CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

 

TO:                 Mayor and City Commission

 

FROM:           Richard D. Sala, City Manager

 

BY:                  Tammy Reed-Holguin, Community Development Director

 

DATE:            October 25, 2007

 

SUBJECT:     Second Reading and Final Adoption:

 

Proposed Fee Schedule Revision (Appendix F) - To modify Building Permit, Land Development and Comprehensive Planning and Zoning Fees to provide for Expedited Permit Fee

 

As indicated at the July 17, 2007 budget workshop, the Community Development Department would like to propose the institution of an expedited permitting process for an additional fee to accommodate single-discipline permits that are relatively routine in nature.  This process will be available to homeowners, contractors and other property owners who are applying for a permit that requires review by one building discipline and who desire to obtain their permit in an expedited fashion. 

 

The request for expedited permitting must be made and paid for by the applicant at the time of application.  The permit clerk will determine if the service is feasible prior to accepting payment due to the nature of the permit and the availability of the plans reviewer.  An expedited permit fee of $40.00 will be collected in addition to the minimum permit fee of $106 at the time of application.  Disapproval of the permit by the plans reviewer will not constitute a refund of the fee for expediting the review.

 

The department will develop administrative guidelines for instituting the expedited permitting process that may be amended from time-to-time due to circumstances such as staffing and permit demand. The applicant will be provided with a checklist of documents that must be submitted in order to utilize the expedited process. All requests for expedited permitting will be addressed prior to other pending permits and the time of review will not exceed 24 hours with the priority being same-day service depending on the time of day and availability of the plans reviewer when the permit was submitted.  The applicant will be given an estimated review timeframe prior to paying for an expedited review.

 

Providing an expedited service will benefit property owners by reducing the number of trips to and time spent at City Hall to obtain a permit.  They will be able to start their projects sooner and make the improvements in a timelier manner.  This service will benefit the City by making the process easier for applicants with single-discipline permits, thereby, encouraging property owners to obtain permits.  The premium fee of $40 allows the plans reviewer to prioritize the permit applicants who paid for this additional service.

 

The City Commission approved the attached Ordinance on first reading on September 13, 2007.  It is before the Commission tonight for second reading and final adoption.

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

The City Administration recommends Commission’s approval and adoption on second reading of the attached ordinance to revise the fee schedule to include a fee for expedited permitting process.


ORDINANCE NO.  ________

 

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, AMENDING APPENDIX F, "FEES", OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING ARTICLE I, ENTITLED "COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEE SCHEDULE”; TO PROVIDE FOR EXPEDITED PERMIT FEE; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

            WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale (the "City") wishes to institute an expedited permitting program; and

 

            WHEREAS, this program will enable applicants with single-discipline permits to request an expedited review by the plans reviewers; and

 

WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale finds that additional costs may be incurred to provide this service and recommends that these costs be covered by a premium fee charged to the applicant for expedited service; and

 

WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale finds that providing an expedited service for our residents and property owners is desirable.

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, THAT:

 

            Section  1.       The foregoing "WHEREAS" clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this Ordinance upon adoption hereof.

 

            Section 2.        Appendix F, entitled "Fees", Article I, entitled, "Community Development Fee Schedule" of the Code of Ordinances of the City of North Lauderdale, be, and the same is hereby amended as provided in Exhibit "A" to this Ordinance, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

            Section  3.       Codification.  It is the intention of the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale that the provisions of this Ordinance shall become and be made a part of the Code of Ordinances of the City of North Lauderdale, Florida and that the Sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered, re-lettered and the work "Ordinance" may be changed to "Section", "Article" or such other word or phrase in order to accomplish such intention.

 

            Section  4.       Severability.   If any clause, section or other part of this Ordinance shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, such unconstitutional or invalid part shall be considered as eliminated and in no way affecting the validity of the other provisions of this Ordinance.

 

            Section  5.       Conflicts.  All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances, Resolutions or parts of Resolutions in conflict herewith, be, and the same are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.

 

            Section  6.       Effective Date.  This Ordinance shall become effective at a later date subject to the completion of computer reprogramming per new fee schedule.

 

            PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, ON THE FIRST READING, THIS __13th__ DAY OF September_, 2007.

 

            PASSED ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, ON THE SECOND AND FINAL READING, THIS ______ DAY OF _____________________, 2007.

 

 

                                                                        ____________________________________

                                                                        MAYOR JACK BRADY

 

 

                                                                        ____________________________________

ATTEST:                                                         VICE MAYOR RICH MOYLE

 

 

_________________________________________

DEPUTY CITY CLERK                                

 

 

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

 

 

______________________________

SAMUEL S. GOREN

CITY ATTORNEY    

 

 


EXHIBIT A

APPENDIX F FEES

Article I. Community Development Fee Schedule

Secs. 9--50. Reserved.

*          *                   *

 

ARTICLE I. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEE SCHEDULE

 

*                                  *                                       *


Sec. 3. Building permit and related fees.

*                                   *                               *

 

(d) Any permit application for development that has a homeowners' association or management organization shall be required to submit to the community development department a notarized letter from that entity giving the applicant permission to apply.

(1) General.

*                                            *                                   *

 

(2) All permits.

a. Applications processing and plan review fee schedule:

(To be submitted at time of application)

TABLE INSET:

 

Estimated
Value

Plan
Review/
Processing
Fee

Second
Plan
Review

Third
Plan
Review

5,000--10,000

$ 75.00

$ 51.75

$ 43.87

10,001—25,000

104.62

59.62

54.75

25,001—50,000

114.37

76.87

67.12

50,001--100,000

190.50

97.87

76.87

100,001--200,000

232.87

129.00

94.12

200,001--300,000

361.12

158.25

129.00

300,001--600,000

440.25

252.00

183.00

600,001—1,000,000

579.37

375.75

316.87

1,000,001--5,000,000

1,414.12

918.00

773.25

5,000,001--Above

2,299.50

1,379.50

940.87

 

b. Expedited permitting…………$40.00 per single-discipline permit.  Must be requested by the applicant at the time of permit submittal.  Disapproval of permit does not constitute grounds for refund of expedited permitting fee.  

 

b.  c.Training and continuing educational fees $0.02 per $100.00 of estimated value $0.20 per $1,000). All fees shall be reserved for training and continuing education for the employees of the community development department, which shall include any material, equipment, code books, code reference materials, attending conferences and any other miscellaneous expenses, including travel expenditures.

c.  d. Related service charges:

1. Preapplication plan review based on time consumed per discipline (per hour), exceptions will be by administrative approval only . . $100.00

2. Preinspection . . . $40.00

3. Reinspection . . . $100.00

The owner/contractor who receives a red tag notice for failing an inspection shall pay a reinspection fee.  No additional inspections will be conducted until the reinspection fee is paid.

4. Minor change of plans after permits are issued per hour, or fraction thereof ..          . .    $100.00

 

If any proposed change represents a major alteration of floor plan and/or configuration of the structure involving extensive reexamination computation, the original permit shall be voided and a new permit applied for. One-half of the original permit fee may be applied to the new permit.

5. Replacement of plans, review each trade . . . $100.00

6. Permit card replacement . . . $20.00

7. When more than two sets of plans and/or specifications are submitted for review a surcharge of $5.00 per sheet for each additional set will be added to the permit fee.

8. Mail permits, cost and handling charge . .  $10.00

d. e. Expired permit, as per FBC section 104.9.3:

1. A permit may be renewed within 180 days after expiration on payment of one-half of the original permit fee. Minimum . . . $100.00

 

(If one-half of the fee is less than the minimum fee, the minimum fee will be required).

2. After 180 days, a new permit shall be applied for and all associated stamps and approvals shall be obtained. Any and all new regulations, including but not limited to changes in the Florida Building Code, shall be complied with and full fees must be paid.

3. On projects such as extensions, additions, carport enclosures, pools, fences, driveways, roofs, a fee will be determined predicated on the number of inspections required by building and permitting to finalize the improvement at a rate per inspection of . . $106.00

e.  f.Change of contractor . . . 55.00

Includes notification of concerned parties.

f.  g. Double fee. When work for which a permit is required is started or proceeded with prior to the obtaining of such permit, the fees as specified in this subsection shall be doubled.