Northbrook board adopts simplified permit-fee ordinance to make fees more transparent

The Village of Northbrook adopted an ordinance to update its annual fee schedule for building and development permits, moving away from a complicated a‑la‑carte system toward an application fee plus a percentage of construction cost to better reflect the village’s cost of service.

Director McKeown told trustees staff conducted a comprehensive review of commercial and industrial permit fees—the first such review in more than 15 years—and compared fees with neighboring communities. He said the new structure reduces the number of separate line items and makes fees easier for customers to calculate in advance.

Trustees praised the change as business‑friendly and more transparent. Trustee Cassidy said the simplification responds to repeated public requests to make permit costs predictable; Trustee Israel moved the ordinance and, after a roll call, the board adopted the updates unanimously.

Staff said the new fee model requires applicants to report project square footage and estimated construction cost; the village will use standard sources such as ICC valuations to verify cost estimates and apply the percentage fee. The board asked staff to ensure communications to residents explain that no action is required by homeowners who already comply with existing processes.

The ordinance passed on a roll call vote; staff said they will publish the revised fee tables and examples on the village website to help applicants plan projects.