Flathead County has increased fees for planning and zoning work by about 8.4 percent to account for inflation.

The new fees took effect Feb. 9.

The county last overhauled its administrative fee schedule in 2011. New fee rates are based on cumulative Consumer Price Index values for the past four years, Planning Director BJ Grieve said in an email memorandum.

The administrative fee for a major subdivision increased from $1,000 plus $75 per lot to $1,085 and $80 per lot.

Final plat review for major subdivisions jumped from $800 and $50 per lot to $865 plus $55 per lot.

Lakeshore permit fees have been increased to cover costs of standard review procedures that have been added since 2011, Grieve said. These procedures include pre-permit and post-permit site inspections and monitoring of permit expiration dates, extensions and compliance with conditions of approval.

The county also will now charge a fee for requests to amend lakeshore permits, review conservation easements and review declarations of unit ownership for certifications of compliance. That fee will be 50 percent of the original fee.

New fee rates for lakeshore variances are $1,190 for a major variance and $485 for a minor variance.

“Fees are charged to cover costs associated with processing privately initiated land-use applications” such as subdivisions, zoning amendments and various permits, Grieve said.

“Fees aren’t popular, nor are increases to fees, especially when some government offices don’t charge fees and cover expenses for services using local or state tax dollars,” he said. “However, if we didn’t charge administrative fees to those who submit land-use applications, our ‘planning services’ tax levy would need to be larger or we’d need to get rid of some regulations to cut costs, neither of which could occur without significant controversy.”

The new fee schedule is posted on the county website at https://flathead.mt.gov/planning_zoning/permits.php.