Updated Fees and Charges, 2022
On June 28, 2022, a Joint Ordinance amending the Schedule of Fees and Charges for the Columbia City/Whitley County Joint Planning and Building Department was adopted by the Columbia City Common Council and Whitley County Board of Commissioners. This ordinance establishes and amends the various building permit and planning filing fees charged by the Department. A copy of the full ordinance text may be found below.
These fees will go into effect on October 5, 2022.
| Permit Applications | Fee | Notes |
| Class 2 Buildings (One/two-family residential) | ||
| New construction/additions | $120 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Manufactured dwelling, outside of MHP | $120 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Remodeling | $80 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Decks, porches | $80 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Accessory structures, 201-2,000 sf | $80 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Accessory structures, 2,001+ sf | $240 + 4¢ per sf over 2,000 | |
| Basement finish | $80 + 4¢ per sf | Applies if building is completed over 1 year |
| Class 1 Buildings (Commercial, institutional, multi-family, etc.) | ||
| New construction/additions, up to 20,000 sf | $120 + 8¢ per sf | |
| New construction/additions, 20,001+ sf | $1,720 + 4¢ per sf over 20,000 | |
| Remodeling/tenant finish, up to 20,000 sf | $80 + 8¢ per sf | |
| Remodeling/tenant finish, 20,001+ sf | $1,680 + 4¢ per sf over 20,000 | |
| Swimming pools | ||
| Above-ground | $80 | May include a deck up to 200 sf |
| In-ground | $160 | |
| Commercial | $160 + 8¢ per sf | May include any required fencing |
| Hot tub (manufactured) | $80 | |
| Hot tub (constructed) | $160 | |
| Towers and utility structures | ||
| Communication tower, commercial | $240 | |
| Communication tower, non-commercial | $80 | |
| Antenna co-location, with ground building | $120 | |
| Antenna co-location, electric service only | $80 | |
| Commercial Wind Energy Conversion System tower | $360 | |
| Non-commercial WECS tower | $80 | |
| Ground-mounted solar, up to 20,000 sf panel area | $80 + 1¢ per panel sf | |
| Ground-mounted solar, 20,001+ sf panel area | $280 + ¼¢ per panel sf over 20,000 | |
| Building-mounted solar arrays | $80 + ½¢ per panel sf | |
| Permits in established Mobile Home Parks | ||
| Manufactured home (doublewide) | $120 | |
| Manufactured home (singlewide) | $100 | |
| Decks, ramps, carports | $40 | |
| Signs | ||
| On-building | $40 | |
| Freestanding | $80 | |
| Billboards | $300 | |
| Other signs | $40 | |
| Other construction permits | ||
| Accessibility ramp | $60 | |
| Accessory structures, ≤ 200 sq ft | $40 | |
| Demolition | $15 | |
| Electric generator | $80 | |
| Electric service and building rewire | $120 | |
| Electric service upgrade | $80 | |
| Fences | $40 | |
| Fuel system, complete | $120 + $40 per dispenser | |
| Fuel system, partial | $40 per dispenser | |
| Gas reconnect (pressure test) | $40 | |
| Gas system and appliance installation (new) | $80 | |
| Parking lot (standalone) | $80 | |
| Ponds | $120 + $80/ac | Rounded to hundreths of an acre |
| Roof system | $80 | |
| Zero-square foot remodel | $80 | |
| Floodplain development (administrative) | No fee | |
| Floodplain development (inspections required) | $80 | |
| Single inspections | $50 | |
| Improvement Location Permit | $40 | |
| Other construction types not listed | As determined, based on number of inspections plus processing costs | |
| Other fees | ||
| Amendment to an issued permit | $50 + cost difference | May be applied to new construction/remodel |
| Failed inspection/reinspection | $80 | May be applied if three failed inspections |
| Missed inspection | $80 | |
| Permit issued after construction started | 2x the base fee | May be applied to new construction/remodel |
| Occupancy without Certificate of Occupancy issued | $500 | |
| Permit fees are rounded to the nearest dollar | ||
| Planning/Zoning Applications | Fee | Notes |
| Plan Commission filings | ||
| Zone map amendment (rezoning), up to 120 acres | $360 | |
| Zone map amendment (rezoning), 120+ acres | $360 + $2/acre over 120 | |
| Subdivision primary plat and replats, 1-4 lots | $180 | |
| Subdivision primary plat and replats, 5+ lots | $240 + $10/lot | |
| Modifications to approved primary plats | $180 + $10/lot | |
| Subdivision technical review | No fee | |
| Subdivision secondary plat, administrative | No fee | |
| Subdivision secondary plat, if not administrative | $180 | |
| Plat vacation | $180 | |
| Modifications (e.g. covenants) | $150 | |
| Comprehensive Plan amendments | $600 | |
| Planned Unit Development, Primary PUD | $500 + $2/acre | |
| Planned Unit Development, Detailed PUD | $360 | |
| Executive Committee filings | ||
| Development Plan | $360 | |
| Development Plan, amendment to approved Plan | $180 | |
| Development Plan, CBD setback review only | $100 | |
| Board of Zoning Appeals filings | ||
| Development standards variance | $240/$360 residential/commercial | |
| Land use variance | $360 | |
| Special exception | $240 | |
| Special exception, fences or signs only | $100 | |
| Appeals of administrative decisions | $180 | |
| Documents | ||
| Annual Report | $5 | |
| Comprehensive Plan | $20 | |
| Zoning Ordinance | $20 | |
| Subdivision Ordinance | $20 (City), $3 (others) | |
| Copies, black & white | 10¢ per page | Letter/legal size |
| Copies, color | 25¢ per page | Letter/legal size |
| CDs/DVDs | $5 | |
| Zoning certification letter | $75 | |
| Other fees | ||
| Notice mailings, signs, advertisements, USBs, etc. | Actual cost + 2% | |
| Special PC meeting (initiated by petitioner) | $480 | Does not include filing fee |
| Special BZA meeting (initiated by petitioner) | $300 | Does not include filing fee |
| Planning/building services to other jurisdictions | $6,000 | Annual fee |
| Petition/document fees are rounded up to the nearest 5¢ | ||
Associated Documents
- Adopted ordinance