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Council considers rental registration fees, code enforcement officer and online permitting options
Summary
Council reviewed a proposed rental‑registration fee line to fund a contract code enforcement officer and vehicle and debated modernizing building permit processes (online permitting) to increase compliance and revenue.
At the March 9 budget workshop, staff proposed a new general fund revenue line to capture inspection fees tied to a rental registration ordinance and a corresponding expenditure to hire a contract code enforcement officer and purchase a vehicle. Presenter (speaker 5) said the budget currently earmarks $25,000 for a code enforcement vehicle and $50,000 projected in inspection fees if the rental registration ordinance is adopted.
Council members voiced both support and concerns. One council member asked whether the $50,000 inspection fee estimate was conservative; staff said it may be higher but used a fiscal reserve estimate.
Separately, council debated whether building permits should be moved to an online permitting system. Staff noted the current practice is that permit applicants often self‑report job costs in person and that fraud or underreporting can occur; an online system could increase collections but raises concerns about accountability, verification of job costs and enforcement. "It is something we're discussing with our virtual city hall," the presenter said, adding that staff did not want to put an untested system online precipitously.
Council asked staff to provide a breakdown of the 180 devices for IT upgrades and to analyze potential revenue and enforcement benefits of an online permitting system before any contract or major platform change.
No ordinance vote occurred; staff will return with additional analysis on projected inspection revenue, permit process options and an itemized device list for IT upgrades.
