Germantown adopts ordinance letting city set telecom construction permit fees by resolution

The Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen adopted Ordinance 2025-9 on third and final reading on Dec. 8, 2025, removing a construction-cost-based permit fee for telecommunications (fiber) installations and instead authorizing permit fees to be set by resolution as part of the city's revenue resolution.

Director Allen told the board that a review showed the city code's 1%-of-construction-cost fee conflicted with an adopted revenue resolution that used a base fee plus a linear-foot component. "The proposed amendment eliminates the construction cost-based fee calculation and instead authorizes the applicable permit fees to be set by resolution as a part of the city's comprehensive resolution on revenues," Director Allen said, adding the change makes fee application clearer and allows periodic adjustment by resolution.

The board approved the ordinance on third and final reading by roll call; the clerk recorded affirmative votes. The ordinance takes effect as adopted and will cause the city to rely on its revenue resolution to set construction permit fees for telecommunications installations going forward.

Board members and staff said the change resolves an inconsistency between code language and the revenue approach and gives the city flexibility to periodically update fees through the standard revenue-resolution process.