Fairfax council moves to end shared county building‑services contract and asks staff to propose permit‑fee updates

Fairfax — Council voted to allow the city to discontinue the existing 2080 shared building‑services agreement with Linn County when it next expires, directing staff to plan for in‑town permit and inspection capacity and to return with a proposal for permit fee adjustments.

Eric, the city’s building official, explained his current workflow: he is spending three half‑days per week at the county office for inspections and permitting functions and does limited in‑field inspections for Fairfax. "I go there three days a week for approximately two to two and a half hours each time," Eric said, arguing that keeping services local would better use staff time and let the city recapture permit revenue.

Staff showed comparative tables indicating Fairfax’s building‑permit fees are considerably lower than those charged in the small towns that Linn County serves; council asked staff to return with a recommended fee schedule (direction given to prepare a fee update, possibly targeting new‑construction square‑footage fees rather than small homeowner trade permits). Council then moved and approved the non‑renewal motion for the county agreement.

Why it matters: Ending the county contract and raising permit fees could increase local revenue for building‑department services and allow quicker in‑town permitting and inspections, but could also require short‑term staff investment and operational changes.

Next steps: Staff will draft a resolution and fee schedule for council review and identify operational steps to transition inspections and permitting in‑house if the county contract is not renewed.