PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Department of Community Development will begin charging for advice in 2014.
The new fee for pre-application conferences is in addition to other increased fees for such things as road vacation requests, pre-application site visits, resubmittal of consistency review and scanning.
The three Jefferson County commissioners approved the changes Tuesday.
The increased fees are expected to bring in an additional $100,776 to the department.
“We have been able to provide free services for people before they apply for permits because of a grant,” said Planning Manager Stacie Hoskins.
“But that grant is ending, and we have no revenue stream to support the service, so we will need to start charging.
“If we don’t charge, in a few years, we will either have to stop offering the services, RIF [lay off] some people or both.”
The Watership Resources Stewardship Grant, which provides 21 percent of DCD’s budget and supports three full-time positions, will cease at the end of this year.
Under the new customer service arrangement, those seeking advice will get 15 minutes free, with overages kicking in at a rate of $75 an hour.
Assuming 1,000 hours of customer service will be charged the fee, the new practice could bring in $74,000 of the expected additional revenue, according to the approved resolution.
Hoskins said “a lot of bugs will need to be worked out” of the process before it is running efficiently but that some procedures have been determined.
Prior to sitting down with the client, DCD staff will provide an estimate and collect fees in advance, she said.
And clients won’t be shut down if the buzzer sounds.
“If it seems like we are wrapping up after 15 minutes, we won’t charge any extra, but if it looks like it will go on for a while, we will charge,” Hoskins said.
“Sometimes, people come in and want to prepare a legal response.
“We tell them that will take at least three hours.”
When the charges begin, clients will be paying for the same level of service that is now available for free, but that will change over time, Hoskins said.
One strategy will be to publish detailed handouts that respond to common specific questions so the client is better prepared before sitting down with a planner.
“It will be much the same at first, but over time, people will get better service,” Hoskins said.
For a full schedule of the new fees, visit http://tinyurl.com/PDN-DCD-Fees.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.