Allentown City Zoning Code
§ 28-4.15
Fees, Deposits and Other Charges.
[Added 4-20-2021 by Ord. No. 03-2021]
Every application for development shall be accompanied by a check payable to the "Borough of Allentown" in accordance with the following schedule:
a.
Fee Schedule.
Type | Application Charge | Escrow Plus Account |
|---|---|---|
Subdivisions: | ||
Informal concept (without professional review) | $500 (to be applied toward future formal application) | |
Minor | $200 | $1,500 |
Informal concept (with professional review) | 1/2 preliminary plat fee | 1/2 escrow for preliminary plat |
Preliminary plat | $250 plus $10 per lot | $3,500 |
Final plat | $250 plus $10 per lot ($200 minimum) | $2,000 |
Site Plans: | ||
Informal concept (without professional review) | $500 (to be applied toward future formal application) | 1/2 of escrow fee for preliminary plat/plan |
Minor plan | $100 | $750 |
Informal concept (with professional review) | 1/2 preliminary plat fee | $1,000 |
Preliminary plan | $250 per acre or $10 per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area proposed, whichever is greater ($250 minimum) | $3,500 minimum |
Final plat | $150 per acre or $10 per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area proposed, whichever is greater ($750 minimum) | $50 per acre or $50 per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area proposed, whichever is greater ($2,000 minimum) |
Informal concept plan (without professional review) | 1/2 preliminary plat/plan fee | 1/2 escrow for preliminary plat/plan |
Variances: | ||
Appeals | $75 | $500 |
Interpretations | $50 | $500 |
Hardship | $200 | $1,000 |
Use | $500 | $2,500 |
Variance | $150 | $150 |
Variance application for signs (no site plan) | $200 | $150 |
1.
Notices of publication or hearing dates and final decisions. Deposit amount determined by Borough Clerk or Board Secretary. Fee is for each notice prepared: $30 plus actual cost of publication.
2.
Planning Board's expert witnesses hired in accordance with this chapter. Deposit amount determined by Planning Board. Fee shall be the actual amount billed to the Borough of Allentown by the expert witness.
3.
Copies of stenographic transcripts of proceedings before Borough Board or Agency: actual cost billed to the Borough.
4.
Duplicate recording of proceedings before Borough Board or Agency: $70.
5.
Copies of any final decisions or other public documents: $2 per page.
6.
Certified copy of Zoning Map: $10.
7.
Certified copy of Tax Map page: $10.
8.
Copy of Land Development Regulations: $30.
9.
Parking lot approvals, where not part of application covered above: $0.04 per square foot.
b.
Each variance that is applicable to a separate lot shall be treated as a separate variance with the fee due on that variance.
c.
The fees, deposits and other charges stated above are to be cumulative, inasmuch as where an application or appeal to a Board contains requests for relief or review under more than one of the lettered subsections or other charges and deposits are required, the total fees, other charges and deposits to be paid by the applicant or appellant shall be the cumulative total of the separate charges under each subsection.
d.
The fees to be charged on application for development where preliminary or final approval has been granted and the applicant or its successor in interest applies for an amendment or supplement to the approved preliminary or final plat or plan shall be one-half the fees charged for the original preliminary or final application.
e.
In the event that a special meeting is held at the request of a developer, all costs and fees associated with that meeting, including but not limited to publication fees, recording and stenographic fees, attorney's fees and engineering fees shall be the responsibility of the developer. At the time a request is made for a special meeting, the developer shall place a deposit for the estimated cost of the fees with the Borough of fees and costs to be paid by the developer at the time they are finally determined.
f.
The application charge is a flat fee to cover direct administrative expenses and is nonrefundable. Charitable, philanthropic, fraternal and religious nonprofit organizations holding a tax exempt status under the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. 501 (c) or (I)) shall not be charged an application fee for planning or zoning approvals.
g.
Escrow Account.
1.
The escrow account is established to cover the costs of professional services, including engineering, legal, planning, professional personnel on salary and consultants retained to evaluate material submitted with the application, and other expenses connected with the review of the submitted materials. Sums not utilized in the review process shall be returned to the applicant. If additional sums are deemed necessary, the applicant shall be notified of the required additional amount and shall add such sum to the escrow.
2.
The Borough Treasurer shall advise monthly the Planning Board Administrator of the balance of all escrow accounts and whether additional funds are required. In the event that additional funds are required, it shall be the obligation of the Planning Board Administrator to notify the applicant of the additional escrow amount required, and in the event that there is a refusal or failure to make the payments required, the Planning Board Administrative Officer shall notify the approving Board and the Borough Construction Office. No further approvals, permits or inspections shall be provided until the escrow funds are replenished.
3.
The escrow associated 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 Planning Board Administrator shall notify the applicant of the requirement to replenish the escrow, and the applicant shall be requested to deposit an amount to bring the balance up to 100% of the original escrow amount.
4.
Any fees paid for informal review shall be a credit toward fees for a subsequent application for development by the same applicant and for the same development.
5.
The amount of additional escrow moneys shall be determined by the Planning Board Administrator.
h.
Engineering Inspection Fees and Additional Fees.
1.
Engineering inspection fees shall be paid by all applicants prior to the work commencing on the site. The fee shall be based upon the Engineer's estimate of all standard outside improvements and includes landscaping, but does not include lighting, signs, fencing, etc. The inspection fees to be paid shall be as follows:
Improvement Costs | Inspection Fee Required |
|---|---|
$0 to $10,000 | 8% of estimated cost of construction |
$10,001 to $50,000 | $800 plus 7 1/2% of cost over $10,000 |
$50,001 to $100,000 | $3,800 plus 7% of cost over $50,000 |
$100,001 to $200,000 | $7,300 plus 6 1/2% of cost over $100,000 |
$200,001 or greater | $13,800 plus 6% of cost over $200,000 |