CANTON – City officials have proposed changes to the building code, reducing residential building fees and creating a requirement for contractors to list all subcontractors.
The proposed changes streamline multiple existing charges under one application fee, a move city officials say is designed to encourage legal and safe improvements.
"We want to make it affordable for the average resident to make improvements to their house," Mayor William V. Sherer II said.
Tucked into the ordinance is also a new rule, requiring all contractors to submit a list of subcontractors working on the project, a change Sherer said ensures accountability for income tax purposes.
Commercial permit fees would remain the same.
Canton City Council will vote on changes to the building code at its Aug. 10 meeting.
Earlier this year, Sherer asked the building department to review residential permit fees after determining commercial fees were already in a good place.
After comparing Canton's rates with those of 10 Ohio communities, city building officials proposed a simpler application and inspection process.
Ordinance, Changes to Building Fees by ablose
"When you sample other communities, it gives you that feel like, 'What's out there? What are other people doing?' Which I think really motivated the results," Building Code Department head J.R. Rinaldi said.
The proposed changes eliminate additional fees, which currently make residential permit costs similar to those of commercial projects.
"We're just definitely trying to cut down on some of those excessive fees that discourage people from wanting to improve their houses, because we want Canton to be better. We want people to do it safely," Administrative Clerk Katrina Benson said.
According to a chart of changes provided by city officials, the impact could be significant for some projects.
For example, a wheelchair ramp would have an application fee of $150 plus 1% Board of Building Standards fee (established by the state). The current fee for such a project comes out to approximately $838.30. The changes would take that number down to $262.60.
A larger project, such as a raised deck, would require additional inspections. Currently, a fee for a deck would be about $1,171.60. The proposed change would take it to about $484.80.
The changes also waive application fees for some residential projects altogether, including windows, roofs and furnaces. Inspection fees would still apply.
Benson said lower costs could encourage more homeowners to obtain permits rather than bypass the process to avoid fees.
Under proposed changes, contractors would have to submit a list of subcontractors working on projects.
According to the ordinance, if a licensed contractor fails to submit a "Project Subcontractor Report" to the building department or falsifies information, the department may not close the permit and the contractor may be subject to a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
Sherer said the change grew out of conversations with the city's Income Tax Department and is intended to help the city track who is working within Canton and whether local income taxes are being paid.
"We survive on people working," he said. "I have a fiduciary responsibility to the city to make sure that we're doing everything that we possibly can. The residents of the city are depending on us to provide the services and how are we going to pay for them?"
The proposal is part of a broader effort to improve the city's Building Department, which is also searching for a new chief building official after Charles Corcoran's departure. Council recently approved a higher salary range of $119,153 to $165,000 to help attract candidates.
Rinaldi said the department is also working with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Canton For All People to create pre-approved home plans that could speed up future housing projects.
For Sherer, the goal is simple: Make it easier for residents to invest in their homes.
"We need to make things affordable for the residents in the city to make improvements to their houses and truly improve our neighborhoods," Sherer said.
Contact Abreanna Blose by email at [email protected] or by phone at 330-580-8513.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton proposes cheaper home building fees, subcontractor disclosure