[Council Communication]  [Proposed Ordinance]

Council Communication

Title:	Second Reading of an Ordinance Amending Sections 15.04.220, 15.16.240 and 15.20.040 of the Ashland Municipal Code to Provide that Fees for the Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Codes be set by Resolution of the City Council.
Dept:	Department of Community Development Building Division
Date:	June 3, 2003
Submitted By:	John McLaughlin, Director of Community Development
Approved By: ...........................	Gino Grimaldi, City Administrator

Synopsis:	At the May 20 meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution increasing mechanical and plumbing fees. These increases augmented recent changes in local structural and electrical fees. The increase in fees also required that the municipal code sections applicable to building code increases be modified to allow that fees be set by resolution of the City Council. First reading of the ordinance modifying those sections was approved by the Council at the last meeting.
Recommendation:	Staff recommends that the Council move to adopt the ordinance amending the municipal code regarding building fees. These changes will allow for future fee amendments to be adopted by the Council by resolution.
Fiscal Impact:	The Building Division is supported by fees associated with permits and inspections. The direction from the City Council is for this division to be self-supporting through the collection of these fees. These ordinance amendments that allow for the fee increase by resolution will ensure that the Mechanical and Plumbing Programs are adequately supported by fees.
Background:	The City of Ashland has provided mechanical and plumbing inspection programs as the Authority Having Jurisdiction since the inception of the building inspection program. During that period the mechanical program has been administered by the Building Official as an additional duty. A second mechanical inspector for one and two family dwellings was added to deal with volume in this sector of development. A full time plumbing inspector was employed in 1996. Fees for this program have not been increased since originally adopted. These increases will bring Ashland's fee schedule in line with others in the region. Prior to this item coming for review at the City Council, notice of the fee increase was announced at the Southern Oregon Homebuilder's Meeting. Further, two mailings, one from the State Building Codes Agency and once from the City of Ashland Building Division was sent to local contractors inviting them to comment on the proposed increases, and to attend a meeting at the end of April with the Building Official to discuss the increases. No written comments nor public testimony was received on this matter.

THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 15.04.220 of the Ashland Municipal Code is amended to read:

SECTION 15.04.220. Mechanical Specialty Code Fee. For application in this city, Section 304 of the mechanical specialty code deleted. The fee schedule for mechanical specialty code fees shall be established by resolution of the city council .

SECTION 2. Section 15.16.240 of the Ashland Municipal Code is amended to read:

SECTION 15.16.240. Permits--Fees. For application in this city, the plumbing specialty code fees shall be established by resolution of the city council.

SECTION 3. Section 15.20.040 of the Ashland Municipal Code is amended to read:

SECTION 15.20.040. Fee Schedule. The fee schedule for electrical shall be established by resolution of the city council as the fee schedule for the City in the administration of the electrical code.

The foregoing ordinance was first READ on the 20th day of May , 2003, and duly PASSED and ADOPTED this 3rd day of June , 2003.

Barbara Christensen, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this day of , 2003.
Alan W. DeBoer, Mayor

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