Mount Prospect plans changes in how some get a break on fees

Mount Prospect will change the way it handles requests for permit fee waivers from nonprofit and government agencies, in hopes of reducing the amount of time staff spends processing the requests and the village's out-of-pocket costs.

The planned changes, which were received favorably by village trustees this week, would allow the village to continue granting waivers, but place some limits on what types of fees were eligible, and how much could be waived.

Under a proposal from village staff members, building permit fees for agencies seeking a waiver could be limited to $250, instead of waived entirely. For private entities, the village normally charges a $50 permit fee for projects valued under $5,000 and increases the fee by $10 for each $1,000 of additional value. For example, a $150,000 project would cost a private building more than $1,600 in permit fees.

Acting Village Manager David Strahl pointed out that since 2010, the village has contracted for building inspection services, and pays the costs through permit fees. When a fee is waived on a project, the village pays for the inspection out of pocket.

"So this is kind of a middle-of-the-road proposal to recapture some of these (costs)," he said.

The proposed changes also would allow waivers of public works fees only above the amount that covers village expenses, and fire inspection and review fees would be limited only to those related to retrofitting an existing structure.

Trustees said they support giving nonprofits and government agencies a break on fees, noting that the latter are supported by the same taxpayers who fund the village, but were agreeable to the proposed changes.

"If we are covering our costs, it seems reasonable to me," Trustee Paul Hoefert said.