Building inspector says permit fees fall short

Losing money inspecting farm structures, Whitman County is considering increases to its fees to permit those buildings.

Building Official Dan Gladwill reported to county commissioners Tuesday he collected $2,700 in fees to permit ag structures. Those same buildings, if permitted without the ag exemption would have generated around $17,000 in fees.

In 2009, responding to limits set by the legislature, Whitman County reduced its fees to permit ag buildings so farmers paid only Gladwill’s time on the permit and his fuel to inspect the buildings.

Now, said Gladwill, that isn’t supporting his office’s operations.

“We left a clause in there that it could be adjusted when necessary,” he said. “It needed to be adjusted.”

Permit fees throughout 2011 were less than half the year before. In 2011, Gladwill collected $57,398 in fees for 180 permits. In 2010, he received $113,629 in fees for 223 permits.

Gladwill suggested a change to ag building inspections. He would charge $7.50 per square foot to inspect ag buildings, half the $15 per square foot charged on non-ag buildings.

Part of that drop came from a marked decrease in the amount of homes built in Whitman County last year.

Eleven homes were built in the county in 2011, Gladwill reported, just over half the 21 homes built in 2010.

Another fee Gladwill is considering changing is the permit to erect wind turbines.

Permit fees are based on the value of the building. Based on the cost of turbines, Gladwill said, First Wind could pay $20,000 to permit construction of each of its 58 turbines at the firm’s Naff Ridge wind farm.

“That’s just not reasonable,” said Public Works Director Mark Storey.

Other counties around the state charge permit fees based on the cost of the concrete foundation under each turbine. That would result in fees around $3,000 to $5,000 each.

“We want to be in line with what everybody else in the state is doing,” he said.

The cost to permit residential turbines is also excessive, said Gladwill.

Each one currently costs from $500 to $1,000 for inspection. Gladwill said inspection is minimal on the turbines, and suggested fees of $100 for turbines shorter than 50 feet and $200 for turbines taller than 50 feet.

The fees are still under consideration and require approval by county commissioners.