John Coffelt, Editor

The Manchester Planning Commission, following a lengthy debate, recommended during the May 19 meeting a series of fees related to zoning requests for new developments.

Codes Director Brittany Fiske presented the changes along with a comparison of the surrounding municipalities’ fees and an explanation of some of the costs her office incurs with those requests.

The current zoning and subdivision fees, raised by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2005, include a $200 fee to amend the zoning map (a process performed by St. John Engineering), $200 to amend a zoning ordinance, $200 for site plan review, $15 per lot on a preliminary plat and $10 per lot on a final plat.  A special exception request is $100 as is a request for a variance.

The proposed changes would add a $1,000 fee for annexation requests to cover the costs of running public notices, mail outs to neighbors and signage in the area.

Increases to the current fees would be $750 for changing the zoning map, $750 for amendments to the zoning ordinance. Major and Minor Subdivisions are divided, $500 for minor subdivisions and $2,000 plus $0.01 per square foot over 20,000 square feet of developed area.

The fee for special exceptions and variances would double to $200.

“I like to think that what I proposed here is just above the minimum fee (for the benchmark samples),” Fiske said. “With all the administrative items and signage, I don’t feel these prices are too steep.

The Planning Commission approved the recommendation 5-1 with Vice Mayor Mark Messick offering the no vote.

“I believe that not everything the city does has to make money,” Messick said, calling the fees pass through costs that will drive the price up of future housing. 

“It’s hard enough for people to buy a house as it is today,” he said. “A couple of thousand dollars makes a world of difference sometimes.”  

Messick agreed that increases were needed but thought those presented were too steep. He noted too that the Codes Department has a surplus in its budget.

Messick said the Codes Department didn’t need to be self-sufficient in regard to revenues.

“It’s the whole government. You get a new business opening its doors, you get tax revenue off that new business. And some of that funnels into you,” Messick said.   

Planning member Ward Johnson said, however, he sees it as a matter of full cost accounting.

“You’re trying to put costs where costs goes,” he said. “When you do that and you manage that, you reduce your tax rate.”

Messick noted that the city hasn’t had a tax rate increase in 16 years and that he doesn’t anticipate one.

The fee change will have to pass two readings before BOMA.       

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.