Building Industry Assoc. Sues County Over Permit Fees

VANCOUVER, WA-Clark County is being sued by the Building Industry Association of Southwest Washington for allegedly collecting $4 million more in building permit fees than it is entitled to, according to a class-action lawsuit filed this week in Cowlitz County Superior Court.

David Roewe, the association’s executive director, tells GlobeSt.com that the county’s ordinances and statutes allow it to only collect what it needs to process the permits, but due to a lack of oversight that’s not what’s happening. The county has denied any wrongdoing, saying any fees were–and continue to be–used for departments directly related to the processing of building permits.

“It will be interesting,” says Roewe. “Our attorneys and CPAs are going through documents with regard to how much is being brought in and from whom and where they are transferring these monies. Our contention is the county is not allowed to use building permit funds to help pay for fire marshal and animal control activities. They’ve just kind of run rampant; I think we have a good case.”