Application fees as determined by the Board of Supervisors are to cover the administrative costs incurred by the county in processing applications and are nonrefundable. After an application is submitted to the Land Use Administrator, the applicant may be required to execute an escrow agreement with the county. The escrow accounts are to pay all necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the county for the professional review of an application by an engineer, planning consultant, attorney, and other professionals retained by the county to review and make recommendations on an application for development. The amounts specified for escrow are estimates which shall be paid prior to certification of a complete application. If the amounts posted are more than those required, the excess funds shall be returned to the applicant within 14 days of the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the project. In the event that more than the amounts specified for escrow are required to pay the reasonable costs incurred, the applicant shall pay all additional sums required prior to being permitted to take the next step in the approval procedure or, in any event, prior to obtaining certificates of occupancy for any element of the project. The Land Use Administrator shall determine whether there are sufficient amounts in the escrow fund to pay pending bills. If there are insufficient funds in escrow, the Land Use Administrator will notify the applicant of the amounts needed. In addition to these terms, the escrow agreement may include any additional terms which are agreed to by the applicant and the Land Use Administrator. The Land Use Administrator shall maintain an itemized account for each application and shall, upon the request of the applicant, supply a copy of said account. All charges against any escrow account shall be made by purchase order and voucher and shall be approved by the County Administrator.
(Ord. passed 11-9-1995)