, and introduces new charges for third‑and subsequent plan reviews and reinspections. The ordinance was drafted to be effective Nov. 1 to allow staff time to update permitting software and payment systems.
Staff recommended retaining four specific zoning‑related fees at their current levels—certificate of appropriateness and several BZA fees—because consultant full cost recovery estimates would have raised those to levels (in the $4k–$5k range) that staff judged potentially prohibitive for residents. During the motion, staff read the specific fee amounts to be retained for the record.
During public comment, a BZA member urged the board to keep appeal fees low so homeowners could access review. After a brief discussion about making the periodic fee review interval three years, the board approved the ordinance and the readjusted BZA fee lines unanimously.
The action revises the county fee code and directs staff to implement the new schedule on Nov. 1 while continuing recruitment for community development vacancies to support service levels.
