Cumberland County’s Board of Supervisors has tabled potential changes to building permit fees following a public hearing Tuesday.

The fees, which apply to both residential and commercial properties, were proposed to increase. Residential permits would have increased by 4 cents per square foot. Building a house spanning 3,000 square feet would’ve generated $720 in building fees as opposed to the current $600. The minimum $150 building fee remains intact.

Increasing building fees for commercial properties would be proposed to climb from $360 to $420 for a 3,000 square-foot business.

The board packet compared the proposed increase fees in Cumberland with neighboring counties.

The increased residential fees for Cumberland would come to $938.40, compared with $935.87 in Buckingham County and $841.50 in Prince Edward County.

For commercial properties, the increased fees in Cumberland would come to $469.20, compared with $377.40 in Buckingham County and $550.80 in Prince Edward County.

County Administrator and Attorney Vivian Seay Giles said the recommendation for the building permit fees came from the county’s building inspector, noting the inspector studied fees at nearby counties.

“This is just a recommendation to increase our fees, not significantly, but to keep up … with surrounding areas,” Giles said.

The last amendment to the building permit fees was in July of 2010, the board packet noted.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

Fifth District Supervisor Parker Wheeler expressed concern about the prices, saying it would be a deterrent from people interested in conducting business in the county.

Giles said the prices for residential were close together with surrounding counties, and considered far less expensive than other counties.

“This would put us approximately $3 higher than Buckingham, but about $800 to $900 less than Powhatan,” Giles said. The Powhatan residential and commercial building permit fees are $1,795.20 and $1,440.24. The Goochland residential and commercial building permit fees are $1,136.78 and $1,484.10. “It would leave us less than Goochland, significantly less than Amelia, and less than Powhatan of course.”

Wheeler said the price increases could perpetuate a reputation he said the county has of being expensive to operate a business or reside.

“Everybody’s always saying we are the higher in taxes, we are higher in this,” Wheeler said. “And here again, we’re going to be the higher (cost) in building permit fees.”

Following the discussion, the board voted unanimously to table the proposed changes. Giles said she would offer a presentation with alternative fees during the board’s April 10 meeting.