Board hears why dock permits stay with Water & Navigation; fee changes possible

Commissioners probed whether dock permits could be absorbed by the building division to reduce general‑fund support for Water & Navigation. Kelly, who oversees permitting, explained those reviews are specialized and carried out under a delegated Army Corps checklist and require in‑water inspections and environmental review. "Minimum permit timeline for from the corps for a single family dock is somewhere between 6 months and a year. We're doing it at the same time and we're getting it done in a few weeks to less than a month," she said, describing the efficiency gained by the county doing coordinated reviews.

Staff outlined options: (1) retain the specialized program but consider a phased fee increase over three years to bring fees closer to cost recovery, or (2) explore moving permits but only with staff transfers to avoid delays in all permitting lines. Commissioners also asked about third‑party review, charter constraints and whether moving the function would violate delegated agreements. Kelly said the Corps does not require delegation but requires expertise; the county currently has state‑delegated authority for some activities (mangrove permits), an intake team and a small group carrying out inspections and maintenance. Any fee change would reduce general‑fund subsidy; staff suggested contractors prefer timely turnaround and would accept phased fee adjustments rather than sudden large hikes.