Multnomah County adopts new building-permit fees; most increase about 5%

Multnomah County’s Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution to establish FY27 fees for building permits and related land-use services administered by the City of Portland in the Portland Urban Services Area. County staff said most fees will increase by roughly 5 percent.

Kevin Cook, principal planner with the county Department of Community Services, explained the resolution implements the city’s updated fee schedule for permits in unincorporated West Multnomah County and other urban pockets such as Dunthorpe. “Most fees within the building services area are increasing by roughly 5%,” Cook said.

Two public commenters addressed the item. Lightning repeated skepticism that federal grants and federal funding priorities would benefit the county and urged a moratorium or refunds on gas taxes; Patrick Fitzpatrick Stuffle reiterated unrelated allegations about Mercy Corps and asked that the county revoke that organization’s permit. Commissioners asked no substantive policy questions and proceeded to a roll-call vote, which recorded affirmative votes from the commissioners present.

The resolution also repeals prior county resolutions governing land-use services fees; staff presented references to the Multnomah County Code chapters and the replaced resolutions in the meeting packet. The board adopted the fee schedule by recorded vote.