Electrical permit costs will increase by about 23 percent in 2013, and the Wauwatosa Fire Department will be cracking down a little harder on habitual false-alarm callers, according to a fee schedule adopted this week by the Wauwatosa Common Council.
The Fire Department will increase the fee for a third false alarm to a given address in a calendar year to $200, and escalating the fee for a fourth to $500.
No fee will be charged for the first or second false alarm, according to the new policy, which goes into effect in January.
The current schedule calls for a $20 fee for the first false alarm and $100 for each subsequent false alarm.
The department will waive the charges if the property owner can show proof that fire safety improvements were made to the affected structure that meet or exceed the cost of the fee.
A state law that will be implemented in April has prompted the city to increase the cost of a variety of electrical permits.
Beginning April 1, the state will require electricians to have a Wisconsin license, and municipalities will no longer be able to issue them. For Wauwatosa, this results in a loss of $28,550 in licensing revenue, said city Finance Director John Ruggini. An increase in electrical permitting fees will offset that loss by raising $30,035.
The increased fees are spread over a number of electrical services. Some of them include:
The minimum electrical inspection fee will rise from $50 to $70;
A permit for single installation of a one- and two- family appliance or sump pump will rise from $25 to $35;
A permit to install electrical service up to 200 amps will rise from $50 to $70; and
A permit for installation of service from 201 to 1,000 amps will rise from $75 to $100.
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