Cowlitz County amends resolution to raise building and planning fees; officials cite staffing and rising costs
June 30, 2026 | Cowlitz County, Washington
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The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to amend and resend Resolution 23095 to increase building and planning fees, including a 3% increase to valuation‑based fees and a $10 technology fee intended to support software and a dedicated staff position.
Tracy Jackson, Building and Planning staff, told commissioners the department has not raised fees in more than four years and that fees are necessary to keep the office fully staffed. "We need to raise our fees to cover our costs," Jackson said, adding she had moved two general‑fund positions into the department's enterprise fund and asked the increases to take effect July 1.
County officials said the changes are intended to ensure the department can maintain customer service and inspection capacity. Jackson provided budget figures: a loaded 2026 staff cost of $2.289 million, prior year fee collections of $2.543 million, and that the office had drawn about $750,000 from its ending fund balance to cover operations in recent years.
At public comment, a resident identified to the board as Flo urged restraint and said recording and permit costs felt "astronomical," particularly for small landowners. "If I have just a small piece of land, those fees are extremely prohibitive," Flo said. Jackson responded that recording fees are charged by the auditor's office, not Building and Planning, and described the department's expanded counter hours and plan review help at no charge.
Commissioners framed the change as a necessary, modest increase rather than a tax increase. One commissioner said the 3% increase and the $10 fee were a "baby step" to preserve services and staff. The motion to amend and resend Resolution 23095, as described by staff, passed on the board's vote (vote tally not specified in the transcript).
The fee change will be implemented administratively per the amended resolution; the board opened the subject to public comment before taking the vote. The board proceeded to its scheduled Board of Health meeting after adjourning the BOCC session.
Details not specified in the record include the precise effective implementation steps beyond the stated July 1 date and a department‑level schedule for invoicing or phased implementation.
Tracy Jackson, Building and Planning staff, told commissioners the department has not raised fees in more than four years and that fees are necessary to keep the office fully staffed. "We need to raise our fees to cover our costs," Jackson said, adding she had moved two general‑fund positions into the department's enterprise fund and asked the increases to take effect July 1.
County officials said the changes are intended to ensure the department can maintain customer service and inspection capacity. Jackson provided budget figures: a loaded 2026 staff cost of $2.289 million, prior year fee collections of $2.543 million, and that the office had drawn about $750,000 from its ending fund balance to cover operations in recent years.
At public comment, a resident identified to the board as Flo urged restraint and said recording and permit costs felt "astronomical," particularly for small landowners. "If I have just a small piece of land, those fees are extremely prohibitive," Flo said. Jackson responded that recording fees are charged by the auditor's office, not Building and Planning, and described the department's expanded counter hours and plan review help at no charge.
Commissioners framed the change as a necessary, modest increase rather than a tax increase. One commissioner said the 3% increase and the $10 fee were a "baby step" to preserve services and staff. The motion to amend and resend Resolution 23095, as described by staff, passed on the board's vote (vote tally not specified in the transcript).
The fee change will be implemented administratively per the amended resolution; the board opened the subject to public comment before taking the vote. The board proceeded to its scheduled Board of Health meeting after adjourning the BOCC session.
Details not specified in the record include the precise effective implementation steps beyond the stated July 1 date and a department‑level schedule for invoicing or phased implementation.
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