Borough of Highlands, NJ FEE SCHEDULE

[Amended 8-19-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-17; 10-4-2023 by Ord. No. O-23-20]

The following Schedule of Fees is established for the various applications for development and other matters, which are the subject of this chapter. These fees shall be nonrefundable and are for the purpose of offsetting Borough administrative, clerical and meeting costs. Applications requiring a combination of approvals, such as subdivision, site plan and/or variances shall require a fee equal to the sum of the individual fees for each element of the application. Escrow deposits for professional consultants, such as legal, planning, engineering, or other professional fees, costs and expenses, shall also be required in accordance with § 21-108.

All fees and escrow deposits required in §§ 21-107 and 21-108 shall be paid prior to the certification of a complete application.

Schedule of Fees

A.	Variances.
	1.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D70a.	$125
	2.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D70b.	$125
	3.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D70c.
		For residential	$125
		For nonresidential	$250
	4.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D70d.
		For residential	$150
		For nonresidential	$500
	5.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-34	$75
	6.	For proceedings governed by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-36
		For residential	$75
		For nonresidential	$200
In order to qualify for the lower fees established for residential applications, an application must be exclusively residential in character, and can only be for a single use on the lot or tract. Any application not complying with each of these conditions shall fall under the higher fee schedule.
B.	Subdivisions.
	1.	Simple lot line change or merger	$100
	2.	Minor subdivision	$100
	3.	Major subdivision
		a. Conceptual review	10% of the preliminary fee (to be applied to preliminary fee at time of preliminary submission)
		b. Preliminary plat	$500 plus $50 per lot
		c. Final	50% of preliminary fee
C.	Site Plans
	1.	Minor	$100
	2.	Major
		a. Conceptual review	10% of the preliminary fee (to be applied to preliminary fee at time of preliminary submission)
		b. Preliminary approval	$1,000 plus $50 per acre or part thereof and $20 per 1,000 square foot of building floor area or part thereof; or $20 per dwelling unit
		c. Final approval	50% of preliminary fee
	3.	Application for revised approval of site plan	$100
D.	Floodplain Development Permit
	Substantial Improvement/Damage Itemization Package		$0
	Non-Conversion Agreement in the 100 Year Floodplain		$0
E.	Conditional use applications		$250
F.	Individual plot plan review		$300
G.	Zone changes. Applications or requests to consider a change in the zoning ordinance made either to the Planning Board or the Borough Council shall be subject to the payment of a fee of $250 plus an escrow deposit in the amount of $2,000 in accordance with the provisions of § 21-108 below.
H.	Zoning Permits Residential/Non-Residential
	1.	New/Major Construction Plan Review	$300
	2.	All Other (fences, sheds, signs, additions)	$50
I.	Certificate of continuing occupancy		$50
J.	Smoke detector permit, per N.J.A.C. 5:18		$35
K.	Fence permit		$15
L.	Miscellaneous
	1.	Copies of minutes	At per page fee established by ordinance
	2.	Copy of verbatim transcript	At expense of requesting party
	3.	Copy of decision	No charge to applicant
	4.	List of property owners within 200 feet	$10 or $0.25 per name, whichever is greater
	5.	Court reporter	At expense of requesting party
	6.	Certificate of subdivision, per N.J.S.A. 40:55D-56 [Ord. No. O-97-16 § 3; Ord. No. O-07-06 § 45]	$10
M.	Grading plans [Added 12-4-2019 by Ord. No. O-19-21]
	1.	Grading plan review	$425
	2.	Resubmission of grading plan	$175

[Ord. No. O-07-06 § 45]

Escrow Accounts.

In addition to the above general nonrefundable fees for each application filed, the applicant shall reimburse the Borough for all professional or technical review fees deemed necessary or desirable by the Board, and shall establish an escrow fund with the Borough Treasurer to pay such fees or charges. The escrow fund shall be utilized to reimburse the Borough for all costs, which are reasonable and related to the review of such application.

As part of the application submission, the applicant shall be required to make a deposit to the escrow account in an amount provided for in paragraph B below. If the amount posted is not sufficient to cover the Borough's professional charges associated with the application, the Board shall request additional funds.

After approval of an application and prior to the start of construction, the applicant shall be required to deposit with the Borough Clerk engineering inspection escrow fees to provide for anticipated inspection and any additional professional review services in accordance with paragraph C below.

Additional escrow funds, equal to twenty-five (25%) percent of the applicable escrow fee, will be required upon submission of a revised plan for review by Board professionals.

Additional escrow funds shall be required when the balance of any escrow account reaches twenty (20%) percent of the initial deposit. The Borough shall notify the applicant who shall be requested to deposit up to thirty-five (35%) percent of the original escrow account. No further consideration, review, processing or inspection shall take place until the additional escrow has been paid.

For escrow deposits over five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars the procedures under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53.1 shall prevail.

At the applicant's written request and at his cost, an account of the expenses or fees paid by him for professional services shall be provided. Borough professional shall submit vouchers for all services to be assessed against an escrow account, which vouchers shall state the hours spent, the hourly rate and the expenses incurred.

Any unexpended monies remaining after the completion of the project and maintenance period shall be returned to the applicant.

Escrow Deposits for Professional and Technical Review. The initial deposit of escrow funds for technical and professional review of an application shall be in an amount equal to double the application fee, but not less than seven hundred fifty ($750.00) dollars.

Escrow Deposit for Inspection. Prior to the start of construction, the applicant shall post engineering inspection fees determined in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53h and 53.4. Inspection fees shall be five (5%) percent of the cost of improvements, with a minimum of five hundred ($500.00) dollars.