(A) Any fee payer who believes itself to be aggrieved by the calculation of the impact fee may appeal from such calculation to the Cicero Impact Fee Review Board, and the Cicero Impact Fee Review Board shall conduct a hearing with regard thereto. At such hearing, the fee payer shall bear the burden of going forward with the evidence and shall present evidence addressing either of the following propositions:
(1) A fact assumption used in determining the amount of the impact fee is incorrect; or
(2) The amount of the impact fee is greater than the amount allowed under I.C. 36-7-4-1320, 36-7-4-1321 and 36-7-4-1322.
(B) Upon conclusion of the hearing at which the matter is first presented, or at the conclusion of the hearing if the matter is continued, the Town Impact Fee Review Board shall make a determination based upon the facts presented and may reverse, affirm, modify, or make such adjustments in the impact fee as it believes are appropriate under the circumstances, if any, including establishing the amount of an impact fee, a credit, a refund, or any combination of fees, credits, or refunds.
(C) The Cicero Impact Fee Review Board shall provide a copy of its decision to the town, the Infrastructure Agency and the fee payer involved in the appeal within five days after making its decision, and shall make written findings of fact to support its decision.
(D) An appeal under this section must be filed not later than 30 days after the issuance of the structural building permit. The appeal shall be initiated with the filing of a Petition for Review with the Cicero Clerk-Treasurer's office, together with a filing fee in the amount of $100. The filing fee shall be refunded in full if:
(1) The Petition for Review is granted and the impact fee is eliminated, reduced, or adjusted by the Cicero Impact Fee Review Board, by independent action of the Town of Cicero, or by a court having jurisdiction; and
(2) The reviewing body determines that the amount of the fees, reductions, or credits were arbitrary or capricious.
(E) The Petition for Review shall be in a form calculated to inform the Cicero Impact Fee Review Board of the nature of the complaint, the parties to the action, and the relief requested. In addition, the Petition shall describe the new development on which the impact fee has been assessed, all facts related to the assessment of the impact fee, and the reasons the petitioner believes that the amount of the impact fee assessed is erroneous or is greater than the amount allowed by the fee limitations set forth in the enabling statute.
(F) The town shall not deny the issuance of a structural building permit on the basis that the impact fee has not been paid, or condition issuance of the permit on the payment of the impact fee. If the impact fee totals $1,000 or less, the town may require the fee payer to pay the impact fee or initiate an appeal under this section before the structural building permit is issued.
(Ord. 10-16-2007-3, passed 12-18-07; Am. Ord. 12-18-2012-3, passed 12-18-12)