New Zoning Permit Fees for Home Improvement, Businesses

Township residents planning to put in a new in-ground pool or party tent this spring will pay a slightly higher zoning permit fee, under changes just approved by the Township Committee on May 5. 

A much higher increase awaits those planning large retaining walls, and new one- and two-family homes. 

But the cost of large renovations on existing homes should be significantly less. 

The changes are adjustments to the zoning fee ordinance for residential and non-residential users, enacted in September. 

"Since we've been using them for six months we've seen some things we need to change,"  said Township Zoning Officer Dave Olsen, in an interview at his Town Hall office in early April. "The fees were not even close to covering what the zoning officer does, what the zoning clerk does, and what the township engineer does. It is more to offset the cost of doing the work."  

Under the new ordinance, the fee for a zoning permit to build large retaining walls goes from $125 to $360. "Engineer review is taking longer than we thought," said Olsen.  "The walls were getting reviewed two or three times, because they weren't correct." 

In-ground pool permit fees were adjusted upwards from $75 to $100. "We've been finding in-ground pools are getting difficult to review in regards to people don't have the right documents, the proper surveys."

On the other hand, large additions to homes were adjusted to be in scale with the job. "For the cost of an addition, this is going to bring the cost way down," he said. Some people came from large additions. and the zoning fee ended up being a couple of hundred dollars, which to me far exceeded the cost of the work that was involved to do that review."

Fees also were adjusted by $5 or $10 in certain cases, because of the way people prefer to pay. "Everyone comes in here with $20 bills," he said,"so we changed these to $20 increments. So $50 became $60. We lowered this fee to $120," Olsen said. 

In addition to having to make change, the money has be recorded into receipt books and get logged into the computer. "We wanted to streamline our operation and make it easier for everyone." 

RESIDENTIAL ZONING PERMIT FEES 

Deleted 

Added 

Minimum Fee

$60.00

Utility Uses: Solar Panels, Oil Tanks, Generators, Propane Tanks, Sprinklers

$60.00

Accessory Uses:

Minor Detached Improvements up to 200 Square Feet (shed, flag pole, fence, pergola, swing set. Etc.)

$50.00

$60.00

Major Detached Improvements over 200 Square Feet (detached garage, gazebo, shed, swing set, etc.)

$125.00

$120.00

Driveways and sidewalks

$50.00

$60.00

Sports courts with lighting

$75.00

$100.00

Sports courts without lighting

$50.00

$60.00

Patios

$50.00

$60.00

Decks

$75.00

$80.00

Retaining walls:

Wall or walls in a single slope less than a cumulative height of 3 ft.

$75.00

$60.00

Wall or walls in a single slope greater than a cumulative height of 3 ft.

$125.00

$360.00

Pools:

Above ground

$50.00

$60.00

In-ground

$75.00

$100.00

Additions, Alterations, or Reconstruction (sunrooms, porches, bedrooms, finished basements baths, or creation of any enclosed space or area covered by a roof.)

$20/$1,000 cost

$60 up to $30,000 of cost and $20 for every $5000 thereafter

Renovations

$10/$1,000 cost

$60 up to $10,000 of cost and $20 for every $5000 thereafter

New 1- and 2-family homes

$150.00

$600.00

Mobile home replacement

$75.00

$80.00

Temporary tents

$50.00

$60.00

Processing Fee

$40.00

Revisions

First revision submitted within 60 days from date of denial

No charge

First revision submitted after 60 days from date of denial

$40.00

Revision to existing Zoning Permit

$40.00

Any second revision

Must resubmit as a new application

                                                                              ------------

NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONING PERMIT FEES

Deleted 

Added 

New Nonresidential Construction

$200 up to $50,000 of cost and $20 for every $50,000 thereafter

Construction trailer

$100

Commencement or change of use with tenant fit out

$200

Commencement or change of use with continuing Certificate of Occupancy inspection:

Nonresidential less than 12,000 sq. ft.

$400

$300

Nonresidential greater than 12,000 sq. ft.

$550.00

$400.00

Industrial factory

$700.00

Each additional reinspection

$50.00

 $60.00

SIGNS

Sign less than 15 sq. ft.

100.00

Sign greater than 15 sq. ft.

$150.00

$160.00

REVISIONS

First revision

$60.00

Second revision

Must resubmit as a new application