Mentone Furthers Permit Fees, Fines for Construction
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MENTONE - Fees and fines for building permits were hammered out Monday night by the Mentone Town Council.
Town attorney Larry Beeson will draft two applications, as well as the ordinance establishing the fees and fines, and present them at the board's April meeting. One application will be for new construction, the other for other construction such as swimming pools or fences.
Suggested fees for permits included a minimum of $25, with permits for new homes at $100. A flat fee will be imposed regardless of a shed's size. A demolition fee and permit also will be established, among others.
At the March 6 Mentone meeting, the council heard from Donald LeBrun, a code official for the Code Enforcement and Plan Review Branch of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Division of Fire and Building Safety, on creating a building department. An ordinance LeBrun presented must be approved before the ordinance adopting the Indiana Unsafe Building Law can be approved. If approved by the county commissioners, the town also could have a building authority within a maximum of two miles outside the town limits.
Town Council President Tim Croy started Monday's meeting by saying, "Right now, everything we do is a flat $10 fee regardless of whether it's a new home, fence or whatever."
Money from the permit fees, clerk-treasurer Barbara Ross said, goes into the general fund. It doesn't make enough to pay for the Mentone building inspector's fees.
Roger Long, councilman, presented fees and fines ordinances from seven entities, including Warsaw, Rochester, North Manchester, Kosciusko and Marshall counties and Goshen. Long said all the information is public information and some also is available on the Internet. He also said he has talked to LeBrun since the March 6 meeting and LeBrun said the council probably doesn't want to put the fees in the ordinance. The fee schedule should be separate, but referred to in the ordinance that must be sent to the state.
The council also discussed sewer fees and tap fees and the need to increase the sewer tap fees.
"Basically, all we do is cover our costs," said Brian Reed, utilities superintendent. The tap fee was set in 1989.
"Something has got to go up," said Ross. "But we might not even have a new home go up this year, so that's not going to help."
Reed suggested increasing the tap fee from $306 to $750. "That would give us more room to play with," said Reed. He also suggested increasing the inspection fee from $30 to $50.
The board advised Reed to look at the sewer tap and inspection fees and report back to the board.
During discussion of requiring permits for fences, Croy said, "I would do a minimum of $25 regardless." Reed said there also is a setback ordinance fences must meet to be erected.
Of the various permit fee ordinances Long presented, he said he liked the one from Marshall County and then Kosciusko County the best because they are simple. "The nice thing about Kosciusko is we're in it."
The council agreed the initial fee schedule should cover doublewides, modulars, conventional home construction, home additions and improvements, pools, hot tubs and fences. The council can change and add to the ordinance in the future as necessary.
"You can make this as simple or as complicated as you want," said Long.
The ordinances and applications will be presented at the April 3 meeting. Councilman Jack Simpson was not at Monday's special meeting. [[In-content Ad]]
MENTONE - Fees and fines for building permits were hammered out Monday night by the Mentone Town Council.
Town attorney Larry Beeson will draft two applications, as well as the ordinance establishing the fees and fines, and present them at the board's April meeting. One application will be for new construction, the other for other construction such as swimming pools or fences.
Suggested fees for permits included a minimum of $25, with permits for new homes at $100. A flat fee will be imposed regardless of a shed's size. A demolition fee and permit also will be established, among others.
At the March 6 Mentone meeting, the council heard from Donald LeBrun, a code official for the Code Enforcement and Plan Review Branch of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Division of Fire and Building Safety, on creating a building department. An ordinance LeBrun presented must be approved before the ordinance adopting the Indiana Unsafe Building Law can be approved. If approved by the county commissioners, the town also could have a building authority within a maximum of two miles outside the town limits.
Town Council President Tim Croy started Monday's meeting by saying, "Right now, everything we do is a flat $10 fee regardless of whether it's a new home, fence or whatever."
Money from the permit fees, clerk-treasurer Barbara Ross said, goes into the general fund. It doesn't make enough to pay for the Mentone building inspector's fees.
Roger Long, councilman, presented fees and fines ordinances from seven entities, including Warsaw, Rochester, North Manchester, Kosciusko and Marshall counties and Goshen. Long said all the information is public information and some also is available on the Internet. He also said he has talked to LeBrun since the March 6 meeting and LeBrun said the council probably doesn't want to put the fees in the ordinance. The fee schedule should be separate, but referred to in the ordinance that must be sent to the state.
The council also discussed sewer fees and tap fees and the need to increase the sewer tap fees.
"Basically, all we do is cover our costs," said Brian Reed, utilities superintendent. The tap fee was set in 1989.
"Something has got to go up," said Ross. "But we might not even have a new home go up this year, so that's not going to help."
Reed suggested increasing the tap fee from $306 to $750. "That would give us more room to play with," said Reed. He also suggested increasing the inspection fee from $30 to $50.
The board advised Reed to look at the sewer tap and inspection fees and report back to the board.
During discussion of requiring permits for fences, Croy said, "I would do a minimum of $25 regardless." Reed said there also is a setback ordinance fences must meet to be erected.
Of the various permit fee ordinances Long presented, he said he liked the one from Marshall County and then Kosciusko County the best because they are simple. "The nice thing about Kosciusko is we're in it."
The council agreed the initial fee schedule should cover doublewides, modulars, conventional home construction, home additions and improvements, pools, hot tubs and fences. The council can change and add to the ordinance in the future as necessary.
"You can make this as simple or as complicated as you want," said Long.
The ordinances and applications will be presented at the April 3 meeting. Councilman Jack Simpson was not at Monday's special meeting. [[In-content Ad]]