A.
At the time of filing an application before the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment, the applicant shall pay the nonrefundable fees described in the following table. Each applicant shall also deposit with the Borough the amount described in the following table as "escrow deposit." An applicant which seeks a combination of approvals, such as site plan and variance relief, shall pay a fee and make the required escrow deposit equal to the sum of the fees for each element. Any change to the application during review which would result in an increased fee or escrow deposit based upon the provisions of this chapter shall require such additional fees and escrow deposit as computed from the table set forth below at the time of submission of the changed plans.
B.
The fees required by this chapter shall be as follows:
Application Type | Fee | Escrow Deposit |
|---|---|---|
Minor subdivision | $300 | $800 |
Preliminary major subdivision | $500 | Up to 20 lots, $400 per lot and $300 per lot thereafter |
Final major subdivision approval | $400 | Minimum of $1,000 shall be deposited. The escrow deposit shall be the sum of: $50 per acre or part thereof; plus $5 per dwelling unit; plus $0.10 per square foot or part thereof of total proposed nonresidential building area up to and including 20,000 square feet, plus $0.06 per square foot for every additional square foot of nonresidential building area over 20,000 square feet, $50 per lot with a minimum of $500 |
Concept plan | $250 | Minimum of $1,000 shall be deposited. The escrow deposit shall be the sum of: $50 per acre or part thereof; plus $5 per dwelling unit; plus $0.10 per square foot or part thereof of total proposed nonresidential building area up to and including 20,000 square feet, plus $0.06 per square foot for every additional square foot of nonresidential building area over 20,000 square feet |
Minor site plan | $300 | $1,000 |
Preliminary major site plan | $500 | Minimum of $2,000 shall be deposited. The escrow deposit shall be the sum of: $150 per acre or part thereof; plus $10 per dwelling unit; plus $0.20 per square foot or part thereof of total proposed nonresidential building area up to and including 20,000 square feet, plus $0.14 per square foot for every additional square foot of nonresidential building area over 20,000 square feet |
Final major site plan approval | $500 | Minimum of $750 shall be deposited. The escrow deposit shall be the sum of: $70 per acre or part thereof; plus $6 per dwelling unit; plus $0.10 per square foot or part thereof of total proposed nonresidential building area up to and including 20,000 square feet, plus $0.06 per square foot for every additional square foot of nonresidential building area over 20,000 square feet |
Informal non-binding review | $250 | Minimum of $1,000 shall be deposited. The escrow deposit shall be the sum of: $50 per acre or part thereof; plus $5 per dwelling unit; plus $0.10 per square foot or part thereof of total proposed nonresidential building area up to and including 20,000 square feet, plus $0.06 per square foot for every additional square foot of nonresidential building area over 20,000 square feet |
General development plan | $500 | Same as preliminary major site plan approval requirements |
Conditional use approval | $350 | Same as preliminary site plan approval requirements |
Variance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70c | ||
Residential | $50 | $100 minimum |
Nonresidential | $250 | $4,000 minimum |
Variance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70d | $500 | Same as preliminary major site plan approval requirements |
Appeals from Construction Official | $100 | None |
Zoning interpretation | $100 | $400 minimum |
Permit to build embedded street or for property not on public street | $100 | Same as preliminary major site plan application requirements |
Special meeting | $500 | $1,000 |
C.
If the escrow balance for an application shall fall below 25% of the initial escrow amount, the applicant shall be required to replenish the escrow account to the original required amount. No further action shall be taken on any application if such replenishment is not made prior to the hearing.
D.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the application is deemed to be an "application of special concern" then the escrow deposit required shall be calculated by the Clerk of the applicable board after combining estimates received from all applicable municipal professionals; but in no event shall such escrow be less than the escrow called for in Subsection B above. The determination as to whether an application is "an application of special concern" shall be made by the Clerk of the applicable Board, after consultation with the Board Chairman, Engineer and Board Attorney. A decision of the Clerk may be appealed to the applicable board.
H.
In addition to the escrow deposit as set forth in Subsection B above, where post-approval inspections are necessary under the relevant approvals, then the applicant shall deposit an additional escrow deposit in the lesser amount of:
I.
The application review and inspection charges shall be limited only to professional charges for review of applications, review and preparation of documents and inspections of development under construction and review. A professional shall not review items which are subject to approval by any state government agency and not under municipal jurisdiction except to the extent consultation with a state agency is necessary due to the effect of state approvals on the application in question. Inspection fees shall be charged only for actual work shown on a subdivision or site plan or required by a resolution of approval. Professionals inspecting improvements under construction shall charge only for inspections that are reasonably necessary to check the progress and quality of the work and such inspections shall be reasonably based on the approved development plans and documents. The only cost that shall be added to any such charges shall be actual out-of-pocket expenses of any such professionals or consultants including customary expenses incurred in processing applications and inspecting improvements. The municipality or board shall not bill the applicant or charge any escrow account or deposit for any municipal clerical or administrative functions, overhead expenses, meeting room charges or any other municipal costs and expenses except as provided for in this section, nor shall a municipal professional add any such charges to his or her bill.
J.
The Chief Financial Officer of the Borough shall make all payments for services rendered to East Rutherford or to the appropriate board for review of applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection and improvements or other purposes allowed by the Municipal Land Use Law.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
K.
Each payment charged to the escrow deposit shall be pursuant to a voucher from the professional, which voucher shall identify the personnel performing the service, the date each item of service was performed, the hours spent to no-more-than-one-quarter-hour increments, the hourly rate and the expenses incurred. All professionals shall submit vouchers to the Clerk of the appropriate board on a monthly basis in accordance with schedules and procedures established by the Chief Financial Officer. Services are provided by a municipal employee, the municipal employee shall prepare and submit to the Clerk of the appropriate board a statement containing the same information as required on a voucher, on a monthly basis. The professional and/or municipal employee shall send an informational copy of all vouchers or statements submitted to the Clerk of the appropriate board simultaneously to the applicant. The Clerk of the appropriate board shall transmit the original of the vouchers to the Chief Financial Officer.
L.
The Clerk of each board, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer, shall prepare and send to the applicant a statement which shall include an accounting of funds listing all deposits, interest earnings (if any), disbursements and the cumulative balance of the escrow account. This information shall be provided on a quarterly basis if the escrow balance is $1,000 or less, or on a monthly basis if the escrow balance exceeds $1,000.
M.
If an escrow deposit contains insufficient funds to enable the municipality or applicable board to perform required application reviews or improvement inspections, the Clerk of the appropriate board shall provide the applicant with a notice of the insufficient escrow deposit balance. The applicant shall, within a reasonable time, post a deposit to the account to restore the account to the amount originally required by Subsection B above.
N.
Whenever an amount in excess of $5,000 shall be deposited by an applicant into an escrow account or to satisfy the guaranty requirements of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53, the money, until repaid or applied to the purposes for which it is deposited, including the applicant's portion of the interest earned thereon, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall continue to be the property of the applicant and shall be held in trust by East Rutherford. Money deposited shall be held in a banking institution or savings and loan association in New Jersey insured by an agency of the federal government or in any other fund or depository of proof for such deposits by the State of New Jersey, in an account bearing interest at the minimum rate currently paid by the institution or depository on time or savings deposits. East Rutherford shall notify the applicant in writing of the name and address of the institution or depository in which the deposit is held and the amount of the deposit. East Rutherford shall not be required to refund an amount of interest paid on a deposit which does not exceed $100 for the year. If the amount of interest exceeds $100, that entire amount shall belong to the applicant and shall be refunded to the applicant by East Rutherford annually or at the time the deposit is repaid or applied to the purposes for which it is deposited, as the case may be; provided that East Rutherford may retain for administrative expenses a sum equal to no more than one-third of that entire amount, which shall be in lieu of all other administrative and custodial expenses.
O.
After the appropriate board has granted final approval and signed the subdivision plat or site plan, in the case of application review escrows and deposits, or after the improvements have been approved as provided in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53, in the case of improvement inspection escrows and deposits, the applicant shall send written notice by certified mail to the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality, to the Clerk of the applicable board and to the relevant municipal professional, that the application or the improvements, as the case may be, are completed. After receipt of such notice, the professionals shall render a final bill to the Chief Financial Officer within 30 days, and shall send a copy simultaneously to the applicant. The Chief Financial Officer shall render a written final accounting to the applicant on the uses to which the deposit was put within 45 days of receipt of the final bill. Any balances remaining in the deposit or escrow account, including interest in accordance with Subsection N above, shall be refunded to the applicant along with the final accounting.
P.
An applicant shall notify the Mayor and Council, in writing, with a required copy to the Chief Financial Officer, the Clerk of the appropriate board and the applicable professional, whenever the applicant disputes the charges made by a professional for service rendered to East Rutherford in reviewing applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements, or other charges made pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law.[5] The Mayor and Council, or its designee, shall within a reasonable time period attempt to mediate any disputed charges. If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the applicant, the applicant may appeal to the Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals any charge to an escrow account or deposit by any municipal professional or consultant, or the cost of the installation of improvements estimated by the Municipal Engineer pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.4. An applicant or his authorized agent shall submit the appeal in writing to the Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals and shall simultaneously send a copy of the appeal to the Borough Clerk, the Clerk of the applicable board and any professional whose charge is the subject of the appeal. An applicant shall file an appeal within 45 days from receipt of the informational copy of the professional's voucher required by Subsection K above, provided that if the professional has not supplied the applicant with an informational copy of the voucher, then the applicant shall file his appeal within 60 days from receipt of the municipal statement of activity against the deposit or escrow account required by Subsection K above. An applicant may file an appeal for an ongoing series of charges by a professional during a period not exceeding six months to demonstrate that they represent a pattern of excessive or inaccurate charges. An applicant making use of this provision need not appeal each charge individually. The County Board of Appeals shall determine the appeal in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Land Use Law.[6]