Increases estimated to raise $158,371 annually

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

In an effort to raise more revenue to offset the cost of additional personnel next year in Oneida County’s planning and zoning department, the county’s Planning and Development Committee agreed Wednesday to forward a series of fee increases to the full County Board for possible final approval at a special board meeting being planned for Dec. 19.

Committee members heard from planning and zoning director Karl Jennrich and assistant director Pete Wegner about those proposed fee increases estimated to generate an additional $158,371 in annual revenue.

According to the information Jennrich and Wegner provided to the committee, close to half of the estimated additional revenue, $76,546, would be raised from increases in zoning permits issued. That includes an increase of 6 cents per square foot in permits issued for dwelling units, which would have a minimum fee of $75 and an increase per square foot from 14 to 20 cents.

An estimated additional $52,000 would be raised annually from sanitary fee increases. For instance, fees for a holding tank, conventional sewage system and/or septic tank, in-ground pressurized system, mound or at-grade system would all increase by $100. The holding tank permit is presently $425 with the conventional sewage system and/or septic tank permit $300 and the other two categories of permits costing $410.

Jennrich provided the committee a handout listing the sanitary fees of 20 counties in Wisconsin that vary with some counties presently charging less and others charging more than Oneida.

“There’s one that just charges, like Winnebago, with $600 across the board, no matter what the permit is,” Jennrich said.

Among other proposed fee increases in Oneida County, the charge for a conditional use permit would increase by $100 to $600.

The permit fee would also change for boathouses from 20 cents per square foot to a flat fee of $500, which is estimated to raise an additional $9,200 annually.

The proposed fee increases do not require holding a public hearing prior to being acted on by the full County Board.