On July 15, the Falls Church Planning Commission will consider the long menu of changes in Department of Public Works fee schedule that the F.C. Council preliminarily OK’d last month.
Among the proposed changes are an increase in resubmittal applications from $50 to $100, increases in charges for erosion and sediment violations from $350 to $500 per day for a first violation, from $450 to $750 a day for a second violation, and from $550 to $1,000 a day for a third violation (with a maximum allowable penalty of $10,000, per state code). Permit fees for licensed tree contractors would jump from $25 to $100 annually, and the fine for an unlicensed tree contractor observed working in the City would jump from $200 to $500. The cost of site plan reviews would increase by $500. Tree preservation violations will cost an additional $1,000 for each offense after a third offense. On the positive side, the current $100 fee for road closures for block parties would be eliminated, and there would be no charge for permits for sidewalk cafes.
The City Council is expected to take final action on the new fee schedule, following a public hearing, on July 22.
