Berwyn Building and Zoning Committee recommends 1.5% flat permit fee, to keep inspections separate for now

The Berwyn Building and Zoning Committee voted to recommend a 1.5% permit fee calculated as a flat percentage of the value of work and to keep inspection charges separate for the time being. Chair Sarah Barnett Brockman called the meeting and members reviewed staff projections for 1.25%, 1.5% and 2% scenarios before the recommendation.

Committee members said the change is intended to simplify the fee schedule and bring Berwyn more in line with nearby communities while avoiding unexpected cost spikes for permit applicants. “We want a system that’s transparent, that streamlines process, that makes it easy for both staff and the residents to understand,” Chair Sarah Barnett Brockman said while introducing the projections.

The committee reviewed comparative rates: Cicero was cited as charging 2% for residential and 3% for commercial permits (staff noted Cicero’s percentage includes inspection costs); Riverside was cited at 1.75% or $100, whichever is greater. Several members said Berwyn’s effective rate has been about 1.1% and that a mid‑range increase was reasonable. Building Director Sean Rosara noted the city has historically been low and recommended raising fees "as high as possible without causing financial stress to the people pulling the permits." The committee agreed 1.5% was a practical middle path.

Members discussed whether inspection costs should be folded into the percentage. Staff explained inspection fees currently are billed separately and summarized common inspection charges and contractor markups: residential inspections generally range $50–$80; commercial inspections generally range $100–$140; for outsourced inspections the city retains a $20 markup while paying contractors roughly $30 on a $50 inspection. Staff and members raised concerns that including inspections in a single percentage without detailed data could raise effective costs disproportionately for small projects such as fences or minor rehabs.

To illustrate, staff used May permit data for fence permits: 37 fence permits with two inspections each produced a quantifiable amount of inspection revenue but the inspection component can represent a larger percentage of small projects’ costs than for larger projects. Committee members said that dynamic argued for keeping inspections separate while the city collects six months of data to measure the effective combined rate.

A member moved to recommend the 1.5% flat percentage for permit fees and the motion passed by voice vote. The transcript records the committee responding “Aye” and approving the recommendation. Staff estimated the 0.25 percentage-point increase would yield roughly $100,000 over the course of a year based on the projections presented; staff will finalize ordinance language, send it to legal, and forward it to city council.

The committee also agreed to a six-month review: staff will return with a breakdown of inspection revenues and permits so members can evaluate whether to later include inspection costs in the percentage or adjust minimum fees.