The City Council shall appoint a Zoning Administrative Officer to enforce the provisions of this chapter. It shall be his duty to examine all applications for permits, issue permits only for construction and uses which are in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, record and file for public record all applications for permits with any accompanying plans and documents and make such reports as the City Council may require. Permits for construction and uses which are a conditional use or which are a variance to requirements of this Part 3 shall be issued only upon order of the Planning Board or the Board of Adjustment, whichever Board has jurisdiction. Nothing herein contained shall require any change in plans or construction of a lawful use for which a building permit has been issued during the time period when such building permit remains valid.

A permit shall be required prior to the erection or structural alteration of any building, structure or portion thereof and prior to the use or change in use of a building or land and prior to the change or extension of a nonconforming use. Applications for permits shall be made in writing to the Zoning Administrative Officer, on such forms as may be furnished by the city. Such application shall contain all information necessary for the Zoning Administrative Officer to ascertain whether the proposed erection, alteration, use or change in use complies with the provisions of this Part 3. In the case of uses or buildings, which require approval of the New Jersey Department of Labor, copies of the application and plans furnished to such agency shall meet the terms of this section.

Permits shall be granted or refused within 10 days after the written application has been filed with the Zoning Administrative Officer. Upon completion of the erection or alteration of any building or portion thereof authorized by any permit and prior to occupancy or use, the holder of such permit shall notify the Zoning Administrative Officer of such completion. No permit shall be considered complete or permanently effective until the Zoning Administrative Officer has certified that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable ordinances.

Fees for permits shall be paid in accordance with a Fee Schedule to be adopted by the Council, and all such fees shall be paid into the City treasury. Each applicant for an appeal, special exception or variance shall, at the time of making application, pay a fee in accordance with the aforementioned Fee Schedule, for the cost of advertising and mailing notices as required by this chapter and the rules of the Board of Adjustment.

All uses of land defined or included as wetlands, floodplains or other flood-affected areas under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, the New Jersey Coastal Wetlands Act,[1] and the Flood Control Act of 1972, or any other federal or state laws, rules or regulations relating to any such areas shall be in compliance with the appropriate requirements of any such act, law, rule or regulation prior to the issuance of a building or zoning permit.