The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals shall have the right, at the applicant's expense, to hire a planner, engineer, attorney or other consultants, including without limitation City attorneys if the scope of the services involved will cause the incurrence of additional legal fees payable by the City, to assist the applicable board in its review of any application before such board, including any required SEQRA review of said application, or to obtain any other information deemed necessary by such board for it to appropriately perform its duties. All such costs related to such board's review, including studies, reports, analysis, legal research or drafting, or other information that may be required, as well as the advertising of public hearing notices, shall be borne by the applicant. Any such costs incurred by the Zoning Board of Appeals in connection with its adjudication of appeals that come before it, shall be similarly reimbursed.

When a board makes a determination that costs as described in Subsection A above will be incurred in connection with an application or appeal, such board shall estimate the amount of such costs, and within 10 days of such determination, the applicant or appellant shall tender a payment to the Treasurer of the City of Hudson in the amount of such estimated costs, to be held by the Treasurer in escrow, to be disbursed to pay such costs as and when they become due and payable. A board may from time to time change its estimate of the amount of such costs remaining to be incurred, in which event, within 10 days of such change of its estimate, the applicant or appellant shall make an additional payment to the Treasurer, or receive a disbursement from the Treasurer, as the case may be, such that the amount held in escrow equals the amount of such remaining costs to be incurred. Upon completion of a board's duties in connection with an application or appeal, if insufficient funds remain in escrow to pay all such costs remaining unpaid, the applicant or appellant shall, within 10 days of receiving notice thereof from the Treasurer, make an additional payment to the Treasurer in an amount equal to the amount by which such unpaid costs exceed the amount of funds remaining in escrow, or if after all costs have been paid, funds remain in escrow with respect to such application or appeal, such remaining funds shall be disbursed to the applicant or appellant within 10 days of the payment of all such costs.

In the event an applicant or appellant fails to pay when due to the Treasurer the amounts specified in Subsections A and B above, the applicable board shall cease acting upon or other processing the application or appeal of the party failing to make such payment.