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City to align permit fees with state law; staff proposes square-foot valuation and $75,000 renovation threshold
Summary
Planning and building staff presented a resolution to update permit-valuation methodology to comply with Georgia House Bill 461 (2024), moving fee calculations to an ICC/square-foot basis, establishing an extensive-renovation threshold at $75,000, and directing annual fee reviews; staff said changes are compliance-driven and not intended to create new fees.
On Dec. 8 staff briefed council on a required update to permitting and regulatory fees to comply with Georgia House Bill 461, enacted in 2024.
Staff said HB 461 requires fees to reflect actual regulatory costs and prohibits using permit fees to fund general operations; it also directs jurisdictions to use ICC building valuation data and to define thresholds for extensive renovations (staff proposed $75,000). The proposed resolution would adopt a square-foot valuation approach using ICC tables by occupancy and construction type. Staff noted the change does not create new fees but converts valuation methodology and will include annual review and reporting. Chief building official Paul Hardy described the technical conversion and comparisons between the city's current fee tables and the state-compliant square-foot approach.
Council had procedural questions about exhibits and the presentation tables; staff said the resolution will include only the compliance fee schedule (not the comparative table shown during the briefing). Council placed the resolution on consent for the upcoming meeting.
