Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fee Schedule topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Area Plan Commission adopts new fee schedule with annual CPI adjustment
Summary
The commission approved a revised fee schedule intended to better cover planning costs, align fees with the City of Frankfort, add a 3% automatic annual adjustment tied to recent CPI trends, and add billing for legal review beyond an included 15 minutes.
The Clinton County Area Plan Commission voted 4–0 to adopt a revised fee schedule and policies that staff said will better align charges across the county and the City of Frankfort and help reduce reliance on general‑fund subsidies.
Director Elizabeth (Liz) Stitzel told the commission the change is driven in part by recent state law changes that restrict the timing and frequency of fee adjustments and tie allowable increases to a multi‑year consumer price index average. To avoid falling behind, staff proposed an automatic annual adjustment of 3% on Jan. 1 of each year, based on a three‑year average that staff said they chose to avoid years of extreme COVID-era inflation.
Stitzel said the proposal keeps residential and agricultural fees lower where possible and raises commercial and industrial fees closer to surrounding jurisdictions' averages. She also said the City of Frankfort has already adopted a sister version and that both fee schedules are being aligned when possible for administrative simplicity.
The commission also approved language clarifying that applicants will be billed for out‑of‑pocket costs and that hearing fees include up to 15 minutes of legal review time; additional attorney review beyond that time will be billed to the applicant at an hourly rate.
A motion to adopt the fees and policies (with the final formatting of the published schedule to be determined) was made, seconded and approved on a roll‑call vote recorded as 4–0 in favor. Members who voted yes were recorded as Grant Moller, Dan Sheets, Chad Colby and Jeff Shinaberry.
Stitzel said adopted fees will follow a customary waiting period before taking effect and that staff will finalize the published format after the commission’s adoption.
