County: School Projects Should Be Exempt from Building Permit Fee
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[There is currently no provision in Perry County's building permit ordinance to allow the board to waive a building permit fee for anything other than industrial property.
At issue is Du Quoin Community Unit District 300's argument that it should not be assessed a building permit fee by either the City of Du Quoin or Perry County with respect to construction of the new Du Quoin High School.
Supervisor of Assessments John Batteau asked the board to consider amending the rules governing building permits after receiving a letter from Du Quoin Dist. 300 asking to have the fee waived for their new 100,000 square foot building.
Batteau said that even at the lowest residential rate of $5 plus $.02 per square foot Dist. 300 would be expected to pay $2,005, excluding zoning fees.
Pinckneyville Community High School paid $1,110 on Jan. 11 for building permit and zoning fees on the new 54,000 square foot school.
Permit fees are $5 plus $.02 per square foot for residential property, $.03 per square foot for commercial property and $.06 per square foot for industrial property.
There is no fee for structures of 100 square feet or less.
"It's not a money maker," County Clerk Kevin Kern said. Requiring building permit is a way for the County to keep track of new construction. The permit ordinance was passed in 2002.
State's Attorney David Stanton and County Clerk Kevin Kern will put together an amendment that will waive the permit fees for taxing bodies.
If the board approves the amendment, the fee for PCHS--which that district has already paid-- will be refunded.