Carlisle council waives permit fees for residents affected by Duke Energy transmission work

Carlisle City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted Ordinance 17-24, enabling the city manager to waive permit fees for residents whose property was affected by the Duke Energy Carlisle to Poasttown Reliability Project.

City Manager Chris Lohr told council the waiver would help residents who must remove or repair fences, accessory buildings or storage sheds after transmission-line work. "This would waive the requirement for a permit fee and offset some of the burden there for these residents," Lohr said.

Mayor Randy Winkler emphasized that the fee waiver does not remove the requirement to obtain a permit: permits "are still required to ensure the work is done properly," he said. Council voted to suspend the three-reading rule and adopt the ordinance as an emergency so the fee waivers would be available as residents file for permits.

The motion to suspend rules and declare an emergency was made by Council member Chris Stivers and seconded by Debbie Kemper; the adoption motion was made by Stivers and seconded by Kemper. The roll call recorded five aye votes (Stivers, Kemper, William Bicknell, Tim Humphries and Mayor Winkler) and the ordinance took effect immediately.

The ordinance applies only to permit fees; the city continues to require permits and inspections to ensure reconstruction meets local codes. Council did not specify a sunset date for the waiver in the meeting discussion; implementation details and how residents should document Duke Energy-related damage were not specified in the public record at this meeting.

Council adjourned after an executive-session discussion later in the evening.