[BWNA] FW: City of Portland Proposed Fee Changes Effective July 1, 2006

[Albert Kaufman]

Thought some of you might find this information interesting.

Albert


------ Forwarded Message
From: "Fetters, Mark" <FettersM at ci.portland.or.us>
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 18:17:29 -0700
Subject: City of Portland Proposed Fee Changes Effective July 1, 2006

Dear Neighborhood Association Chairs & Land Use Chairs,

Over the last few years, the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) has worked
diligently to create a customer service culture focused on collaboration,
provide improved services through innovative programs targeting specific
customer needs, and to remain efficient in order to keep costs down.  Our
goal is to be the best development services agency in the country.

Recent service and program improvements include:

*    Online permitting for trade permits - Most electrical, mechanical,
and plumbing permits can now be purchased online.
*    Living Smart narrow lot house plans - Two award-winning narrow lot
house plans can now be purchased through BDS.
*    Major Projects Group (MPG) - MPG, which currently serves the South
Waterfront development, is expanding to accommodate five additional major
projects each year.
*    Field Issuance Remodel Program (FIR) - This pilot program provides
streamlined plan review and inspection services for contractors engaged in
residential remodels and additions.  FIR is expanding from 21 to 40
participating contractors.
*    Facilities Permit Program (FPP) - FPP, which provides streamlined
services for interior tenant-improvement projects, has just completed a
major expansion to include over 90 clients and 500 buildings.
*    NSFR Fast Track Program - This program provides expedited plan
review services to experienced builders of single-family residences.
*    Land Use Concept-to-Construction Program - This pilot project allows
customers to keep the same land use planner from application to permit
issuance, increasing predictability and continuity for customers.
*    Mobile Office Project for inspectors - Inspectors will test wireless
devices (handhelds or laptops) with the goal of enabling them to work
primarily from their vehicles and spend more time in the field.

Fiscal Responsibility
At the same time, BDS has to be fiscally responsible by maintaining cost
recovery for its programs.  In 1988, the Portland City Council determined
that construction-related programs operated by BDS should be supported
solely by permit fees, rather than by general taxpayer dollars.  The Council
also directed BDS to create the Development Services Operating Fund to tide
the bureau over during times of lower permit revenues.

Since that time, BDS has kept these programs self-supporting by providing
efficient, effective services and by periodic, moderate fee increases that
allow the bureau to respond to increasing costs and to be innovative and
proactive in meeting changing customer needs.  Due to inflationary increases
in program costs, it has become necessary for the bureau to increase fees in
several program areas.

BDS has therefore recommended a series of fee changes to City Council.
These changes have been reviewed and recommended by the BDS Development
Review Advisory Committee, which is composed of representatives from various
industry, neighborhood, and community groups.

The Council will listen to public testimony about the changes at 9:30 a.m.
on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 in City Council chambers, and will vote on the
changes on Wednesday, May 31, 2006.  If the ordinance is passed, the fee
increases will go into effect on July 1, 2006.

BDS is proposing fee changes in the following areas (please note that these
are NOT across-the-board increases; you'll want to check each fee schedule
to see which specific fees have been changed):

*    Electrical permits (5%)
*    Facilities Permit Program (5%)
*    Site Development permits (5%)
*    Environmental Soils Program (3.8%)
*    Zoning Program (3.8%)
*    Noise Control Program (3.8%)
*    Land Use Services (3.5%)
*    Building permits (0%)
*    Mechanical permits (0%)
*    Plumbing permits (0%)

Finally, BDS is proposing a fee reduction for new single-family residences
(NSFRs) built with Living Smart plan sets purchased through the City.  The
Living Smart Project hosted an international design competition in 2004 to
identify creative, affordable plans for infill residential development on
narrow lots.  BDS contracted with two of the winning designers to develop
their designs into complete plan sets to be purchased through the City.  In
order to encourage the use of these winning design plans and promote
well-designed development of narrow lots, BDS is proposing that BDS fees for
permits using the Living Smart house plans should be reduced by 50% (other
bureaus will be charging their full fees for these permits).

Multnomah County fees will also be affected, since the County contracts with
the City of Portland for inspection and plan review services in the
unincorporated areas within the Portland urban services boundary.  The
County Board of Commissioners has therefore scheduled a hearing to review
the proposed fee increases on Thursday, June 1, 2006 in the County Board
Room, 501 SE Hawthorne, first floor.

The complete fee schedules are posted on the BDS website,
www.portlandonline.com/bds.  Just click on the "Forms/Publications" tab,
then select "Proposed Fee Schedules - Effective 7/1/06".

If you have questions about the fee changes, please contact Denise Kleim,
BDS Sr. Business Operations Manager, at 503-823-7338 or
kleimd at ci.portland.or.us.


------ End of Forwarded Message