High Ridge Hopes To Stimulate Housing Growth By Cutting Fees

At a time when many local governments are raising taxes to deal with the recession a Jefferson County municipality is doing the opposite. The High Ridge Fire Protection District voted Tuesday night to roll back fees on inspection and construction permits. By cutting the fees in half, the High Ridge Fire Protection District says it will stimulate growth and construction in the housing industry and create new jobs. They've come up with their own stimulus package.

High Ridge Fire Protection Board Member Brian Haskins said, "All fees from occupant from apartment to mobile home those fees will be cut and the builders fees will be cut in half."

The board unanimously approved the fee reduction at it's meeting Tuesday night. Slashing the fees will save High Ridge contractor Bill Lakin a couple hundred dollars for each home he builds. He intends to pass the savings on to buyers.


Bill Lakin said, "It's a considerable amount it may not seem like a lot in the big scheme but every $100 makes a big impact."

Occupancy permits and inspection fees can cost hundreds to tens of thousand of dollars.

"The highest might be a big project like high ridge common might be $25,000 to $30,000," said Haskins.

But now with those fees reduced by 50-percent, homebuilders say it could be the shot in the arm the industry needs.

Pat Sullivan of the Home Builders Association said, "We have a lot of people that are carpenters, drywallers and bricks layers all the various jobs and they want to go back to work and we need incentives."

More construction projects and homes mean more property taxes for the fire department to collect. High Ridge says emergency services will not be compromised.

We believe we will get that money back with economic growth and development," said Haskins.

Governor Jay Nixon just established a 19 member task force to find ways to stimulate the housing industry. Pat Sullivan is also a member. He says this may be the answer.

"To me what High Ridge has done is a perfect idea to take to the Governors task force to say look what they have done and for it to be duplicated across the state," said Sullivan.

The permit fee reduction will go into effect on Monday morning at 8 a.m. and last until December 31, 2010.