Building permit fee hike proposed for Asotin County

ASOTIN — Asotin County officials are proposing an 8 to 10 percent increase in some building permit fees and several updates to the building code.

Two public hearings on the issues were conducted Monday, and comments on both items will be accepted until noon Friday. The board of commissioners plan to take action on the fee hike and building code changes next week.

Karst Riggers, building official, said the prices for building permits haven’t been adjusted since 2017, and the proposed increase is reasonable for the four-year period. If approved, the valuation per square foot for a new single-family home will go from $94 to $106 on the main floor, which is similar to the fee schedules used in Clarkston, Moscow and other communities in the surrounding area, he said.

Under the current pricing, the price of a permit to build an 1,800-square-foot house with a 700-square-foot garage in Asotin County is $2,857.40. The increase would bump the cost of a permit for the same house to $3,083.45.

In general, “the bigger the house, the more you pay for your permit,” Riggers told the commissioners.

Officials said the county assessor uses a different formula to establish property values for tax purposes, and building permits typically reflect a lower valuation than the housing market.

“We’re seeing houses here selling for $250 a square foot,” Riggers said.

To date, 22 single-family homes have been built in unincorporated areas of Asotin County this year. About 30 new houses a year is normal, and 2021 is on track for a similar outcome. Most of the new commercial construction in the county has been limited to storage units.

For residential additions, the proposed rate is $71 per square foot instead of $64. If the rate hike gets the green light, the fee for a 400-square-foot addition would go from $663.20 to $709.40. Pole buildings would increase from $19 per square foot to $21.

Adoption of the 2018 international building code required a public hearing, but drew no comments. All of the proposed changes meet state laws and adhere to the latest standards, Riggers said.

A third public hearing was held Monday about vacating some alleys in Anatone. If approved, the county will no longer have to maintain those areas. No property owners affected by the plan have voiced any opposition, said Ted Sharpe of the Public Works Department.

Comments on the building permit fee hikes, code changes or Anatone alleys can be submitted to the commissioners via email at bocc@co.asotin.wa.us or by mail to Asotin County, P.O. Box 250, Asotin, WA 99402. The deadline is noon Friday.

In other county business, a variance for Richard Grimm to build a shop at 2753 Florence Lane, Clarkston, was approved with a 3-0 vote. The variance will allow Grimm to build 3 feet from his property line, instead of 9 feet.

The commissioners also voted 3-0 in favor of a conditional-use permit for Danny Centenari to build an oversized shop at 2796 Grandview Drive, Clarkston. The shop and lean-to addition are larger than the standard size allowed in a residential zone and required a permit, Riggers said.

Both building issues were recommended for approval by the Asotin County Planning Commission, which is an advisory board of volunteers.

The planning commission will be conducting a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Asotin County Fire District auditorium to consider a conditional-use permit for construction of a new Asotin County Jail along Sixth Avenue in the Clarkston Heights. The fire hall is located at 2377 Appleside Blvd.

For those unable to attend, the hearing will be offered through a live online link that evening, officials said. Public comments will be gathered at the meeting and also can be emailed to Riggers at kriggers@co.asotin.wa.us prior to Oct. 19.

The planning commission will make a recommendation about the jail site application to the board of commissioners, who will then determine whether it is approved or denied. If it gets the thumbs-up, the jail will be built across the road from the Asotin County Regional Landfill. More information on the project is available on the county’s website on the sheriff’s office page.

Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.