Dane County homeowners who suffered severe damage as a result of recent flooding rains could get a bit of a break in the cost of rebuilding and repair.
A resolution authorizing Dane County’s State of Emergency Declaration will be considered by the County Board this Thursday evening.
A separate resolution will waive zoning permit, erosion control, and other county fees related to building projects for those who experienced damages in the recent floods.
The exemption is similar to one adopted by county government in the aftermath of the 2005 Stoughton area tornado.
“Recent floods have affected countless Dane County families, with thousands of reports of homes and businesses damaged, “County Executive Joe Parisi said. “Waiving these fees is a small gesture county government can do to make life a little easier for those who face the long, hard road of recovering from this historic flooding.”
“The damage and costs that the property owners in Dane County have incurred due to the rainfall events in August and September are enormous,” County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan said. “Waiving County permit fees is the right thing to do to help alleviate mounting costs to rebuild and repair properties that have been damaged in the last few weeks.“
While repairs like replacing dry wall or carpet don’t require a zoning permit, more extensive home rebuilding projects resulting from flood damage could otherwise require one.
Those who reside in areas under the jurisdiction of county zoning, primarily townships, would benefit from the fees being waived.
According to recent estimates, Dane County experienced well over $150 million in damages from recent heavy rains and subsequent lake flooding.
A recent preliminary damage assessment showed over 1650 homes and businesses sustained varying degrees of damage countywide.
Those figures are being shared with both the state and federal governments for consideration of potential Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) dollars to support the local rebuilding effort. Representatives of FEMA are expected to visit flood damage in various parts of Wisconsin in the coming weeks.
For more go to WKOW: http://www.wkow.com/story/39040227/2018/09/06/dane-county-to-waive-zoning-fees-connected-to-flood-rebuilding