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Clerk -Administrator and City Council <br />Page 2 <br />January 12, 1987 <br />increases from $8.00 to $10.00. Some items such as fence permits <br />were not increased with the intention of keeping the cost low <br />enough to encourage homeowners to secure a permit and not be put <br />off by the cost of a permit. A copy of our present fees is <br />attached for your comparison (Attachment 12). <br />A plan check fee is collected whenever a plan review is <br />required. Presently, the plan check fee is based on a percentage <br />of the building permit fee collected. This amount is 65 percent <br />for commercial construction and 20 percent for residential <br />construction. Section 304(c) of the UBC is entitled, "Plan <br />Review Fees", and states that when a plan review is required, a <br />plan review fee equal to 65 percent of the building permit fee <br />shall be paid. No variation is offered for different types of <br />construction. Attachment #3 shows the results of a survey I <br />recently did inquiring as to what the plan check fee is in <br />various cities. The results are that nearly every city uses the <br />65 percent figure stated in the UBC for commercial construction. <br />However, the amount used for residential plan review varies <br />greatly from no plan check fee to the 65 percent as stated in the <br />UBC. Using our previous $70,000 valued home example, Attachment <br />#4 shows present and proposed building fees, plan check fees at <br />the present 20 percent level as well as 65 percent, state <br />surcharge and Storm Water Mangement (SPIN) fees. The total amount <br />® for the building permit may then be compared. Other permit fees <br />incurred during construction are also shown in Attachment <br />#4. Final total amounts indicate the overall effect of the <br />proposed fee changes. <br />I believe a good thorough plan check is essential to the <br />operation of a Building Inspection Department. It allows for <br />communication between the department and the contractor before <br />construction begins. Returning a set of marked plans to the <br />builder helps to eliminate misunderstandings, thereby reducing <br />the need for corrections during construction. The present plan <br />check fee is sufficient to cover the time spent for plan review <br />by Staff. <br />In order to provide notice to contractors who work within the <br />City, a 45-day time period is proposed to allow for written <br />notification of these avisions. <br />RECOMMENDATION: Staf, recommends that Resolution No. 2166 be <br />approved. <br />BHD/bac <br />Attachments <br />