City Council wants to encourage people to build, live in town

The Dublin City Council members have approved a resolution they hope will encourage families to build and live in houses in the city.

The council voted Tuesday to amend the permit fees and other associated fees for certain residential construction projects.

“We want families to build houses in Dublin,” said Mayor Joshua Kight. “We want families to move back within the city limits and we’ll make that economical for them. With today’s action, we have reduced the cost by 80 percent to build new homes in the city of Dublin.” “I consider this a big moment for the city of Dublin as far as reducing government fees to stimulate single-family investment in our town, single-family development,” he added. “So, the building permit fee has been reduced from over $2,800 to $375 for your typical 2,000-square-foot home in the town. I hope that if there are any builders or developers out there who are interested in building homes that you’ll take a second look at building single-family homes within the city limits of Dublin.”

City Manager Josh Powell said this will go into effect on May 11.

“That is to allow time to build the new fee structure in the system so that will give us some time to make sure that’s implemented correctly, but it will be effective by then,” Powell said. 

The permit fee of $375 is the same fee charged by the county, the mayor said. The difference though is in the city, builders do not have to dig a well or put in a septic tank.

“All you have to do is hook up to the city’s water and sewer,” Kight said. “That makes it a whole lot cheaper now to build within the city. It’s a major reduction in the government fees. I think the council is doing this so that we’ll have families building homes within the city limits.” 

During the last five years, the city, mayor and council have been trying to make Dublin a “great small town,” Kight said.

“We want it to be a safe, fun and affordable place for families to live,” he said. “To be a great small town, you have to have families and the energy they bring.” 

In the city there is connection to community, civic engagement and the use of its parks.

“We offer so much within the city, from places to go eat, easy access to shopping, medical care right around the corner, the traffic is not bad and the neighborhoods are beautiful,” Kight said. 

“The thing that has sometimes stopped developers from building homes in Dublin is the cost of the fees and the taxes. We have reduced our millage rate during the last five years from almost seven to barely four. Now, we’re taking those construction fees way, way down. You can build a house in Dublin now for probably $15,000 cheaper than you can buy a lot and put in a well and septic in the county.” 

It will be almost a $600,000 savings for a developer wanting to do a large subdivision, Kight said.

“The point is, we want to see families living in the city limits of Dublin,” said Councilwoman Sara Kolbie. “That’s my desire.” 

Another important decision was when the council approved an awarded bid to Total Earth Services LLC for the West Mary Street Road and drainage improvements project and the West Moore Street Road and drainage improvements projects.

TES was the low bid for both projects.

“We feel like we got a better bang for the buck by putting the projects together,” Powell said.

TES submitted the low bid of $1,177,787.68 for the West Mary Street project (also known as Division 1) and the low bid of $173,624.20 for the West Moore Street (also known as Division 2) project. Powell said the West Mary Street project will be paid for through a combination of the 2024 SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) and the Community Development Block Grant, while the West Moore Street project will be paid for through T-SPLOST.

“We have been dealing with a significant drainage issue on West Mary Street,” Powell said. “It will divert rain water and storm water from going on to people’s property from the roadway as we’ve seen in the past. It will also resurface West Mary Street and it will also add a sidewalk, and connect to the existing sidewalk on the housing authority side.”

On West Moore Street, there has been a culvert underneath the road that is failing, Powell said. It needs to be replaced as well as some additional storm water pipe that extends beyond that. 

“This is something we have been wanting to do for a long time,” Kight said. “It was a combination of federal money and state agencies that awarded the city of Dublin close to $900,000 to allow us to do this project right. We are very appreciative to the grant funding that we have received.”

A budget workshop was held following Tuesday’s city council meeting for the upcoming fiscal year which begins on July 1.

“For those who stick around, you’ll be able to see how important grants are to many of the projects we pursue in the city,” Kight said. “It allows us to keep our property taxes low and still accomplish these projects.” 

In other meeting news, the council:

– Heard first reading of ordinance rezoning parcel from B-2 to R-4 near Woodlawn Drive and Hillcrest Parkway and a resolution to amend the Future Land Use Map were withdrawn at the start of the meeting.

“The purpose for this is the applicant has withdrawn their rezoning request,” Kight said.

– Heard a first reading of ordinance rezoning 540 Charles W. Manning Sr. Way from R-1 to R-2. The rezoning request will allow the addition of afterschool and summer childcare at Free Vision Deliverance Outreach Ministry, across from the Oconee Gymnasium. 

– Heard a first reading to amend the ordinance for subdivision and variance fees by resolution.

– Approved purchasing CPE (customer premise equipment) and professional services from Calix Inc., in the amount of $53,756.40. The city has been using Calix equipment since 2014, providing internet service to business customers throughout the years. Robert Jefferson Jr., telecom director for the city, wrote that the new equipment will allow them to offer faster speeds in the future and to meet future demands. 

– Passed a resolution to secure property and casualty insurance benefits for the 2027 year for the city of Dublin.