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St. Clair Shores council approves sweeping permit-fee increases, moves work-without-permit penalty to penalty clause
Summary
After a months-long review, the St. Clair Shores City Council on Dec. 1 approved a broad revision of permit and application fees intended to better recover permitting costs; the council amended the package to treat work‑without‑permit charges as a penalty in the penalty clause rather than a fee.
St. Clair Shores officials on Dec. 1 approved a citywide overhaul of permit and application fees intended to recoup the cost of processing, inspections and public notices, with most changes to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Denise Pike, director of Community Development & Inspection (CDI), told the council the changes are the product of a subcommittee that began work in August 2024 and an effort to reduce the strain on the general fund by charging applicants more of the actual cost of service. "We're not making a profit," Pike said during the presentation, adding the goal was to get closer to covering the city’s administrative and inspection costs.
Key proposed adjustments approved by the council include: increasing the Water Resources Advisory Board application fee from $100 to $300; simplifying many site-plan review fees and setting most…
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