CR 06-067 Adopt Res 06-038 Amending Fees in Chapter 10 of the Hopkins City Code
May 31,2006
Council Report 2006-067
Adopt Resolution 2006-038, Amending Fees in
Chapter 10 of the Hopkins City Code
Proposed Action
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Adopt Resolution 2006-038,
Amending Fees in Chapter 10 of the Hopkins City Code.
Overview
Staff is proposing new fees for Truth-in-Housing re-inspections and for Complaint re-
inspections. The fee for large format plan copies is being reduced from $8.00 to $3.00
and $5.90.
Primary Issues to Consider
Re-inspection fees
Large format copy fees
Supportina Documents
Resolution 2006-038
Memo from Elizabeth Page - Re-inspections
~~
Terry Obermaier, City Clerk
Financial Impact: $ Budgeted: Y/N
Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.):
Notes:
Source:
Council Report 2006-038-
Page 2
Re-inspection fees
In both cases, the fee is designed to hasten compliance with ordinances that require
repairs and clean-up.
The memo from Elizabeth Page explains the need for the fees.
While the State of Minnesota does not give Municipalities the authority to levy taxes
that would help defray the cost of compliance in these areas, it does give them the
authority to levy user fees. In this case, the people that use the service the most will
help fund the service.
Large format copy fees
In the past year, we have obtained a lease on a new large format copier and scanner
that does not cost as much as the one we had last year. The cost of producing the
copy is not as high as it was in the past, so the cost of the copy should also be reduced.
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2006- 038
RESOLUTION AMENDING FEES IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CODE
WHEREAS, The Hopkins City Code allows fees to be set by resolution and;
WHEREAS, City staff have reviewed the current fees and have recommended
changes to and the inclusion of the following fees,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, to adopt changes in Chapter 10 of the
Hopkins City Code by adding a re-inspection fee of $35.00 for Truth-in-housing
compliance and a re-inspection fee of $35.00 for complaint compliance and
reducing the fee for large format copies from $8.00 to $3.00 per page for a 24
inch by 36 inch copy and $5.00 per page for copies that that are larger than 24
inches by 36 inches.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins, Minnesota, this 6th day of
June, 2007.
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor
ATTEST:
Terry Obermaier, City Clerk
The two changes are actually additions to the fee schedule. They are an additional
charge for re-inspections of Truth-in-Housing Evaluation Reports and for complaints. I
would like to see both have a fee of $35.00 which is the same amount we charge for re-
inspections on routine rental inspections. We will do the compliance inspection for free
and then we would be able to charge for each additional re-inspection.
I feel that we need to have these fees because it will reduce the number of times that I
have to go out to the property for a re-inspection. Sometimes with the Truth-in-
Housing compliance inspection the owner or agent calls and says that they are ready
for the compliance inspection and they are not. This is usually due to them not
double checking the list of correction items or relying on someone else's word that the
items had been corrected. I feel this fee would greatly reduce the number of times that I
have two or three re-inspections for the same property. It would encourage people to
double check that all of their correction items have been completed before calling for
a compliance inspection.
There have also been many times that I conduct a complaince inspection due to a
complaint-intitiated inspection and the responsible party says that they are ready for
a compliance inspection and it reveals they are not compliant yet. Sometimes they
have partially corrected the problem, so I feel that issuing a citation is not warranted,
however a re-inspection fee would allow me to give them some incentive to have the
entire issue resolved before I return to the property. I think this would prevent the need
for a more expensive citation in certain cases.
Thanks,
Liz
IClizobeth Page
City of Hopkins
Housing Inspector
direct line (952) 548-6323
fax (952) 935-1834
epage@hopkinsmn.com