Halifax Township supervisors order study of building fees
January 13, 2009 RTK request stories | Halifax Twp
Halifax Township officials have refused to disclose how much money in fees has been collected under the ordinance in question. The Patriot-News filed a right-to-know request for the figures on Jan. 12.
BY PHYLLIS ZIMMERMAN
For The Patriot-News
Carolyn Nye was blunt Monday night as she took the Halifax Twp. supervisors to task over accusations they overcharged developers for permit fees by thousands of dollars -- extra costs that reportedly were then passed on to home buyers.
"I am so sorry that this has come to this," said Nye, a former secretary for the township and one of three residents who spoke at the supervisor's meeting about the fees. "Does the end result justify the raping of the citizens, our constituents, of their money?"
Colleen Smith echoed Nye's comments.
"I am very dissatisfied if this is the way the township is treating contractors," Smith said. "We do not need another lawsuit that we're going to lose."
During the meeting, the supervisors unanimously approved municipal solicitor Steve Dzuranin's proposal to research the claims made by the Pennsylvania Builders Association and the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg.
At issue is an ordinance passed in November 2005 that charged $25 for the first $1,000 of a planned home's estimated value, plus $3 for each additional $1,000. Money collected was improperly designated to pay for expenses related to a new sewer plan, the builders association claims.
The builders association claims municipalities are allowed to charge a fee that covers the cost of permit registration only. Halifax's ordinance amounts to an illegal tax, according to the association, which is demanding builders get a full refund.
Under the township's fee structure, a building permit for a $150,000 home would cost $472, said Gary Lenker, vice president and director of operations of Donco Construction in Dauphin.
Lenker said the township overcharged Donco $8,000 in building fees for homes that the firm constructed at Lenker Estates, a development two miles north of Peters Mountain near the junction of routes 225 and 147.
Township officials have refused to disclose how much money in fees has been collected under the ordinance. On Monday, The Patriot-News filed a right-to-know request for the figures.
BY PHYLLIS ZIMMERMAN
For The Patriot-News
Carolyn Nye was blunt Monday night as she took the Halifax Twp. supervisors to task over accusations they overcharged developers for permit fees by thousands of dollars -- extra costs that reportedly were then passed on to home buyers.
"I am so sorry that this has come to this," said Nye, a former secretary for the township and one of three residents who spoke at the supervisor's meeting about the fees. "Does the end result justify the raping of the citizens, our constituents, of their money?"
Colleen Smith echoed Nye's comments.
"I am very dissatisfied if this is the way the township is treating contractors," Smith said. "We do not need another lawsuit that we're going to lose."
During the meeting, the supervisors unanimously approved municipal solicitor Steve Dzuranin's proposal to research the claims made by the Pennsylvania Builders Association and the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg.
At issue is an ordinance passed in November 2005 that charged $25 for the first $1,000 of a planned home's estimated value, plus $3 for each additional $1,000. Money collected was improperly designated to pay for expenses related to a new sewer plan, the builders association claims.
The builders association claims municipalities are allowed to charge a fee that covers the cost of permit registration only. Halifax's ordinance amounts to an illegal tax, according to the association, which is demanding builders get a full refund.
Under the township's fee structure, a building permit for a $150,000 home would cost $472, said Gary Lenker, vice president and director of operations of Donco Construction in Dauphin.
Lenker said the township overcharged Donco $8,000 in building fees for homes that the firm constructed at Lenker Estates, a development two miles north of Peters Mountain near the junction of routes 225 and 147.
Township officials have refused to disclose how much money in fees has been collected under the ordinance. On Monday, The Patriot-News filed a right-to-know request for the figures.
