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Select Board continues hearing on proposed building‑permit fee increases to July 14
Summary
Staff proposed raising the administrative building permit fee from $50 to $100 and other adjustments; the board continued the public hearing to July 14 and asked staff for worked examples showing the impact on commercial and residential projects and for targeted outreach to builders.
Town staff presented a proposed update to the building‑permit fee schedule intended to better cover inspector and enforcement costs and align with other communities. Key proposed changes discussed included raising the administrative fee from $50 to $100, keeping the per‑square‑foot rate at $0.25, raising subcontractor fees from $50 to $100, and clarifying a $75 fee for a new driveway versus $35 for a driveway modification.
Staff said the fee schedule had not been updated since 2020 and attributed proposed changes to a roughly 15% increase in construction costs over the prior two years. "We're going from $50 to 100 for the admin fee, and the per square fee is staying the same at 25¢," staff said, summarizing the proposal and examples included in the packet.
Several board members said the jump for a new single‑family home looked large on paper and asked staff to prepare worked examples for recent permits and for a 10,000‑square‑foot warehouse so members could see concrete impacts. The board also asked staff to plan targeted outreach to local builders and chambers of commerce to make sure contractors know the hearing is ongoing.
A motion to continue the public hearing to July 14 was made, seconded and carried so staff can return with clearer calculations and outreach plans.
