(A) Except as may be provided for otherwise in this chapter, the Township Board shall determine and set fees to be collected for all applications for zoning matters and approvals. These fees shall be collected prior to the issuance of any permit or certificate, and other official action(s) required by this chapter. No application shall be considered complete until all applicable fees have been paid to the township. Furthermore, township employees and officials shall not commence work on a given zoning application or matter until any and all fees have been paid to the township in full. The fee schedule shall be adopted by resolution of the Township Board, as may be amended from time to time.
(B) In addition to regularly established fees, the Township Board, at its discretion, may also require an applicant to submit to the township, at any time during the zoning review process, an amount of money determined by the township to be a reasonable estimate of the fees and costs that may be incurred by the township in reviewing and acting upon any such application or related matters. The township shall not charge fees or assess costs to the applicant for the time expended by township employees (except when authorized under appropriate provisions of the Freedom of Information Act) or for incidental costs and expenses, but may charge or assess the applicant for all other reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the township during and in connection with the review process and other related proceedings, whether or not the application is granted either in whole or in part.
(C) Such costs and expenses to be charged or assessed to the applicant for reimbursement of the township’s reasonable costs and expenses, may include, but shall not be limited to, Township Attorney fees, township engineering fees, costs and fees for services of outside consultants, fees and expenses of other professionals who may assist the township, costs and fees for studies and reports pertaining to the matter in questions, special meeting costs and other reasonable costs and expenses. Such monies shall be retained by the township for reimbursement of such costs and expenses. Any monies, paid or deposited by an applicant, which are not used or spent by the township pursuant to an escrow fee shall be refunded.
(D) If, for some reason, the applicant does not pay, or the township does not collect, zoning escrow fees before or during the zoning review process, the township can still bill such costs and expenses to the applicant after the zoning review process has been completed and the applicant or landowner shall promptly pay/reimburse the township for the same.
(Ord. passed 7-12-2012, § 14.9)