In connection with any application for a special permit, site plan
or subdivision approval, zoning amendment or road dedication, variance,
or other appeal, the reviewing board may require an applicant to deposit
an initial sum of money into an escrow account in advance of the review
of the application. Said sum shall be based on the estimated cost
to the Town of reviewing the particular type of application before
it. The reviewing board may consider the professional review expenses
incurred by neighboring municipalities in reviewing similar applications.
The reviewing board may also consider any available Town survey of
professional review expenses in determining the initial sum of money
to be deposited in an escrow account by an applicant.
Said sum of money shall be used to cover the reasonable and
necessary costs of reviewing an application. Costs may include staff
costs or consultant fees for planning, engineering, legal, and other
professional and technical services required for the proper and thorough
review of an application. The reviews governed by this section shall
include all environmental review pursuant to law, including review
of the proposed action under the State Environmental Quality Review
Act (SEQR).[1]
The review expenses provided for herein are in addition to application
or administrative fees required pursuant to other sections of the
Rosendale Town Code. Monies deposited by applicants pursuant to this
section shall not be used to offset the Town's general expenses of
professional services for the several boards of the Town or its general
administrative expenses.
Fees charged strictly as a result of a SEQR review shall in
no event exceed the maximum amounts that can be charged pursuant to
the SEQR regulations by the lead agency.
Escrow account. Upon receipt of monies requested for an escrow account,
the Town Supervisor shall cause such monies to be placed in a separate
non-interest-bearing account in the name of the Town and shall keep
a separate record of all such monies deposited and the name of the
applicant and project for which such sums were deposited.
Payment from escrow account. Upon receipt and approval by the Town
Board of itemized vouchers from consultants for services rendered
on behalf of the Town regarding a particular application, the Town
Supervisor shall cause such vouchers to be paid out of the monies
so deposited and shall debit the separate record of such account accordingly.
If requested by the applicant, the Town shall make copies of such
vouchers available to the applicant within one business week from
the day the vouchers are received by the Town. No part of this provision
is intended nor shall it interfere with the Town's obligation under
any contract it has with any professional consultant.
The Town Board shall review and audit all such vouchers and shall
approve payment of only such consultant charges as are reasonable
in amount and necessarily incurred by the Town in connection with
the review and consideration of applications. A charge or part thereof
is reasonable in amount if it bears a reasonable relationship to the
average charge by consultants to the Town for services performed in
connection with the review of a similar application. In auditing the
vouchers, the Town Board may take into consideration the size, type
and number of buildings to be constructed, the topography of the site
at issue, environmental conditions at such site, the infrastructure
proposed in the application and any special conditions the Town Board
may deem relevant. A charge or part thereof is necessarily incurred
if it was charged by the consultant for a service which was rendered
in order to protect or promote the health, safety or other vital interests
of the residents of the Town and protect public or private property
from damage.
Insufficient funds. If at any time during the processing of an application
there shall be insufficient monies on hand to the credit of an applicant
to pay the approved vouchers in full, or if it shall reasonably appear
to the reviewing board that such monies will be insufficient to meet
vouchers yet to be submitted, the reviewing board shall cause the
applicant to deposit additional sums as the board deems necessary
or advisable in order to meet such expenses or anticipated expenses.
Failure to establish or replenish escrow account. In the event the
applicant fails to deposit the requested review fees into an escrow
account, any application review, approval, permit or certificates
of occupancy may be withheld or suspended by the reviewing board,
officer or employee of the Town until such monies are deposited.
Refund. Upon completion of the review of an application or upon the
withdrawal of an application, and after all fees already incurred
by the Town have been paid and deducted from the escrow account, any
balance remaining in the escrow account shall be refunded within 60
days after the applicant's request.