BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM – Home builders, business developers and contractors will have new, increased building fees to pay in Potsdam if they are planning any construction.

The amended code enforcement fee schedule, approved by the Potsdam Town Board at its Nov. 5 meeting, replaces fees town officials said had not been updated in years and no longer adequately covered the costs of permit reviews, inspections and enforcement.

The new building permit charges are based on project value not on square footage as the fee schedule was set up previously. The revised schedule also includes updated fees for inspections, construction, zoning and other services.

Residential building permits will cost 0.4% of project value, based on materials and labor, while commercial permits will cost 0.6%. Previously the permit fee was based on square footage and was 22 cents per square foot for a typical residential permit and 14 cents per square foot for a non-typical. Commercial permit costs were also previously based on square footage, with the town charging 35 cents per square foot.

The board said the separate rates reflect the additional plan reviews, inspections and administrative oversight generally required for commercial projects.

Town officials said in an earlier meeting several weeks ago that the revised fee schedule is in line with what other local municipalities charge.

The revised fees include:

Building and construction

• Residential permits: 0.4% of project value.
• Commercial permits: 0.6% of project value.

Other building permit fees

• Manufactured homes, typical residential: $0.25 per square foot; non-typical residential: $0.17; commercial: $0.42.
• Pole barns and sheds: $0.17 per square foot, $35 minimum.
• Farm construction: $75 for projects under $400,000; $150 for $400,000 and above.
• Demolition: $60 residential; $125 commercial.
• Siding and permanent generators: 0.4% of project value.

Inspections and permits

• Foster home inspection: $50.
• Fire prevention/property maintenance inspection: $40 residential; $75 commercial.
• Residential re-inspections: first free; second $100; third $250; fourth $1,000.
• Commercial re-inspections: first free; second $175; third $500; fourth $2,500.
• Permit renewal: 25% of original permit fee.
• Wood stove/boiler: $45.
• Septic and well permits: $50 each.
• Swimming pool: $40.

Other fees

• Certificate of occupancy without a permit: $100 for one- and two-family dwellings; $125 for all others.
• Failure to obtain a permit: $150; second offense $250; subsequent offenses $500.
• Home occupation/profession sign: $40; commercial sign: $125.
• Major operational permit: $65; minor: $35.
• Residential solar: 0.4% of project value.
• Commercial solar: 0.6% of project value plus $2,000 per megawatt.
• Home occupation: $75; vendor/hawker: $60.

Planning and zoning

• Major subdivision: $250; minor subdivision: $125.
• Special use permit: $75.
• Large solar special use permit (more than 25 kilowatts): $150 plus $75 per megawatt.
• Zoning Board of Appeals permit/area variance: $75.
• Zoning change request: $125.