A. 
Applicants submitting the applications set forth herein shall pay such application fees as are due at the time of filing a submission, including all reasonable costs for professional services, including engineering, legal, planning, and other, incurred by the Township in connection with the review and approval by the Planning Board of the application set forth herein. Such professional services may be by Township consultants retained by the Township on a general basis or retained specially for an application by the board of jurisdiction or the Township. In conjunction with payment of such professional fees, the applicant shall make an escrow deposit in the amount and manner set forth herein and shall execute an escrow agreement in a form provided by the Township obligating the applicant to cover all necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the approving authority for technical and professional review of the application. The application fee is a flat fee to cover direct administrative expenses and is nonrefundable.
[Amended 12-27-2023 by Ord. No. 13-2023]
B. 
When an applicant submits an application for informal review, it shall be the applicant's option to request professional review of the proposed development by executing an escrow agreement to cover the necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the approving authority for such a review.
C. 
All escrow fees shall be maintained by the Township of West Amwell in a separate escrow account with all interest thereon to accrue to the Township.
D. 
The amounts specified for the escrow fee are estimates, which shall be paid prior to certification of a complete application. In the event that an amount higher than that specified for escrow is required to pay the reasonable costs incurred, the applicant shall, prior to being permitted to take the next step in the approval procedure or, in any event, prior to obtaining occupancy permits for any element of the project, pay all additional sums required. In addition to these terms, the escrow agreement may include any additional terms which are agreed to by the applicant and the approving authority.
A. 
Each applicant shall, at the time of filing a submission with the Planning Board, submit to the Township Treasurer by certified check or money order the following sums as application fees and escrow deposits. Where one application for development includes more than one approval request, the sum of the individual required fees shall be paid. Upon presentation of payment as set forth above, the applicant/owner/agent will execute an escrow agreement (see Appendix A of this Part 2) as well as a memorandum of understanding (see Appendix B of this Part 2).[1]
[Amended by Ord. No. 92-05; Ord. No. 93-11; Ord. No. 98-11; Ord. No. 99-21; Ord. No. 01-10; 11-28-2012 by Ord. No. 19-2012; 11-20-2019 by Ord. No. 13-2019; 12-27-2023 by Ord. No. 13-2023]
Note: If an escrow account falls below 30% of the original amount, a request for additional funds will be made to bring the escrow account up to 50% of the original amount.
Application
Fee
Escrow to be Deposited
1.
Subdivision reviews
a.
Informal review
$500*
$1,500
*Will be credited towards fees for review if the applicant proceeds within 1 year of informal review
b.
Sketch plat or concept plan
$500 + $150 per lot
$1,500 + $250 per lot
c.
Preliminary plat, major
$1,500 + $150 per lot or new dwelling unit
With previous sketch approval: $4,000 + $250 per lot
Without previous sketch approval: $5,000 + $300 per lot
d.
Final plat, major
$750 + $100 per lot or new dwelling unit
Final subdivision: $1,500 + $250 per lot
With developer's agreement: additional $1,500
e.
Resubmittal of an application for preliminary or final major subdivision approval when applicant has submitted an incomplete application as deemed by the Planning Board
No further application fees required as applicant will be billed out of escrow account for any further review of an incomplete application
f.
Minor subdivision
$750 + $150 per lot
$1,500 + $1,500 per lot
g.
Extension of preliminary or final approval
—
$500
Tax Map maintenance fees. The following fees shall be paid by the applicant at the time of filing of the deeds of subdivision approval by the Planning Board of the Township of West Amwell for the cost of making updates and modifications to the Tax Maps of the Township of West Amwell relating to said applications:
Boundary line adjustment
$150
$2,000
2-3 lots, including remaining land
$450
$3,000
4-7 lots, including remaining land
$750
$3,000
8-12 lots, including remaining land
$1,000
$3,000
13-19 lots, including remaining land
$1,250
$3,000
20 lots or more
$1,500 + $50 per lot in excess of 20
$5,000
i.
Agricultural division of land
$100
$2,000 + $250 per lot
2.
Site plan reviews
a.
Informal review
$500*
$2,500
Informal review (100% agricultural use)
$100*
$2,500
* Will be credited towards fees for review if the applicant proceeds within 1 year of informal review
b.
Minor site plan
$500
$3,000
Minor site plan (100% agricultural use)
$100
$3,000
c.
Major site plans:
Preliminary plan
$1,500 + $150 per dwelling unit, or if nonresidential, $0.10 per square foot of new construction + $25 per acre of lot area
$3,000 + $250 per dwelling unit, or if nonresidential, the larger of $0.30 per square foot of building area or $250 per acre of lot area
Preliminary plan (100% agricultural use)
$100
$2,000 + $0.30 per square foot of agricultural building area
Final plan
$750
$2,000 + $100 per dwelling unit, or if nonresidential, the larger of $0.10 per square foot of building area or $100 per acre of lot area
Final plan (100% agricultural use)
$100
$1,500 + $0.10 per square foot of agricultural building area
d.
Resubmittal of application for preliminary or final major subdivision approval where the applicant has submitted an application deemed incomplete by the Planning Board
No further application fees required as applicant will be billed out of escrow account for any review of an incomplete application
e.
Extension of preliminary or final approval
—
$1,000
f.
Telecommunications installations:
If no new tower is proposed
$1,000
$4,000
If a new tower is proposed
$2,000
$10,000
3.
General development plan review
$2,500 + $150 per dwelling unit + $150 per nonresidential acre
$5,000 + $250 per dwelling unit + $250 per nonresidential acre
4.
Conditional use
$500 plus applicable subdivision or site plan application fees
$2,000 plus applicable subdivision or site plan escrow deposit
5.
Appeals or interpretations under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70a and b
$250
$1,500
6.
Request for rezoning
$500
Initial escrow of $2,000 required; additional escrow to be established on a case-by-case basis with each individual request being reviewed by the Township professionals as to approximate cost prior to any action being taken
7.
Variances*
*Add subdivision and site plan fees if applicable
a.
N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70c single- or two-family
$250
$1,500 + $250 per variance
All others
$500
$1,500 + $250 per variance
b.
N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70d
$1,000
$2,500 per variance: commercial
c.
N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70d
$200
$1,500 per variance: residential
8.
Permits under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-34 and 40:55D-36
$250
$1,500
9.
Boundary line agreement
$250
$1,500
10.
List of persons within 200 feet of subject lots
$10 or $0.25 per name, whichever is greater
Not required
11.
Special meetings
$750*
Each applicant who requests and obtains a special meeting in connection with any application for development or appeal shall post an additional escrow as required and determined by the administrative officer of the board upon consultation with board professionals
* If requested by the applicant and approved by the board
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendixes A and B are included as attachments to this chapter.
B. 
The per-lot fees and escrow deposits include newly created lots as well as the lots remaining.
[Amended 5-25-2011 by Ord. No. 9-2011]
C. 
If final total square footage is unknown, fees and escrows shall be based upon the maximum floor area permitted under Part 4, Zoning, of this chapter.
D. 
Development review fees for either subdivision or site plan applications may be proportioned to stages of submittals as approved by the Planning Board.
E. 
If an applicant desires a certified court reporter, the cost of taking testimony and transcribing it and providing a copy of the transcript to the Township shall be at the expense of the applicant, who shall also arrange for the reporter's attendance.
F. 
Any fees required by the Township for the witnessing of percolation tests and soil logs shall be in addition to the fees required herein.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a waiver of all Township subdivision and site plan application fees and building permit and certificate of occupancy fees shall be granted by the approving Township agency for all housing units to be provided by the applicant for low- and moderate-income families.
[Amended 12-27-2023 by Ord. No. 13-2023]
The Secretary of the Planning Board shall maintain an itemized account for each application and shall, upon request by the applicant, supply a copy of said accounting. All charges against any escrow account shall be made by voucher and shall be approved of by the Township Committee.
[Amended by Ord. No. 93-11; 12-27-2023 by Ord. No. 13-2023]
A. 
The Township Treasurer shall periodically advise the Secretary of the Planning Board of the balance of all escrow accounts and when additional funds are required. It shall be the obligation of the Secretary of the Planning Board to notify the applicant of the amounts needed and to notify the approving authority of any refusal or failure to properly make the payments required.
B. 
The escrow assessed with each application shall be replenished whenever the original escrow is reduced by charges against the account to 35% or less of the original amount. The Secretary of the Planning Board shall notify the applicant of the requirement to replenish the escrow and the applicant shall be requested to deposit up to 35% of the original escrow account. No further consideration, review, processing or inspection shall be performed by or on behalf of the Board until the additional escrow has been paid.
In the event that the amounts posted are more than those required, the excess funds shall be returned to the applicant within 60 days after the filing of the deed in the case of the minor subdivision; upon the completion and acceptance of any required improvements in the case of a major subdivision; upon the issuance of a certificate of occupancy in the case of a site plan; or effecting of the approval granted. In no event, however, shall the required application fees be refunded.