A.
The schedule of fees as set forth are nonrefundable and are to pay for the administrative costs incurred by the Township in processing applications.
B.
The escrow accounts as set forth below are to pay the cost of professional review by the Engineer, Solicitor and other professionals employed by the approving authority to review and make recommendations on an application for development.
C.
At the time of submitting an application to the Planning Board Secretary or designee, the applicant shall be required to execute an escrow agreement with the approving authority to cover all necessary and reasonable costs incurred for the technical and professional review. The amounts specified for escrow are estimates which shall be paid prior to certification of a complete application. In the event an additional amount is required for more than the amount specified in the escrow agreement, the applicant shall pay all additional sums required prior to being permitted to proceed further in the approval process.
[Amended 3-27-91 by Ord. No. 0-6-91; 7-21-98 by Ord. No. 0-14-98]
D.
Escrows.
[Added 7-21-98 by Ord. No. 0-14-98]
(1)
Escrow deposits. In addition to the initial fees or charges as elsewhere set forth, the municipal agency shall require escrow deposits in accordance with the provisions of the fee and deposit schedule set forth in Section 40-44. The Chief Financial Officer of the municipality shall make all of the payments to professionals for services rendered to the municipality or approving authority for review of applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements or other purposes under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. 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 developments under construction and for review by outside consultants when an application is of a nature beyond the scope of the expertise of the professionals normally utilized by the municipality. The only cost that shall be added to such charges shall be actual out-of-pocket expenses of such professionals or consultants including normal and typical expenses incurred in processing applications and inspecting improvements. No applicant shall be charged for any municipal, clerical or administrative functions, overhead expenses except as provided for specifically by statute, nor shall a municipal professional add any such charge to his bill. It is expressly understood that no work shall be performed on any application unless and until the escrow deposit amount posted satisfies the conditions of this section and N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
(2)
Scope of reimbursed services. The municipality shall be entitled to be reimbursed for the review of applications, both as to completeness and as to content; for the review and preparation of documents such as, but not limited to: drafting resolutions, developer's agreements, and necessary correspondence with applicant or applicant's professionals.
(3)
Deposit of escrow funds: refunds. Deposits received from any applicant in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000.) shall be held by the Chief Financial Officer in a special interest-bearing deposit account, and upon receipt of bills from professsionals and approval of said bills as hereinafter provided for, the Chief Financial Officer may use such funds to pay the bills submitted by such professionals or experts. All escrow deposits shall be placed in a banking institution or Savings and Loan Association in the State of New Jersey insured by an agency of the Federal Government, or in any other fund or depository approved for such deposits by the State of New Jersey. The interest bearing account shall be at the minimum rate currently paid by the institution or depository on time or savings deposits. The municipality shall notify the applicant in writing of the name and address of the institution or depository in which the deposit is made and the amount of the deposit. The municipality shall not be required to refund an amount of interest paid on a deposit which does not exceed one hundred dollars ($100.) for the year. If the amount of interest exceeds one hundred dollars ($100.), the entire amount shall belong to the applicant and shall be refunded to him by the municipality annually or at the time the deposit is repaid or applied for the purposes for which it was deposited, as the case may be, except that the municipality may retain for administrative expenses a sum equivalent to no more than thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) of that entire amount, which shall be in lieu of all other administrative and custodial expenses. All sums not actually so expended shall be refunded to the applicant within ninety (90) days after the final decision by the appropriate municipal agency with respect to such application, upon certification by the Board Secretary that such application has been finally decided.
(4)
Payments. Each payment charged to the deposit for review of applications, review and preparation of documents and inspection of improvements shall be pursuant to a voucher from the professional which voucher shall identify the personnel performing the service, and each date the services were performed, the hours spent to one-quarter (1/4) increments, the hourly rate and the expenses incurred. All professionals shall submit vouchers to the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality on a monthly basis in accordance with the schedules and procedures established by the Chief Financial Officer. The professional shall send an informational copy of all vouchers or statements submitted to the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality simultaneously to (1) the applicant and (2) the municipal agency for whom said services were performed.
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, disbursements and the cumulative balance of the escrow account. This information shall be provided on a quarterly basis, if monthly charges are one thousand dollars ($1,000.) or less, or on a monthly basis if monthly charges exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.). If an escrow account or deposit contains insufficient funds to enable the municipality or approving authority to perform required application reviews or improvement inspections, the Chief Financial Officer shall provide the applicant with a notice of the insufficient escrow or deposit balance. In order for work to continue on the development or the application, the applicant shall within ten (10) business days post a deposit to the account in an amount to be agreed upon by the municipality or approving authority and the applicant. In the interim, any required health and safety inspections shall be made and charged back against the replenishment of funds.
(5)
Payments requirement prior to issuance of permits. No zoning permits, building permits, certificates of occupancy or any other types of permits may be issued with respect to any approved application for development until all bills for reimbursable services have been received by the municipality from professional personnel rendering services in connection with such application and payment has been made.
(6)
Close out procedures. The following close out procedures shall apply to all deposits and escrow accounts established under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. and shall commence after the approving authority 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 in accordance with 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 and the approving authority 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 professional shall render a final bill to the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality within thirty (30) days and shall send a copy simultaneously to the applicant. The Chief Financial Officer of the municipality shall render a written final accounting to the applicant on the uses to which the deposit was put within forty-five (45) days of receipt of the final bill. Any balances remaining in the deposit or escrow account including interest in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.1 shall be refunded to the developer along with the final accounting.
(7)
Scope of charges. All professional charges for review of an application for development, review and preparation of documents or inspection of improvements shall be reasonable and necessary, given the status and progress of the application or construction. Review fees shall be charged only in connection with an application for development presently pending before the approving authority or upon review of compliance with the conditions of approval, or review of requests for modification or amendment made by the applicant. A professional shall not review items which are subject to approval by any State governmental agency and not under municipal jurisdiction except to the extent consultation with State agency is necessary due to the effect of State approvals on the subdivision or site plan.
(8)
Inspection Fees.
[Amended 6-26-18 by Ord. No. O.2018-015]
(a)
The obligor shall reimburse the Township for reasonable inspection fees paid the Township Engineer for the foregoing inspection of improvements.
(b)
The developer shall post the inspection fees in escrow in an amount:
[1]
Not to exceed, except for extraordinary circumstances, the greater of five hundred ($500.00) dollars or five percent (5%) of the cost of bonded improvements that are subject to a performance guarantee; and
[2]
Not to exceed five percent (5%) of the cost of private site improvements that are not subject to a performance guarantee.
(c)
If the Township determines that the amount in escrow for the payment of inspection fees, is insufficient to cover the cost of additional required inspections, the Township may require the developer to deposit additional funds in escrow provided that the Township delivers to the developer a written inspection escrow deposit request, signed by the Township Engineer, which: informs the developer of the need for additional inspections, details the items or undertakings that require inspection, estimates the time required for those inspections, and estimates the cost of performing those inspections.
(9)
Substitution of professionals. If the municipality retains a different professional or consultant in the place of a professional originally responsible for development application review, or inspection improvements, the municipality or approving authority shall be responsible for all time and expenses of the new professional to become familiar with the application or the project, and the municipality or approving authority shall not bill the applicant or charge to the deposit or the escrow account for any such services.
(10)
An estimate of improvement cost shall be prepared by the Township Engineer in order to determine the amount of the performance guaranty, which shall be reviewed and have the approval of the Township Solicitor as to both form and amount prior to the issuance of any permits.
[Amended 6-26-18 by Ord. No. O.2018-015]
(11)
Appeal.
(a)
An applicant shall notify in writing the governing body with copies to the Chief Financial Officer, the approving authority and the professional whenever the applicant disputes the charges made by a professional for a service rendered to the municipality in reviewing the applications for development, review and preparation of documents, inspection of improvements, or other charges made pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.1. The governing body or its designee shall within a reasonable time attempt to remediate any disputed charges. If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the applicant, the applicant may appeal to the County Construction Board of Appeals, established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-127 any charge to an escrow account or deposit by any municipal professional or consultant, or the cost of 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 County Construction Board of Appeals. The applicant or his authorized agent shall simultaneously send a copy of the appeal to the municipality, approving authority, and any professional whose charges are the subject of the appeal. An applicant shall file an appeal within forty-five (45) days from receipt of the informational copy of the professional's voucher required by subsection N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.2(c). An applicant may file an appeal for an ongoing series of charges by a professional during a period not exceeding six (6) 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.
(b)
Appeals shall be taken in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the County Construction Board of Appeals.
(c)
During the pendency of any appeal, the municipality or approving authority shall continue to process, hear and decide the application for development and to inspect the development in the normal course and shall not withhold, delay or deny reviews, inspections, signing of subdivision plats or site plans, the reduction or the release of performance or maintenance guarantees, the issuance of construction permits or certificates of occupancy, or any other approval or permit because an appeal has been filed or is pending under this subsection. The Chief Financial Officer of the municipality may pay charges out of the appropriate escrow account or deposit for which an appeal has been filed. If a charge is disallowed after payment, the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality shall reimburse the deposit or escrow account in the amount of any such disallowed charge or refund the amount to the applicant. If a charge is disallowed after payment to a professional or consultant who is not an employee of a municipality, the professional or consultant shall reimburse the municipality in the amount of any such disallowed charge.