Hamlet Zoning Board Looking into Permit Fee Updates

Hamlet’s building permit fees may soon be getting an update. Last week, the Hamlet Zoning Board discussed the possibility of overhauling the town’s building and zoning procedures.

As a first step, board member Dave Kesvormas suggested looking at what other towns are charging. “Having a low fee is encouraging,” he said. “It encourages development, but on other ends of it, it doesn’t. You know, we can get some fly-by-night people to come in here and do really lousy work and stuff, and the lousy work will end up catching up to us later. So let’s just get a comparison of what everybody else is.”

The discussion came up after Frank Lonigro asked about getting paid for his work as building inspector. Kesvormas pointed out that Hamlet’s building inspector used to get a percentage of permit revenues. But before deciding on an amount, he wanted to reevaluate the town’s fee schedule.

Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts agreed to research the issue, and provide an update at the next zoning board meeting.