July was busy month for Linn County Planning & Building

ALBANY — Linn County’s Planning & Building Department issued 209 total building permits in July, Director Steve Wills told the Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning.

Board Chair Roger Nyquist was not present and Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger participated by telephone. Commissioner Will Tucker chaired the meeting.

Wills said there were six permits for new dwellings, of which three were single-family units and three were manufactured homes. There were 10 permits issued for additions or alterations and sevens permits issued for accessory buildings.

There were 18 permits issued in contract cities, including one single-family dwelling and three additions or alterations.

Wills said Linn County has waived more than $113,381 for families rebuilding in the Santiam Canyon after the Labor Day 2020 wildfires. There have been 22 single-family dwellings, 16 manufactured homes, two multi-family dwellings, 47 electrical permits and 19 temporary RV permits.

There have been 40 fire hardening permit applications in the canyon and 25 projects have been approved, valued at $99,200. Two valued at $9,350 are pending approval.

Wills said staffing has been down three positions since June, but two new staff members are starting work this week.

Wills said a conditional use hearing will be held before the Board of Commissioners at 10 a.m. on Augusts 30.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved an amendment to the Federal Disaster Relief Funding, moving it from 75% to 90% for areas affected by the 2020 wildfires. This is through the Office of Emergency Management.
• Approved members to the Board of Property Tax Appeals: Ray Hiltz, David Pautsch, Amy Price, Rex Watkins and Skeet Arasmith.
• Approved a General Services Facilities Coordinator position which will coordinate repair projects. This will be an SEIU represented position.
• Appointed Erik Anderson and Danny Freitag to the Ambulance Service Area Advisory Committee.
• Appointed Patrick Starnes to the Linn-Benton Housing Authority board.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.