Preston residents authorize town officials to update fees and regulations

Preston ― Several residents quickly approved measures that repealed 35-year-old ordinances governing driveways and building and fire marshal fees, allowing town leaders to set the fees and alter regulations.

The town’s building and fire marshal permit ordinance was last updated in 1990, and the driveway ordinance dates to 1989. Both were repealed Thursday.

A new building and fire marshal permit ordinance authorizes the Board of Selectmen to set new building and fire marshal fees. First Selectwoman Sandra Allyn-Gauthier said a new fee schedule is not yet proposed. Allyn-Gauthier said the old fees will remain in effect until the new fees are proposed.

The new ordinance calls for the Board of Selectmen to publish the new proposed fees and to publish the board agenda in advance of the meeting when the new fees will be discussed. Public comment will be taken at the start of the meeting when the fees will be discussed.

Resident Andy Depta objected that the vote on the permit fee ordinance was premature, as it did not provide new proposed fees.

Allyn-Gauthier said the new fees will be data based, and comparable with fees in other towns. The new process will be similar to the way the town sets transfer station fees. The 1993 transfer station ordinance gave the Board of Selectmen authority to set new fees.

The new ordinance also requires permit applicants to be up to date on property taxes. If work is done without permits, the building official will have the authority to levy fines.

Allyn-Gauthier said the new four-page driveway regulations will be overseen by the town planning and zoning department, with the zoning enforcement officer authorized to enforce the regulations.

c.bessette@theday.com