County sets new permit fees for building construction
Some Fayette County residents anticipating a construction project in the new year will see a slight fee hike when securing a building permit.
In unanimous action, Commissioners Vincent Vicites, Dave Lohr and Angela M. Zimmerlink recently approved the new building permit fee schedule that will become effective Jan. 1.
Sara Rosiek, director of the planning, zoning and community development office, said the rate hike is the first since the county adopted the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) in 2004.
“The cost is still below what is being charged in some municipalities, and our fee includes the inspection,” she said.
The planning department oversees the UCC office.
The UCC was mandated by the state with the county opting to handle the work for those municipalities that did not want the duties.
The county oversees 19 of its 42 municipalities, with the remaining boroughs, townships and Uniontown hiring a firm to undertake the inspection duties.
The UCC requires all structures be built per regulation standards, with certain construction levels inspected by a certified inspector.
The permit for a newly constructed one or two family dwelling will now cost $535 — up from $475 while permits for additions to a residential home will cost $300. The prior fee was $240.
Permit costs for the construction of porches, roofs, decks, along with the addition of an in-ground or above-ground swimming pool, will also rise in 2017, according to the fee schedule.
Additional information is available on the county website at http://www.co.fayette.pa.us/planningzoning/Pages/default.aspx.
In other matters, commissioners also conducted the following business at the December meeting:
n Awarded a two-year contract to Resource Technologies Corp. of State College for mineral valuation and GIS consulting at a monthly cost of $1,000.
n Approved a contract with Pictometry International Corp. of Rochester, New York, for vertical and oblique aerial photography at a total cost of $282,773.
n Hired Cory Coffman for an assessor 1 position at an annual salary of $29,367 and Christ Valentovich as a full-time driver for FACT at an annual salary of $23,127.