AGENDA #5f
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
J.B. Culpepper,
Planning Director |
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SUBJECT: |
Response to Petition Regarding Proposed Fee Reduction for Certificates of Appropriateness |
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DATE: |
February 12, 2007 |
The purpose of this memorandum is to respond to the petition submitted by the Historic District Commission requesting a reduction for the Certificate of Appropriateness application fee.
We recommend that the petition be considered as part of the Council’s budget deliberations.
On January 8, 2007, the Council received the attached petition from the Historic District Commission. The petition proposes a change to the Certificate of Appropriateness application fee from $300 to $200 for stand-alone, new construction projects and $50 for all other applications. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for any changes to structures in a historic district.
Since the application fee was implemented in July 2005, the staff and the Commission have received citizen complaints regarding the fee, particularly in reference to minor administrative reviews (for example, the same $300 fee applies whether one is replacing a light fixture or building a house).
The attached petition explains in further detail the Commission’s rationale for proposing the fee change.
We recommend that the petition be considered as part of the Council’s budget deliberations.