Title
Vote on a request to accept adding a fee on the Environmental Health fee schedule for engineer option permitting. (Fee proposed is 30% of the cost of obtaining an Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization).
Abstract
Action Requested: Vote on a request to accept a fee for all Engineered Option Permits.
Introduction & Background: Engineered Option Permitting (EOP) became effective on July 1, 2016. EOP allows professional engineers to prepare plans and specifications and reports for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a wastewater system without requiring a wastewater permit from the local health department.
Under EOP the local health department responsibilities are limited to reviewing the Notice of Intent to Construct (NOI) documentation, conducting a startup visit on the property when the wastewater systems is installed, reviewing the Authorization to Operate (ATO) documentation, and archiving all paperwork.
As part of the EOP, the North Carolina legislature allowed local health departments the option to charge a fee up to 30% of the cumulative total of fees a client would have paid to obtain an improvement permit and a construction authorization.
Discussion & Analysis: Chatham County Environmental Health proposes establishing a fee of 30% of the cumulative fees for the improvement permit and construction authorization for each EOP submission. The 30% fee will provide Chatham County compensation for the time required to review paperwork and conduct the start up visit. Example: Currently if a client applied for an improvement permit and a construction authorization for a type II septic system to serve a 3 bedroom home the fee would be $380. If the client elected to use an engineer, instead of Environmental Health, to permit and certify the septic system the fee would be 30%of $380 which is $114.
Budgetary Impact: Fees will help support the work that is required for the EOP process.
Recommendation: Vote on a reque...
Click here for full text