Clawson and HW Join Ferndale in Waiving Fees, RO to Vote Monday
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 5, 2014)
Now that the floods of Aug. 11 are gone, there is still plenty of cleanup and property restoration to be done in South Oakland County Communities. Some cities are making that easy by waiving fees for residents to get certain types of permits.
On Aug. 25 Ferndale City Council voted on a 60 day waiver of fees for water heater inspections, furnace inspections and some other fees for building, electrical and mechanical work. Water heater inspection is normally $35 
and furnace inspection is normally$50.
Mayor Pro Tem Dan Martin, who suggested the waiver, said, “This fee relief package is nominal when contrasted against the significant losses our residents are dealing with, but we want to provide some relief where we can for residents dealing with financial hardship”.
Clawson City Council approved a temporary fee reprieve program at their Sept. 2 meeting. The fees will be waived for a 45 day window, and will include the $45 water heater and furnace inspection fee. “Despite the waiving of these fees, residents still
must obtain a permit from the Building Department to ensure that all repairs and
installations are made safely and correctly,” said Mayor Penny Leubs. “The flood was a historical event 
causing damage to homes and businesses in our city and neighboring cities. Our mission as a city is to provide supports and services to people who live and work in the city. Waiving fees related to flood damage is the least we can do.” The city will also waive some fees for building, electrical and mechanical work.
The City of Huntington Woods acted quickly to implement a set fee for residents doing basement repairs due to the flooding. The fee schedule was approved on Aug. 20 and sets a flat fee of $150 through Feb. 15, 2016 for residents affected by the flood. Normally permit fees are
based on how large the project is. The City also released a statement on hot water heater and furnace permit fees, stating “The permit fees for the replacement of hot water heaters and furnaces that were damaged by the August 11th flood will be reimbursed to provide short-term relief to homeowners. The City has processed a significant amount of permits because so many hot water heaters and furnaces cannot be cleaned and need to be replaced. Permits are still required to assure that the appliances are correctly installed by a licensed contractor. The reimbursement program will be in effect until September 30th and the City will reimburse the homeowners directly for the cost of the required permits beginning October 1st.”
The City of Royal Oak also has “discussion of waiving fees” on their agenda for their Sept. 8 meeting, though the specifics are not included on the agenda for the meeting.
The City of Berkley has opted to form a focus group to let residents share ideas for how to streamline the permit process. “The City actively seeks the input of its residents to discuss and agree to a single, simplified approach to file permits, coordinate resources, perform inspections, and complete repairs. In order to expedite this process, we will randomly select from those who have already filed claim forms at City Hall. In addition to those who file claims, we would, as always, welcome ideas from any one affected by the storm,” stated a City of Berkley press release from Aug. 27.
For previous flood related stories and resources see:
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/27/berkley-to-pick-flood-impacted-residents-for-focus-group/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/26/socrra-holds-special-meeting-with-updates-on-the-trash/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/19/madison-heights-contends-illegal-dumping-by-socrra/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/18/resource-centers-set-up-for-flood-victims/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/15/how-to-avoid-after-flood-scams/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/13/independent-insurance-agent-answers-water-related-questions-video/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/13/renaissance-vineyard-church-coordinating-volunteers-supplies/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/the-day-after-the-flood-hard-work-loss-and-community-video/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/11/oakland-county-issues-floodwater-safety-precautions/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/11/oakland-county-pounded-by-rain-swamped-with-flooding/
ttp://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/city-of-ferndale-issues-flooding-info-claims-trash-more/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/berkley-issues-flooding-info-including-claims-procedure/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/oak-park-issues-flood-advice-including-trash-safety-and-cleaning-video/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/hazel-park-flood-clean-up-information/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/12/royal-oak-flooding-information/