Oh, the memories of good ole yester-year:

By Jean-Paul Salamanca

Posted Nov 24, 2010 at 12:01 AM

TEMPLETON -- The Planning Board will explore whether changing the town’s administrative permit fees -- which developers say are high in comparison to other communities -- would be prudent as officials seek to bring a proposed shopping center to a site off Route 2A. According to James E. Rheault of Leominster-based engineering firm Whitman and Bingham and attorney Matthew J. Campobasso, representing Lowfield-Templeton LLC, their research found that the total administrative fees for building permits that would be incurred in constructing a 270,000-square-foot shopping mall at the intersection of routes 2, 2A and 202 in Templeton would total an estimated $247,000. In comparison to other neighboring communities, Templeton’s fees are higher, according to Mr. Campobasso. As a comparison, he listed similar commercial administrative permit fees for Athol at $58,000, Lunenburg at $70,000, Gardner at $500 and Orange at $75, among others. Templeton sets their permit fees for such projects based on the number of parking spaces. Previous estimates indicated the proposed shopping mall should have 912 parking spaces, if constructed. Although he declined to indicate if the price of the fees would be a “deal buster,” Mr. Campobasso asked if the planning board -- which set the fees in 2007 -- would be willing to negotiate in order for the project to get underway. Planning board Vice Chairman Robert Whalen, in the board’s defense, said that the permit fees were set during more prosperous economic times, although he stated he could be amenable to amending the fees to “level the field.” Board Chairman Gerry White said while the board would review the fees to determine if an adjustment could be made, he offered strong reservations about lowering the fees to levels as low as Orange. “The thing to keep in mind is that when you build these kinds of projects, there is a cost to the town for building them,” he said. “For example, Templeton hardly has any extra police detail for shoplifting calls. If this is built, it’s a guarantee that they will. That’s an extra cost for the town. We don’t want to be unfair or too large on those fees, of course. We’ll take a look at (the fees) but we don’t want to just give it away.” However, a public hearing needs to be held before the fees can be adjusted. While there is clear potential for economic benefits and increased commercial activity in town by lowering the fees, there is also the possibility of residents opposing lower permit fees for environmental or anti-development reasons. Acknowledging both possibilities, Mr. White said that residents would have an opportunity to air their concerns when the time comes. Selectman Robert Columbus urged the board to take revisal of the fees under consideration, noting that the town could use the potential tax revenue -- estimated to be between $165,000 to $180,000 annually -- for future “big ticket items.” “Templeton has never seen anything like this before, to my recollection,” he said. “I’d hate to see us left at the station by dragging our feet on it.” Developers are expected to turn in a letter with a project timeline sometime between next week and Dec. 14, when the board will discuss the matter further in the second of two meetings. The other meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the town’s 690 Patriots Road offices. jpsalamanca@thegardnernews.com1

In case you have forgotten, your taxes have already been raised; they are just named fees.
By Christine Smith
Posted May 5, 2017 at 11:00 AM
The Gardner News.

TEMPLETON - Selectmen have approved a list of increases to the town’s building, wiring, plumbing and gas permit inspection fees, effective July 1.

Interim Town Administrator Carter Terenzini said this will provide homeowners and contractors the chance to submit applications now before the fees go up.
Selectmen Vice Chairwoman Diane Haley Brooks questioned whether the proposed fees were comparable to those charged by other towns.

“Is it going to stop anybody from doing stuff here?” she asked. “It needs to be done, but we want to encourage new growth.”

Haley Brooks noted, “I don’t want there to be any detriment to coming here, moving here,” but both she and Selectman Doug Morrison said that the increases were “not unreasonable.”

According to Terenzini, the data was taken from a selection of comparable towns that had been approved by the board, which included Ashburnham, Winchendon, Athol and Orange, as well as Ayer, Dudley and Townsend. He said the fee adjustments were recommendations of town Building Inspector Richard Hanks.

Among the comparisons that were made, these other communities averaged fees of about $194 for wiring inspection permits of new dwellings, and about $1,310 for building inspection permits on 2,000-square-foot dwellings. They also averaged about $221 for plumbing and gas inspection permits for new dwellings with 20 fixtures.

Under Templeton’s approved new structure, wiring inspection permits for new dwellings will increase from $180 to $225, minimum fees will go up from $40 to $60, and fees charged for checks of outbuildings and pools will rise from $75 to $100. Fees for inspections of solar structures will go up from $40 to $100 and alarm systems will increase from $40 to $75.

Building permit inspection fees for new 2,000-square-foot dwellings will go from $1,040 to $1,528, and minimum fees charged will increase from $40-$60. Inspections for demolitions will remain at $75, while checks of roofs will increase from $40 to $50.

Building permit inspection fees for in-ground pools will increase from $75 to $150, but stay at $75 for above-ground pools.

Plumbing and gas permit inspection fees for 20 fixtures in a new dwelling will go from $145 to $225, and the minimum fee would rise from $50 to $60. Re-inspections will also go from $50 to $60, and permits for inspections of remodels with five fixtures will increase from $70 to $115.