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Kershaw County considers pre‑engineered pole‑barn drawings to speed permitting
Summary
Council discussed contracting for pre‑engineered residential pole‑barn drawing sets to reduce engineering costs and permit delays; staff said an initial contract of about $8,500 could cover designs that would serve most residential applications and suggested a modest per‑permit surcharge to recover costs.
During new business on Jan. 13, Vice Chairman Russell Bridal and staff introduced a proposal to create county‑provided pre‑engineered standard drawings for certain residential pole‑barns to simplify permitting.
Sam (staff consultant) described a "one size fits most" packet of engineered drawings and guidance for simple residential pole buildings (maximum example size discussed around 30 by 40 feet), excluding barndominiums and commercial assembly uses that would require full construction‑level designs. Gerald Blanchard said the county received 26 accessory pole‑building applications last year; staff said 12 of those were agriculturally exempt and roughly 10–14 would benefit from pre‑engineered plans.
Staff estimated a one‑time cost of about $8,500 for initial engineering work. Council discussed spreading that cost across permit applicants and mentioned a possible $350 adder per permit if the county provides plans; members also considered allowing commercial or church uses only if an engineer approved modifications, noting state law requires design professionals for assembly occupancies.
Council instructed staff to prepare draft ordinance language and fee options, to circulate an email update with the $8,500 figure and related caveats, and to return with a recommended fee schedule in the coming months.
