The Town of New Paltz incurs significant expenses in the operation of the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the office of the Building Inspector.

These expenses include, but are not limited to, administrative, legal and engineering costs.

Administrative costs include, but are not limited to, processing applications, consultations among municipal officers and officials regarding the facts and circumstances of the application, preparation of hearing notices, publication of hearing notices, providing notice to other governmental agencies, preparation of affidavits of posting and publication, preparation and maintenance of official records regarding the application and municipal review of the application, testimony by municipal officials at public hearings, processing of resolutions and determinations, filing fees and miscellaneous services and disbursements.

Legal costs include, but are not limited to, application review, review and analysis of applicable zoning law provisions, review and analysis of applicable subdivision regulations, preparation of hearing notices, attendance at meetings and public hearings, preparation of resolutions and determinations, preparation of SEQRA determinations, review of bonds for public improvements, review of offers of dedication, review of easements, preparation and review of agreements, review of deeds and miscellaneous services and disbursements.

Engineering costs include review of plans at various stages, analysis of public improvements, preparation of reports, design analysis, inspection fees, preparation of improvement costs estimates, examination of property descriptions and miscellaneous services and disbursements.

When these expenses are occasioned in connection with an appeal, application or petition made by an applicant to the Town or to an instrumentality of the Town, then it is proper and in the public interest for the applicant to bear the cost of these expenses.

Escrow deposits.

Upon receipt of monies requested for an escrow account, the Town Supervisor shall cause such monies to be placed in a separate noninterest bearing account in the name of the Town and shall keep a separate record of all such monies deposited and the name of the applicant and project for which such sums were deposited.

Upon receipt and approval by the Town Board of itemized vouchers from consultants for services rendered on behalf of the Town regarding a particular application, the Town Supervisor shall cause such vouchers to be paid out of the monies so deposited and shall debit the separate record of such account accordingly. The consultant shall make copies of such vouchers available to the applicant at the same time the vouchers are submitted to the Town.

The Town Board shall review and audit all such vouchers and shall approve payment of only such consultant charges as are reasonable in amount and necessarily incurred by the Town in connection with the review and consideration of applications. A charge or part thereof is reasonable in amount if it bears a reasonable relationship to the average charge by consultants to the Town for services performed in connection with the review of a similar application. In auditing the vouchers, the Town Board may take into consideration the size, type and number of buildings to be constructed, the topography of the site at issue, environmental conditions at such site, the infrastructure proposed in the application and any special conditions the Town Board may deem relevant. A charge or part thereof is necessarily incurred if it was charged by the consultant for a service which was rendered in order to protect or promote the health, safety or other vital interests of the residents of the Town, and to protect public or private property from damage.

In no event shall an applicant make direct payment to any Town consultant.

If at any time during the processing of an application there shall be insufficient monies on hand to the credit of an applicant to pay the approved vouchers in full, or if it shall reasonably appear to the reviewing board that such monies will be insufficient to meet vouchers yet to be submitted, the reviewing board shall cause the applicant to deposit additional sums as the board deems necessary or advisable in order to meet such expenses or anticipated expenses.

In the event the applicant fails to deposit the requested review fees into an escrow account, any applicant review, approval, permit or certificates of occupancy may be withheld or suspended by the reviewing board, officer or employee of the Town until such monies are deposited.

Upon completion of the review of an application or upon the withdrawal of an application, and after all fees already incurred by the Town have been paid and deducted from the escrow account, any balance remaining in the escrow account shall be refunded within 60 days after the applicant's request.

The fees required pursuant to this article may be established by resolution of the Town Board, and such resolution may be modified from time to time. Any such resolution or modification shall take effect after adoption and upon filing with the Town Clerk and shall apply to all applications filed thereafter, including pending applications.

Except in the case of variances, the fees established pursuant to this article shall be deemed to be minimum fees, and any additional expenses actually incurred by the Town for professional consultations, hearing notices and other nonministerial expenses shall be imposed on the applicant and paid prior to the endorsement of an approved subdivision plat or site plan or the issuance of any building permit or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.

Area variances.

Use variances.

Zoning Law interpretation (at request of applicant alone).

Site plan review.

Special exception use applications.

Minor subdivision applications:

Major subdivision applications:

Whenever, in connection with an application or petition, a local law is necessary or appropriate to implement the benefit or relief sought or to regulate conditions occasioned by the granting of an approval or approvals, the total actual expenses incurred by the Town in connection with the preparation and consideration of a proposed local law shall be borne by the applicant. The minimum fees established by resolution shall be paid by the applicant upon the earlier of submission of a petition, if applicable, or prior to the endorsement of an approved subdivision plat or site plan or the issuance of any building permit or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.

Fees shall be established for the following:

If the administrative or other expenses of the Town exceed the amount deposited pursuant to this section, the balance shall be paid by the applicant prior to the endorsement of any subdivision plat or site plan or the issuance of any building permit or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.

Building permits:

Certificates of occupancy:

Demolition permits.

Fire prevention and safety inspections:

Floodplain development permits.

Floodplain insurance permits.

Inspection of septic systems.

Permit for installation of freestanding wood-burning stoves and freestanding fireplaces.