[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]
A. 
Minor subdivision (6 lots or less).
(1) 
Application fee: $177.32.
(2) 
Engineer review fees (escrow account): $528.24.
B. 
Minor subdivision (preliminary plat).
(1) 
Application fee: $528.24.
(2) 
Engineer review fees (escrow account): $851.88, plus $170.50 per lot created (does not include additional fee of $682).
C. 
Major subdivision (final).
(1) 
Application fee: $339.76.
(2) 
Engineer review fees (escrow account): $848.40, plus $170.50 per lot created (does not include additional fee of $682).
D. 
Site plan review (preliminary).
(1) 
Application fee:
(a) 
For sites 0.50 acre or less: $482.36.
(b) 
For sites over 0.50 acre: $803.40.
(2) 
Engineer review (escrow account):
(a) 
For sites 0.50 acre or less: $1,204.41.
(b) 
For sites over 0.50 acre: $2,408.82.
E. 
Site plan review (final).
(1) 
Application fee: $334.18.
(2) 
Engineer review fees (escrow account):
(a) 
For sites 0.50 acre or less: $803.40.
(b) 
For sites over 0.50 acre: $1,204.41.
F. 
Sign permit review.
(1) 
Application fees:
(a) 
Sign application: $79.11.
(b) 
Advertising billboards: $395.56.
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:
A. 
Maintenance and repair: $38.19.
B. 
Major rehabilitation: $34.10.
[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.