Title
Approval of an Ordinance Revising Fees for Engineering, Building and Land Use Permits, and Plan Review
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a Committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve an ordinance on second reading to revise fees for Engineering, Building and Land Use Permits, and Plan Review.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve an ordinance revising fees for Engineering, Building and Land Use Permits, and Plan Review.
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Director, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia collects fees to offset a portion of the cost of reviewing applications for new development and inspecting new construction. Fee amounts are adopted by the City Council and codified in Olympia Municipal Code Title 4. They include Engineering Fees (OMC 4.04), Building Code Review and Permit Fees (OMC 4.36), Fire Plan Review and Permit Fees (OMC 4.38), and Land Use Application Review (OMC 4.40).
The City periodically conducts cost recovery studies to analyze whether the development fees are set appropriately to recover the City Council's goal that they recover 85% of the cost of delivering development review services. [Note: that goal was adopted in 2004 and reaffirmed in Resolution No. 6983, which also created a Development Fee Revenue Fund].
The most recent cost recovery study, in 2021, recommended the City update its development fees annually, which the City Council has done. The most recent annual update to development fees was adopted December 12, 2023. Shortly after that, City staff became aware of additional fee changes needing adjustment, which are included in the attached ordinance:
1. Document recording fees to match increases put in place by the Thurston County Auditor's Office
2. Plan review fees for areas of Special Flood Hazard which are necessary to meet review standards of the Federal Emergency Manageme...
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