City of Crisfield, MD Chapter 45 Fees

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the City of Crisfield 8-22-1979 by Ord. No. 332; amended in its entirety 9-10-2008 by Ord. No. 585. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Building construction — See Ch. 30.

Unsafe buildings — See Ch. 33.

Controlled burnings — See Ch. 34.

Electrical standards — See Ch. 43.

Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 83.

Permits and licenses — See Ch. 84.

Plumbing — See Ch. 85.

Pool halls and billiard rooms — See Ch. 87.

Sewers — See Ch. 94.

Subdivision and land development — See Ch. 96.

Taxicabs — See Ch. 101.

§ 45-1 Schedule of fees.

The following schedule of fees is hereby established with respect to licenses, permits and activities required or regulated by the City of Crisfield:

A. Administrative zoning review fees:

(1) Change of use permit/occupancy permit: $150.

(2) Residential rate (includes CO) (per unit): $150.

(3) Nonresidential rate (includes CO) (per unit): $250.

B. Accessory structure:

(1) Residential, 200 square feet or less (not in floodplain): $50.

(2) Residential, 200 square feet or less (in floodplain): $100.

(3) Residential, greater than 200 square feet: $100 plus $0.20 per square foot.

(4) Nonresidential structure: $150 plus $0.20 per square foot.

C. Utility permits:

(1) Plumbing permit: $30.

(2) Electric permit: $30.

(3) Gas permit: $30.

(4) HVACR permit: $30.

D. Subdivision/site plan fees:

(1) Minor subdivision of one lot: $100.

(2) Minor subdivision (two to five lots): $200.

(3) Major subdivision:

(a) Preliminary plat: $500.

(b) Final plat: $200.

(4) Critical area subdivision review (additional): $100.

(5) Subdivision plat revisions (no new density): $100.

(6) Existing lot reconfiguration: $150.

(7) Site plan:

(a) Standard: $300.

(b) Addition of less than 25% of existing use: $100.

(8) Sketch/concept plan: $100.

(9) Critical area planting plan review (individual lot): $50.

(10) Critical area planting plan review: $100.

(11) Critical area buffer management plan review (individual lot): $50.

(12) Critical area buffer management plan review: $100.

(13) Buffer exemption findings: $100.

(14) Critical area declaration of intent: $20.

E. Special hearings:

[Amended 1-14-2015 by Ord. No. 642]

(1) Rezoning fee: $500.

(2) Growth allocation fee: $700.

(3) Applications within critical area requiring notification of commission (included in growth allocation fee): $75.

(4) Taped transcript of hearing: $50.

(5) Prepared transcript, minimum: $100, plus $25 for each page over four.

F. Other development fees:

(1) Telecommunications tower/utility/essential services: $200.

(2) Additional antenna — accessory to tower: $100.

(3) Single face billboard: $200.

(4) Single face sign (other than billboard): $75.

(5) Pier: $50.

(6) Bulk heading and revetment, rip rap (including repair); per linear foot: $0.50.

(7) Boat lift: $75.

(8) Grading permit: $50.

(9) Equivalent dwelling unit allocation fees for users outside of the City limits, as provided by written policy: adopted by resolution of the City Council and amended from time to time; provided, however, that such fee be calculated in an amount sufficient to reimburse the City for its infrastructure costs associated with provision of water and sewer service, as reasonably calculated by the City, and no more.

[Added 6-24-2009 by Res. No. 586]

(10) EDU allocation fees for users outside the city limits.

[Added 6-10-2009 by Res. No. 369]

(a) As used in this subsection, the term "in-fill lot" shall be deemed to be a lot created by the subdivision or resubdivision of a lot that has already been allocated an EDU, and is located outside the City limits.

(b) As prerequisite to the allocation of an EDU in connection with an in-fill lot, the owner of the subject property shall pay an annual allocation fee, calculated as follows:

[1] The fee shall be 45% of the annual county property tax bill.

[2] Such fees shall be due and owing on the anniversary of their original payment each successive year. Failure to pay the initial fee shall prevent allocation of the EDU; failure to pay subsequent fees shall result in loss of the EDU, and shall entitle the City to terminate provision of utility service, upon reasonable notice, to pursue collection proceedings against the owner, to encumber the subject property with a lien reflecting the unpaid balance, or to pursue any other remedy allowable at law or equity.

G. Building code fees:

(1) Construction (per square foot): $0.20.

(2) Foundation replacement: $50.

(3) Roof replacement: $25.

(4) Temporary construction/office trailers (30 days or more): $50.

(5) Commercial tank: $200.

(6) Reinspection fee, first (failed or missed): $25.

(7) Reinspection fee, second and up: $75.

(8) New sewer hookup (per EDU): $2,000.

(9) New water hookup (per EDU): $3,500.

(10) Moving buildings: $75.

(11) Demolition of buildings: no charge.

(12) After-the-fact building permit (1 1/2 times regular fees): x 1.5.

H. Stormwater management fees:

(1) Standard plan application review fee (per lot): $75.

(2) Waiver reviews: $125.

(3) Variances: $200.

(4) Revisions to submitted plans: $100.

I. Other fees:

(1) Annexation: $1,200.

(2) Zoning Map amendment: $1,200.

(3) Zoning text amendment: $600.

(4) Taxis: $40.

(5) Pool tables (per table): $40.

(6) Vendors or huckstering: $50.

(7) Any permits, license/activity requiring notice by publication: $75.

(8) Soliciting: no charge.

(9) Video or electronic entertainment machines or devices (each per calendar year): $50.

(10) Controlled burning by fire company: $25.

(11) All others: $25.

J. Notes:

(1) Fees shall be paid at the time the application is submitted; no application shall be processed until fees are paid in full, except as provided for in Subsection J(3) below.

(2) Fees for review of major revisions to approved site plans shall be determined by the Zoning Board.

(3) Professional fees (including planner, engineer, attorney, etc.) shall be paid in addition to the fees noted above. Professional fees shall be payable to the City of Crisfield prior to issuance of a zoning certificate or other permit for which the professional fees were charged.

§ 45-2 Applications for licenses and permits.

Applications for and the issuance of licenses and permits shall be subject to the specific provisions providing for each type of license or permit. The business, activity or operation for which the license or permit is required shall be subject to all regulations set forth therein or elsewhere.

§ 45-3 Water.

A. The Clerk shall charge water customers for water service, per service connection being turned off or on by the City, as follows:

(1) At the request of the customer: $5 each per trip during regular business hours and $12.50 each per trip after regular business hours.

(2) For payments received after the 15th of the month: $3.

(3) For nonpayment: $25.

B. The Clerk, in his/her discretion, may accept payment of any fee, fine or charge by check or draft but, in the event of dishonor, shall charge the drawer the sum of $10 per item, which shall be collectible as part of the original sum due.

§ 45-4 Public facilities impact fees.

A. The Mayor and Council of the City of Crisfield finds and declares that:

(1) Residential and nonresidential development causes and imposes increased and excessive demands on the public facilities and services of the City of Crisfield.

(2) The City of Crisfield incurs substantial capital costs in providing the additional public facilities needed to support residential and nonresidential development.

(3) The Mayor and Council of the City of Crisfield, after careful consideration of the matter, find and declare it is in the best interest of the public, health, safety and general welfare of the City of Crisfield's residents that a public facilities impact fee shall be imposed upon residential and nonresidential development in order to finance, at least in part, specified major public facilities, the demand for which is created by such development. Such public facilities impact fees shall not impose an unfair burden on development; nor shall the fees force users of new services to pay more than their proportionate share of the costs. The fees shall be spent on new or enlarged capital improvements that reasonably benefit those developments that pay the fees.

(4) The Mayor and Council of the City of Crisfield shall maintain a schedule of public facilities impact fees which will apply to all development within the City of Crisfield, Maryland, and to development of land annexed into the City. These fees initially shall be set at $5,000 for each unit in the proposed development. The schedule of public facilities impact fees may be amended only by ordinance and shall be maintained as a public record at City Hall.

B. Terms defined. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

DWELLING UNIT

A building or portion of a building providing for complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. (A structure may contain more than one dwelling unit.)

UNIT

A dwelling unit or business unit.

C. All public facilities impact fees shall be due and payable by the owner on the date the City gives approval for a building permit to be issued. No building permit approval for a structure that requires public facilities services shall be issued until the public facilities impact fees for the development of which the structure is a part are paid in full.

D. The City may in its discretion vary the amount and/or method of calculating public facilities impact fees in connection with an annexation ordinance. If no provision for public facilities impact fees is made in the annexation ordinance, then they shall be determined and charged as set forth in Subsections A, B and C, above.

E. The City may in its discretion vary the amount and/or method of calculating public facilities impact fees in connection with development not connected with an annexation, if, after public hearing, the City Council by resolution determines that one or more of the following criteria have been met:

(1) The development which is the subject of the fee serves an important public policy, urban renewal or planning goal of the City, including, without limitation, the following:

(a) Provision of affordable home ownership;

(b) Provision of affordable rental housing;

(c) Provision of housing for the elderly;

(d) Reclamation or rehabilitation of decrepit, abandoned, or dilapidated property; or

(e) Preservation of property that is of historical and/or architectural significance.

(2) Imposition of the impact fee wholly or in part will impose an undue hardship upon the owner of the subject property which is:

(a) Distinctive to the subject property and/or to its owner; and

(b) Not caused or worsened by the owner.

F. The Mayor and Council shall periodically review the status of its public facilities and their need, if any, for further improvement or expansion, shall review the adequacy and equity of the public facilities impact fees charged by the City and shall review the financial impact of such fees.

G. The City shall maintain all public facilities impact fees collected under this section in a separate interest-bearing and fully insured bank account and shall spend the fees collected only to make improvements and expansions to the City's public facilities systems.

H. "Public facilities," as used in this chapter, shall include water supply, treatment and distribution facilities, stormwater, drainage, and flood control facilities; wastewater collection and treatment facilities; municipal power facilities; roadway facilities; parks and recreational facilities; and public safety facilities, including police, fire and waste collection and disposal.[1]

[1] Editor’s Note: Former § 45-5, Registration of rental units, which immediately followed, was repealed 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 679. See now Ch. 91, Residential Rental Housing.