Marshall County holds first reading on ordinance to raise building-plan and permit fees

Marshall County Fiscal Court held a first reading Aug. 5 on Ordinance 2025-06, a measure to amend the county’s building-fee schedule and add plan‑review charges for mechanical (HVAC) work.

The ordinance, introduced by county staff and discussed by Casey, would raise the minimum residential plan‑review fee from $75 to $125 and set a $285 minimum for commercial reviews. It also adds a mechanical/HVAC plan‑review fee and revises the electrical permit and inspection fee tables, including tiered fees tied to the documented value of work and a 0.15% fee for projects exceeding $1,000,000. “What the update of this one is, is primarily updating the Marshall County fee schedule to reflect the same as the state’s fee schedule,” Casey said.

County staff said the changes reflect work the county has been performing—such as commercial HVAC plan reviews that must be completed locally because the state HVAC inspector does not approve plans. Casey told the court that the additional plan‑review fees are intended to recover staff time and that the county had not updated the fee schedule since 2014. A commissioner asked how Marshall County’s proposed fees compare with neighboring jurisdictions; Casey replied that other places use similar square‑foot or hybrid formulas and that the county sought a simpler square‑foot approach.

Because the measure was presented as a first reading, the court did not vote on adoption. County officials said the ordinance is intended to make local fees consistent with current state practice and to cover the increased plan-review workload.

The fiscal court scheduled no further action on the ordinance at the Aug. 5 meeting; further readings or a vote will be required before any fee changes take effect.