Public-works staff told the Spokane Valley City Council on March 4 that a spike in right-of-way permits, largely from regional fiber and utility projects, exceeded inspection capacity in 2023–24 and that fee changes could fund an extra inspector to reduce permitting delays.

Gloria, the city’s engineering representative, said inspectors handled more than 1,000 right-of-way permits in 2024 and that the city had to hire and then extend a consultant contract to provide seven months of supplemental inspection coverage. Even so, the city placed roughly 40 right-of-way permits on hold late last year because inspectors lacked capacity to inspect active work.

Staff compared Spokane Valley’s right-of-way and permitting fees with neighboring jurisdictions and proposed modest increases to the right-of-way permit fee schedule; staff said the proposed increases could generate approximately $144,000 on 2024 permit volumes and would support one additional full‑time right‑of‑way inspector. The additional position would reduce overtime risk for the current inspector, who staff said plans to retire next year, and allow the city to process permits more quickly.

Council members asked about the composition of permit applicants (staff said the majority are utility and fiber companies) and whether fee increases would reduce demand; staff replied that demand is driven by regional connectivity projects and that fee adjustments are unlikely to dampen necessary infrastructure work but would improve the city’s ability to inspect and enforce patch and pavement standards.

Staff said they would return with a formal ordinance and fee schedule amendment for council consideration and asked whether council wanted the change considered for the current-year budget rather than only for 2026 planning.