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Tenino business owner presses city to explain $1,600 in plan-review charges and permit fine
Summary
A Tenino business owner told the council he was charged more than $1,600 for plan review and fined $896 after installing a sign before picking up a permit. Councilmembers asked staff to get a detailed invoice from SCJ Alliance and LG Nelson and to explore an appeal or penalty waiver.
A Tenino business owner said the city’s permit process left him surprised and out of pocket, and he asked the City Council on Feb. 25 to seek a detailed explanation and possible relief from outside plan-review charges and a penalty.
The owner said he received a “fully approved” email for a commercial sign permit but did not realize he had to pick up and pay for the physical permit before work began. “I was fined another $896,” he said, adding that combined costs brought his outlay to roughly $1,600 billed plus about $5,000 for the sign itself.
Council staff and members explained the permit total reflected multiple components: a plan-review charge from SCJ Alliance, a contracted plan-review fee from LG Nelson tied to Thurston County’s adopted fee schedule, a city sign permit fee and a state building-code fee. City staff said SCJ charged roughly 10.5 hours for correspondence and review because the building required additional historic-district scrutiny, and the total billed to the applicant and the city exceeded $1,600.
Speaker 9, a staff member, walked council through the consolidated-fee elements: the SCJ plan-review line, LG’s fee, a city fee and a state building-code surcharge. Staff also cited the International Construction Code administrative provision allowing penalties for commencing work before permit issuance.
The applicant and multiple councilmembers pressed for transparency. Councilmember 7 asked SCJ to “break that down at $700 and show us how that’s being spent,” and the applicant called the charges “egregious” and urged the council to determine whether a local reviewer could do the work at a lower cost.
Mayor Dave Watterson and other council members agreed staff should obtain the full SCJ invoice, itemized hours and personnel billed, and contact LG Nelson about whether a penalty appeal is available. Staff committed to bring the bill and an explanation back to the council in two weeks.
The council did not vote on waiving the penalty that night; staff said penalties derive from the code’s administrative guidance and that LG Nelson, the contracted plan reviewer, and SCJ Alliance would need to be consulted to determine whether a waiver or appeal is possible. The council asked staff to pursue documentation and return with findings at the next meeting.
