LURC seeks feedback on fee increase plan

The Maine Land Use Regulation Commission will accept public comment through Nov. 17 on a proposal to change the administrative fees charged to developers and landowners in the Unorganized Territory.

LURC staff have recommended moving away from a flat-fee rate schedule that charges the same amount regardless of the size of the development or scope of the application.

Under the proposed fee schedule, applicants would pay a base fee plus additional fees directly tied to the amount of development.

Fees for larger projects would potentially increase substantially under the proposed schedule.

For instance, the charge for subdivision permit applications would change from the current $300 per lot flat fee to a $1,500 base fee plus $500 per lot. Applicants for new home permits would pay a $200 base fee plus additional charges per square foot of development.

The proposed rules will also allow LURC to recoup the costs of public hearings from applicants. The Legislature recently gave the LURC director the authority to charge the developers of “extraordinary projects” the actual costs of the review.

LURC invoked that clause to process Plum Creek Timber Co.’s application to rezone more than 400,000 acres around Moosehead Lake.

Scott Rollins, manager of permitting and compliance with LURC, said the new fee schedule should be more equitable and help the agency cover the costs of applications that demand more staff time.

“If you have a huge development, you ought to be paying more than someone who is putting on a deck” on an existing home, Rollins said.

If accepted by the LURC board, the proposed fee schedule will be forwarded to the Legislature for approval.

Comments should be sent to the Land Use Regulation Commission, Department of Conservation, 22 State House Station, Augusta 04333-0022, Attn: Scott Rollins. Comments can also be sent via e-mail to scott.rollins@maine.gov.