Hampshire eyes building permit application fee
By Denise Moran For The Courier-News June 8, 2012 2:34PM
Updated: July 11, 2012 10:20AM
HAMPSHIRE — The village board is considering imposing $30 application fee for building permits.
According to Village Administrator Doug Maxeiner, the village currently accepts applications for building permits free of charge. The permit application is provided to the building inspector from B&F Technical Services, and the review is completed. The cost for the application review is included in the permit cost, which must be paid prior to the release of the permit.
In instances where the building permit is not picked up and therefore not paid for, the village is on the hook for the expense of B&F to complete the review.
“This seems to be happening more frequently as of late,” Maxeiner said. “Staff is looking at changing the process for building permits so that the village is not losing money on submitted applications. Staff is proposing charging a non-refundable $30 permit application fee at the time the application is submitted. The fee will cover the costs assessed to the village by B&F for permit reviews. If the permit is not picked up, the village will not be out any funds. Also, once the permit is ready, a credit can be provided for the $30 application fee so that overall cost of obtaining a permit is not increased.”
“This is a good idea,” said Trustee George Brust. “I think it is a fair fee.”
Village Clerk Linda Vasquez said that anyone who asks for building permits is always told to display the permit in a window visible from the street.
An ordinance for the proposed $30 application fee will be drawn up and voted on during a future board meeting, according to Maxeiner.
Parking sign protest
In other business, a resident came before the board to object to a no-parking sign posted on Brookedge Drive.
“I’m here to protest a no-parking sign on my side of the street,” said Lloyd Seyller. “The other side of the street has open parking.”
Seyller said that he has a large family that likes to visit his home. He said that the sign would make it difficult for his relatives to find a place to park.
Village President Jeffrey Magnussen said the reason the no-parking sign was posted is because the School District 300 bus barn will be moving back to Hampshire Middle School. There was concern that since the buses will be taking up parking spaces in the school parking lot, drivers coming to the school property for events — such as Hampshire Wildcat youth football games — would be more likely to park on nearby residential streets like Brookedge Drive and cause inconvenience for residents.
The sign originally posted along Brookedge Drive stated that no parking was allowed from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Trustee Jan Kraus said changing that to a complete ban on parking was illegal because the village board did not approve an ordinance for the action.
After much discussion, the board approved taking down the no-parking sign and allowing for open parking on both sides of Brookedge Drive.
As a final note, representatives from Lauterbach & Amen & Sikich reported on their audit of the village for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. For the first time in the village’s history, the village has received a clean, unqualified audit.
