BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham will soon see some land development costs rise for the first time in nearly 20 years.
The Bellingham City Council voted unanimously on Monday, Aug. 24, to increase land use permit fees.
According to the city’s planning department, the fee schedule hasn’t been updated since 2007 and revenue is no longer keeping pace with service costs.
Starting on Oct. 1, the existing fees will rise by roughly 37% to account for inflation. Additionally, the city is instituting a 5% technology fee to help upgrade their permit tracking system, inspection tablets and other tech-related services.
The fees will be adjusted on Jan. 1 every year starting in 2028 to keep pace with inflation using the latest change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The approved resolution also includes an amendment that requires the council to review the fee schedule at some point before the first half of 2032. Part of the revenue generated from the increased fees will fund a market study that will inform that future review.
“The amendment was kind of, I feel like, a placeholder to ensure that, should something happen and we don’t get a timely study and recommendations coming forward, at least we’d get a report back in the near future,” Council member Lisa Anderson said at the meeting.
The city estimates the fee hikes will raise roughly $200,000 in added revenue.
