Public comment session on changes in municipal fees scheduled for May 14

The Selectboard is asking for input on a recently developed proposal that would update development fees charged for building and zoning permits, Planning Commission and Development Review Board applications, water and sewer use, and impact fees. Shelburne’s fees were last updated in 2008, and the proposed increases are in keeping with the Selectboard’s goal of finding ways to increase non-property tax based revenues. According to the Town Manager, the proposed changes would bring Shelburne’s fees more in line with neighboring communities. Another consideration was to ensure that the fees require applicants to pay a reasonable share of actual costs for processing applications and permits.

Various fees are increased. The only new fee is for those who “build first and receive a permit second.” In this case, the applicable fee would be 50 percent or 100 percent higher than the normal fee. The size of the expanded fee would depend on whether the applicant took steps to apply for the permit before or after receiving an issuance of violation from the Town.

The Town Manager suggested that four philosophical questions be considered in regard to setting the fees:

Should the Town charge a fee related to the actual cost of an application or should it instead charge a token amount?

Should the Town charge the same rate per square foot for residential and commercial development or should different rates apply?

Should the Town charge an additional fee for “after-the-fact” permits or should the current practice of no additional fee apply?

Should the Town charge fees similar to our neighboring communities or should they be consistently lower?

If you want to voice your opinion on these fees, please read the proposal posted on the Town’s website, and submit your written comments by 4pm on May 15 and/or attend the public comment session in Meeting Room 2 of the Municipal Center on Thursday, May 14 from 4 to 6pm.