(A) Application fees.
(1) Prior to processing any application for a commercial solar energy facility, the applicant must submit a certified check to the county for the application fee equal to $ per megawatt (mW) of proposed nameplate capacity, up to a maximum fee of $ . These funds shall be placed in an FDIC insured account and will be used to cover the county's cost incurred in processing the application.
(2) Should the actual costs to the county exceed the submitted application fee, the applicant shall be responsible for those additional costs and shall remit additional funds to the county within 15 days of receipt of a request from the county. No hearings on an application shall be conducted nor final decisions rendered on an application if there are application fees due to the county.
(3) Any unused amounts of the application fee shall be refunded to the applicant within six months of the County Board rendering a final decision on the matter, unless any pending litigation, disputes or negotiations involving the county exist regarding the commercial solar energy facility, in which case any amounts owed to the applicant shall be refunded within six months of the conclusion of the litigation, disputes or negotiations. An applicant may request any unused application fee be applied toward the building permit fees for the facility.
(B) Building permit fees. Prior to the issuance of building permits, the building permit applicant must deposit a building permit fee equating to $ per megawatt (mW) of nameplate capacity. If the total nameplate capacity is less than 1 mW, the building permit fee shall be reduced pro rata.
(C) All costs to be paid by applicant or owner. In addition to all fees noted above, the applicant or owner shall pay all costs incurred by the county, including but not limited to, those costs associated with all offices, boards and commissions of the county, and third-party costs incurred by the county. This includes, but is not limited to, the direct or indirect costs associated with the hearing, permitting, operations, inspections, decommissioning, litigation, disputes, and/or negotiations.
(Ord. O-146-05-23, passed 5-11-2023)