Date: Fri 20-Jun-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Health-District-fees

Full Text:

Health District Approves New Fee Schedule

BY KAAREN VALENTA

The Newtown Health District Board has approved a revised fee schedule to bring

charges more in line with the actual cost of reviews and inspections.

"The Newtown Health District's fees haven't been revised in several years and

as the development activity in town has significantly increased, the

district's personnel has had an equivalent increase in efforts to meet the

demand," said Donna McCarthy, the district's director of environmental health.

The most significant change involves subdivisions. Previously developers paid

a $25 fee for a subdivision plan review, whether the subdivision involved as

few as three lots or more than 30. The new fee schedule adds a $15 fee for

each additional two lots after the "first cut" of a subdivision.

"There's no fee when a property is divided into two lots - that's the first

cut," explained board president Jim Smith. "But it makes sense to charge for

additional lots because of the work involved (for the health district staff)."

The fees for preliminary subdivision plans, reviewed before submission to the

Planning & Zoning Commission, will be $20 plus $10 for each additional two

lots.

The board increased the fee for the plan review and subsequent inspection of

new septic systems from $75 to $125. But it opted to keep the permit fee for

repair of a septic system at $50 so as not to discourage homeowners from

repairing their systems when necessary.

Services provided for a subsurface permit include a review of the plan and

usually five inspections - before, during and after its installation.

Soil tests, per lot, for new systems was increased from $20 to $50; the fee

for repairs will remain at $25.

The fee for answering mortgage survey letters increased from $20 to $25.

In the area of food service, restaurant plan reviews were increased from $25

to $50.

"This fee is increased to reflect the increase in the level of effort required

for this task to ensure food service establishments conform to all Public

Health Code requirements," Donna McCarthy said. The state's Public Health Code

was revised last year.

New licenses and license renewal increased from $75 to $100. Temporary food

event licenses will remain at $25.

Ms McCarthy proposed a new fee of $50 for reinspection when a restaurant fails

a routine inspection. A failure is at least one four-point violation and/or an

overall score of less than 80. It requires a full reinspection within two

weeks.

"There are very few failures of less than 80," Ms McCarthy said. "If

restaurants get four-point violations it is usually a temperature violation -

foods being held at temperatures which aren't hot enough or cold enough."

"This (fee) is an idea used by other health departments and districts and can

be viewed as beneficial for both the district as well as the food service

owner," she said. "(It gives the food service owner) a stronger motivation to

pass their inspections and ultimately run a cleaner and safer program."

But the board decided not to establish the fee, reasoning that the threat of a

shutdown for repeated failures was stronger motivation than a fine.

Other fees which will not be increased include well permits, $50, and burning

permits, $5.

Ms McCarthy said she prepared the proposed new fee schedule based on a survey

of fees in the towns of Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield, New Milford, Monroe

and the Pomperaug Health District.

"I selected these towns for the survey due to their proximity, their size and

similar character," she said. "I have also had conversations with the

sanitarians in Fairfield and West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District as they

too were re-evaluating their fee schedules."