[Adopted 6-11-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2304 (Ch. 233, Art. I,
of the 1987 Code)]
[Amended 2-13-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3271; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
The purpose of this article is to consolidate and/or reference
the several schedules of fees and costs imposed by the City in connection
with applications before the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and
Historic Preservation Commission.
A.
There shall be a nonrefundable fee for applications to the City of
Camden Planning Board or Board of Adjustment as provided for by law
and established herein. The fees provided for shall be nonrefundable
and are for purposes of offsetting the administrative and clerical
costs of running the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment or Historic
Preservation Commission exclusive of legal, planning, engineering
and other professional advice deemed necessary by the Planning Board,
Board of Adjustment or Historic Preservation Commission or any costs
which may be incurred by the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment or
Historic Preservation Commission.
[Amended 2-13-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3271]
B.
The City of Camden and its agencies, such as the Housing Authority
and Parking Authority, are exempt from the fees described herein.
A.
In addition to such nonrefundable application fees, there are hereby
created escrow accounts, the purpose of which is to defray the costs
of operation of the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment. The fees
paid into the escrow account shall apply regardless of whether the
application is heard before the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment.
B.
Before submitting an application for development to either the Board
of Adjustment or Planning Board, the applicant shall be required to
make a deposit with the City Treasurer as hereinafter provided and
execute an escrow agreement to defray the cost to the City of all
necessary and reasonable costs incurred for technical and professional
review by the approving authority. Said escrow agreement shall be
in a form approved by City Council. The amounts specified for the
escrow fund are estimates of fees. Said fees must be paid prior to
certification by either Board of a complete application. All fees
required by this section and any other section shall be paid prior
to the application or any application being considered complete; provided,
however, that payment of the fee in and of itself shall not be deemed
to make the application complete.
C.
In the event that the amounts required to be posted by this chapter
are not sufficient to cover the professional charges to the City of
Camden, the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment is hereby granted
the power to request additional funds as provided for hereinafter.
In the event that the amounts posted as fees shall be in excess of
the amount required for all professional review, the excess funds
shall be returned to the applicant within 30 days of the issuance
of a certificate of occupancy for the project which the application
fees cover.
D.
Before issuing a construction permit or certificate of occupancy
for any element of a project, the Zoning Officer shall determine from
the Board Secretary whether there are sufficient escrow funds to pay
all pending bills attributable to the particular project. The Board
Secretary shall periodically advise the Board Chairman of the balance
of all escrow accounts and when additional funds are required as provided
for hereinafter. In the event that additional funds are required,
the Board Chairman or Secretary shall notify the applicant of amounts
required as additional fees and, in the event that there is a refusal
or failure to make the payments required, the Board Chairman shall
notify the approving authority. In the event that the additional fees
are not paid, the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment shall deny
the application. In the event that additional fees are required, they
shall be paid to the City of Camden in accord with the same agreement
already entered into or any additional terms which may be agreed to
by the applicant and the approving authority.
E.
Architectural Review Committee.
[Added 8-13-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2319]
(1)
In addition to such nonrefundable application fees and escrow accounts,
there are hereby created escrow accounts, the purpose of which is
to defray the costs of operation of the Architectural Review Committee.
(2)
Before submitting an application for development to the Architectural
Review Committee, the applicant shall be required to make a deposit
with the City Treasurer as hereinafter provided and execute an escrow
agreement to defray the cost to the City of all necessary and reasonable
costs incurred for the technical review by the Architectural Review
Committee. All other requirements pertaining to escrow accounts as
established in this section shall apply.
F.
In the event that an applicant disputes the charges made by a professional
for services rendered to the municipality in reviewing applications
for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of
improvements or other charges made pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et
seq., the applicant shall have the right to appeal said charges using
the appeal process as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2 a through
e.
[Added 11-24-1999 by Ord. No. MC-3532]
[Amended 8-13-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2319; 4-11-1991 by Ord. No.
MC-2643; 5-9-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2649; 1-23-1992 by Ord. No.
MC-2736; 3-11-1993 by Ord. No. MC-2874; 2-23-1995 by Ord. No.
MC-3078; 4-25-1996 by Ord. No. MC-3205; 5-25-2000 by Ord. No.
MC-3576; 1-24-2002 by Ord. No. MC-3720; 10-14-2008 by Ord. No.
MC-4432; 12-14-2010 by Ord. No. MC-4586]
G.
Variances: $144.58 for each variance.
H.
Bulk variances: $167.77.
I.
Zoning permit review.
(1)
Application fees:
(a)
Single-family dwellings: $69.56.
(b)
Two-family dwellings: $139.13.
(c)
Three or more dwellings: $215.51.
(d)
Rooming house: $259.16.
(e)
Boardinghouse: $259.16.
(f)
Commercial uses: $87.30.
(g)
Industrial, warehousing and manufacturing uses: $139.87.
(h)
Map amendment: $862.05.
(i)
Rezoning application: $345.09.
(j)
Flood zone determinations: $17.73.
J.
Street vacations. Application fee: $369.64, plus $148.68 for each
additional vacation of right-of-way.
K.
Special and expedited meetings.
(1)
In the event that an applicant seeks a special or expedited meeting
for the consideration of his development application, the applicant
shall be responsible for reimbursing the municipality for:
(a)
All expenses of professional personnel and transcriber/stenographer
services. No applicant shall be responsible for reimbursing the municipality
at such meetings of Commissioners or Board members.
(b)
The cost of expert advice or testimony obtained by the municipal
agency for the purpose of corroborating testimony of the applicant's
expert; provided that the municipal agency gives prior notice to the
applicant of its intention to obtain such additional expert advice
or testimony and affords the applicant an opportunity to be heard
as to the necessity of additional advice or testimony and the limitations
on the nature and extent thereof.
(2)
The term "professional personnel" or "professional services" as used
herein shall include the services of a duly licensed engineer, surveyor,
planner, attorney, realtor, appraiser or other expert who would provide
professional services to ensure an application meets performance standards
set forth in this article and other experts whose testimony is in
an area in which the applicant has presented expert testimony.
(3)
No plat or site plan shall be signed, nor shall any zoning permits,
building permits, certificates of occupancy or any other types of
permits be issued with respect to any approved application for development
and until all bills for aforesaid reimbursable services have been
paid by the applicant unless the applicant shall have deposited with
the Planning Board Secretary an amount likely to be sufficient to
cover all reimbursable items as set forth in the following section;
and upon posting said deposit with the Planning Board Secretary, the
appropriate maps or permits may be signed and released or issued to
the developer. If the amount of the deposit exceeds the actual costs
as approved by payment by the governing body, the developer shall
be entitled to return of the excess deposit, together with such interest
as allowed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.1; but if the charges submitted and
approved by the governing body exceed the amount of the deposit, the
developer shall be liable for payment of such deficiency.
(4)
The following represents the amount of reimbursable expenses per
special or expedited meeting for which an applicant/developer shall
be responsible:
(a)
Professional personnel (outside consultants) at their normal
rate then in effect.
(b)
For municipal professionals, an amount equal to 200% of the
professional hourly base salary times the number of hours anticipated
to be spent by the professional.
(c)
The cost of a transcriber to include appearance fees and all
other associated costs as per contract.
A.
Prior to the construction of any improvements required by the Planning
Board and/or Zoning Board of Adjustment, the applicant shall deposit
and maintain with the City a fund of not less than 5% of the estimated
cost of the required on- and off-site improvements, as determined
by the City Engineer's office or Construction Code Official or
Chief Building Inspector, to cover costs of inspection of improvements;
provided, however, that the minimum escrow deposit shall be $200,
and the maximum escrow deposit shall be $10,000.
B.
If, at any time during the inspection of the construction of said
improvements, it becomes evident that the escrow deposit is or will
be insufficient to cover the costs thereof, the applicant shall make
such additional deposits in amounts to be determined by the City Engineer's
office or Construction Code Official or Chief Building Inspector based
upon the estimated remaining costs required to properly review and
inspect the on- and off-site improvements.
[Amended 4-11-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2643; 5-9-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2649; 1-24-2002 by Ord. No. MC-3720; 10-14-2008 by Ord. No. MC-4432; 12-14-2010 by Ord. No. MC-4586]
A.
Use variance (applications made under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70d) application:
$177.32.
B.
Bulk variance (applications made under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70c) application:
$136.40.
C.
Appeals (applications made under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70a) application:
$45.05.
D.
Interpretations (applications made under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70b) application:
$45.05.
[Amended 2-13-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3271; 1-24-2002 by Ord. No.
MC-3720; 10-14-2008 by Ord. No. MC-4432; 12-14-2010 by Ord. No.
MC-4586]
Certificate of appropriateness review:
[Amended 1-24-2002 by Ord. No. MC-3720; 10-14-2008 by Ord. No.
MC-4432; 12-14-2010 by Ord. No. MC-4586]
A.
Property owners list: $18.60 or $1.24 per name, whichever is greater.
Engineering fees set forth in the aforesaid provisions are minimum
amounts representing an estimate of the anticipated costs based on
the hourly rates of the respective professionals. The hourly rates
shall be the same as those set forth in the contracts between the
City and said professionals. In the event that the actual costs exceed
the minimum deposits, the applicant shall be responsible for the difference
between the actual amount and the minimum. If the actual cost is less
than the minimum, the applicant shall receive a refund of the difference.
