Greenwich permit fee increases push revenues above prior year; BET asks for revised FY27 filing-fee estimate

The Budget Committee was told that permit-fee increases adopted in January and a handful of large permits have produced a revenue uptick that could push FY27 filing-fee receipts above current estimates. Patrick Luro, director of land use, said the town raised its per-$1,000 fee across several tiers to better match peer towns and that the department is outpacing last year’s permit volume and revenue.

"We went up a dollar on each," Luro said, describing the updated fee schedule by cost bands. He said one October month was up about 150 percent compared with the same month last year, partly because a single permit was for roughly $250,000. That combination of higher fees and increased volume, he said, has increased revenue this fiscal year.

Committee member Doug asked whether the current FY27 filing-fee budget (budgeted at $1,025,000) might be revised upward given the run rate. Doug asked Luro to work with the comptroller to develop "a reasonable number" rather than an aggressive projection.

Luro agreed to meet with the comptroller and said the department bases forecasts on permit counts and average project cost; he cautioned that month-to-month spikes (one large permit can affect a single month) complicate precise forecasting. The committee did not set a new figure at the meeting but requested updated estimates for budgeting.

Why it matters: Permit-fee revenue is a discretionary, forecastable source that can affect departmental and capital funding assumptions. The committee’s request to update the FY27 filing-fee estimate is intended to align the budget with observed permit activity without overclaiming future revenue.

What’s next: Land use will coordinate with the comptroller to provide an updated filing-fee projection for the committee’s review before finalizing FY27 numbers.