The Billings City Council has approved a 25% reduction in permit fees, referring to the move as “a major step in the City’s commitment to supporting growth and affordability.”
According to the City, it has been in extensive talks with local builders and developers over the last 18 months in order to identify opportunities for meaningful cost savings. After a thorough evaluation of the permit fee structure by the City’s Building Division, the Division proposed the reduction along with another review planned in two years.
“Billings has historically offered both lower permit fees and faster first review turnaround times than other Montana cities,” according to City Building Division Manager, Jessica Fust. “And to keep Billings an attractive place to build and invest, we’ve been looking at ways to remove barriers for the building community.”
The City gave the example of a residential home valued at $350,000 now having its building permit fees reduced from approximately $1,540 to $1,154, meaning a total savings of $386. Another example given was … Read Full story here by Subscribing.
