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Plan Commission Discusses Agricultural Permit Fees and Proposes Committee on Ordinances and Emerging Technologies
Summary
Commissioners debated permit fees for agricultural buildings—some urged lower flat fees for simple storage, staff defended current per-square-foot fees because of review and inspection costs—and discussed creating a committee to review ordinance updates and emerging topics such as data centers and small modular reactors.
Commissioners at the Feb. 18 DeKalb County Plan Commission meeting spent substantial time discussing permit fees for agricultural accessory buildings and expressed interest in forming a committee to review ordinances and emerging land-use issues.
One commissioner suggested that simple agricultural storage buildings should pay a lower, flat fee when no mechanical, plumbing or electrical inspections are required, citing other counties with lower per-square-foot rates. Commissioners noted Allen County's lower fee of 2–3¢ per square foot as an example.
County staff said the current fee structure (discussed in the hearing as 10–15¢ per square foot for accessory buildings) reflects not only inspections but engineering reviews, drainage-board review, soil-and-water permits and potential health-department or highway-department involvement. Staff explained these reviews can take weeks and that complex ag production facilities often require full plan review; staff gave an example of a permit that amounted to about $5,000 for a large 100-by-300 building.
A commissioner asked staff to bring the fee issue to the county commissioners for consideration, and the group agreed to refer the topic for further review rather than acting at the meeting.
Separately, commissioners proposed forming a small committee (four plan commission members and one county commissioner) to study ordinance updates and to solicit early public input on topics such as data centers, carbon-capture projects and small modular nuclear reactors; the goal is to be proactive rather than reactive when such proposals arise.
The meeting record shows no formal change to fee structures or ordinances; commissioners requested referral and further study by the county commissioners and staff.
