Source: https://www.ecode360.com/15449201
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 22:59:11+00:00

Document:
§ 76-2 Payment in advance.
§ 76-3 Schedule of Fees and Escrow Deposits.
§ 76-4 Zoning Board of Appeals matters.
§ 76-5 Planning Board matters.
§ 76-7 Code Enforcement Officer's activities.
§ 76-8 Freshwater wetlands applications and permits.
§ 76-10 No abatement for additional applications.
§ 76-12 Amendments to approved plans.
§ 76-14 Statutory authority; supersession of Village Law.
§ 76-16 Reimbursement of fees and expenses.
§ 76-17 Deposit of funds; payments of fees.
§ 76-19 Failure to pay.
§ 76-21 Deposits in addition to application fees.
Environmental quality review — See Ch. 74.
Flood damage control — See Ch. 83.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 139.
The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson incurs significant expenses in the operation of the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the office of the Code Enforcement Officer.
Editor's Note: Pursuant to a decision by the Village, the title "Building Inspector" has been changed to "Code Enforcement Officer" throughout the chapter.
These expenses include, but are not limited to, administrative, legal and engineering costs.
Administrative costs include, but are not limited to, processing applications, consultations among municipal officers and officials regarding the facts and circumstances of the application, preparation of hearing notices, publication of hearing notices, providing notice to other governmental agencies, preparation of affidavits of posting and publication, preparation and maintenance of official records regarding the application and municipal review of the application, testimony by municipal officials at public hearings, processing of resolutions and determinations, filing fees and miscellaneous services and disbursements.
Legal costs include, but are not limited to, application review, review and analysis of applicable zoning law provisions, review and analysis of applicable subdivision regulations, preparation of hearing notices, attendance at meetings and public hearings, preparation of resolutions and determinations, preparation of SEQR determinations, review of bonds for public improvements, review of offers of dedication, review of easements, preparation and review of agreements, review of deeds and miscellaneous services and disbursements.
Engineering costs include review of plans at various stages, analysis of public improvements, preparation of reports, design analysis, inspection fees, preparation of improvement costs estimates, examination of property descriptions and miscellaneous services and disbursements.
When these expenses are occasioned in connection with an appeal, application or petition made by an applicant to the Village or an instrumentality of the Village, then it is proper and in the public interest for the applicant to bear the cost of these expenses.
Unless otherwise specifically provided in this article or a subsequent resolution establishing fees, the fees required pursuant to this article shall be paid in advance upon submission of an application; and the failure to submit the full payment required shall render the application incomplete.
The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson shall adopt a Schedule of Fees and Escrow Deposits resolution at the annual reorganization meeting. The resolution shall be revised and adopted from year to year, or more frequently if required, and shall be incorporated by reference into this article and shall have the force of law. The resolution may add or delete categories of fees or escrow deposits as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article. Any resolution setting a Schedule of Fees and Escrow Deposits shall remain in full force and effect until superseded by a subsequent resolution adopting a modified Schedule of Fees and Escrow Deposits. The current Schedule of Fees and Escrow Deposits shall be on file at the office of the Village Clerk.
Except in the case of area variances, the fees established pursuant to this article shall be deemed to be minimum fees, and any additional expenses actually incurred by the Village for professional consultations, hearing notices and other nonministerial expenses shall be imposed on the applicant and paid prior to the endorsement of an approved subdivision plat or site plan or the issuance of any building permit or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.
Zoning law interpretation (at the request of the applicant alone).
Recreation fees in lieu of parkland.
Whenever, in connection with an application or petition, a local law is necessary or appropriate to implement the benefit or relief sought or to regulate conditions occasioned by the granting of an approval or approvals, the total actual expenses incurred by the Village in connection with the preparation and consideration of a proposed local law shall be borne by the applicant. The minimum fees established by resolution shall be paid by the applicant upon the earlier of submission of a petition, if applicable, or prior to the endorsement of an approved subdivision plat or site plan, or the issuance of any building permit, or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.
Miscellaneous local laws, including stop sign, speed limit and parking local laws considered in connection with subdivision and zoning amendments (other than zone changes).
If the administrative, or other expenses of the Village exceed the amount deposited pursuant to this article, the balance shall be paid by the applicant prior to the endorsement of any subdivision plat or site plan, or the issuance of any building permit, or the filing of any applicable local law with the Secretary of State.
For buildings containing more than two dwelling units.
Fees shall be established for freshwater wetlands application and/or permit fees.
Whenever an extension is necessary to prevent an approval from lapsing or becoming otherwise void, the first such request for an extension shall be processed at no charge, and the second and each subsequent request for an extension shall be processed only upon prior payment of fees established by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
No abatement of fees shall be granted as a result of an applicant seeking more than one approval or submitting more than one application in connection with a particular project.
Whenever environmental analysis is required pursuant to the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), or any local law implementing SEQRA, all expenses relating to the environmental analysis shall be borne by the applicant. Fees shall be established pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Trustees, in a manner consistent with 6 NYCRR 617.
Whenever an application is submitted to amend an approved plan or permit, it shall be deemed a new application and the fees specified pursuant to this article shall apply; provided, however, that in the case of an amendment to a subdivision plat the fees shall be based on the number of lots modified or affected by the amendment, and provided further that in no event shall the fees due on a subdivision amendment application be less than the minimum provided for a minor or major subdivision, respectively.
The Village Board enacts this article to put in place a system for the reimbursement of fees and expenses which would otherwise be raised by assessments of the taxpayers of the Village to defray the costs of the Village consultants, including, but not limited to, engineering, planning and legal, with respect to the review of projects as defined in § 76-15 of this article. It is the intention of this article that the cost of such consultants should ultimately be paid by those who seek approvals from the Village, rather than from Village funds raised by assessments paid by taxpayers of the Village.
The Village also wishes to establish a procedure to be followed requiring the deposit of those funds in a separate account and requiring that payments from that account be made only upon receipt and approval by the Village Board of itemized vouchers from its consultants following the determination by the Village Board as set forth in § 76-17 of this article.
This article is enacted under the authority of Subparagraphs a(1), (2) and d(3) of Municipal Home Rule Law § 10(1)(ii), and Municipal Home Rule Law § 22. To the extent Village Law Article 7 does not authorize the Village to require the reimbursement to the Village for its consultants' expenses incurred by the Village in connection with the review and consideration of projects as hereinafter defined in this article, it is the expressed intent of the Village Board to change and supersede such statutes. More particularly, such statutes do not authorize the deferral or withholding of such approvals in the event such expenses are not paid to the Village. It is the expressed intent of the Village Board to change and supersede all sections of Article 7 of the Village Law to empower to the Village to require such payments as a condition of such approvals.
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or entity of any type, kind or nature, who requests from the Village, the Village Board, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Village Building Department or any other board or agency of the Village approval of a project.
Any person or entity of any type which is retained by the Village to provide consulting services for any project.
Includes issuance of a permit, a subdivision, site plan, special permit, variance, interpretation, extension of water service into new areas, annexation petitions, and such other similar action where the Village Board determines to refer the action to a consultant.
All applicants for approval of any project in or with the Village shall reimburse the Village for all reasonable, necessary and appropriate consulting expenses incurred by the Village in connection with the review and consideration of such project.
Simultaneously with the filing of an application for approval of a project with the appropriate official or board of the Village, the applicant shall deposit with the Village Clerk a sum of money as determined in accordance with the provisions of this article, which sum shall be used to pay the costs described in § 76-16 of this article.
In the event that the deposit amount does not appear on the schedule of deposits referred to in § 76-20 of this article, upon the Village computing the deposit amount pursuant to the provisions of this article and advising the applicant in writing of the appropriate amount, the applicant shall deposit that sum with the Village Clerk in accordance with the above provision.
Upon receipt of such monies, the Village Clerk shall cause such monies to be placed in a non-interest-bearing account in the name of the Village and shall keep a separate record of all such monies so deposited and the name of the applicant and project for which sums were deposited.
Upon receipt and approval by the Village Board of an itemized voucher from a consultant for services rendered on behalf of the Village pertaining to the project, the Village Clerk shall cause such voucher to be paid out of the monies so deposited and shall debit the separate record of the account accordingly.
The consultant shall furnish copies of such voucher to the applicant at the same time such voucher is submitted to the Village.
The Village Board shall review and audit all such vouchers and shall approve payment of only such consulting fees and disbursements as are reasonable in amount and necessarily incurred by the Village in connection with the review, consideration and action on the project. For purpose of the foregoing, a fee or part thereof is reasonable in amount if it bears a reasonable relationship to the average charge by consultants to the Village for services performed in connection with the review of similar projects in the Village, and if there are no similar projects in the Village, then for similar projects located in Orange County, to the extent that such similar projects may exist. The Village Board may take into consideration the size, type and nature of the project, together with such special features, including topography, soil conditions, water, drainage conditions and any special conditions or considerations as the Village Board may consider relevant. The approval of the voucher by the Village Board shall be deemed to be made by the Board after taking any or all of the foregoing into consideration when so acting.
At any time during or after the review of any project there shall be insufficient monies on hand to the credit of such applicant to pay the approved vouchers in full, or if it shall reasonably appear to the Village Clerk that such monies will be insufficient to meet vouchers yet to be submitted, the Village Clerk shall advise the applicant, who shall deposit additional sums as the Village Clerk deems necessary or advisable in order to meet such expenses or anticipated expenses.
Failure to deposit additional sums; payment prerequisite to approval.
In the event that the applicant fails to deposit such monies, the Village Clerk shall notify, as applicable, the board or officer of the Village of such failure, and any review, approval, building permit or certificates of occupancy may be withheld by the appropriate board or officer of the Village until such monies are deposited.
Payment of the fees by the applicant shall be a prerequisite for approval of the application but shall be paid regardless of whether approval is granted or not. If the relief sought by the applicant is granted but the fee(s) is not paid, the issuing authority can revoke its action ex parte, and afterwards notify the applicant, and the relief sought will not be granted until the fee(s) is paid.
Return of surplus funds; payment by check.
After conclusion of the review of the project and after payment of all approved vouchers submitted, any sums remaining on account to the credit of such applicant shall be returned to such applicant along with the statement of the vouchers so paid.
Any applicant who disputes any fee statement presented to him may bring a proceeding in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, in and for the County of Orange, pursuant to Article 78 of the CPLR, within 30 days of the presentation of such disputed fee statement. The commencement of such a proceeding shall not stay the obligation of the applicant to pay any fee statement presented to him pursuant to this article.
Any fee statement imposed by this article which remains unpaid at the time the Village certifies its annual tax roll shall become a lien upon the premises for which the application was made. Such unreimbursed fees shall thereupon be levied against said premises, as if a tax on real property, and in addition to all other taxes, fees, rents or charges which would otherwise be so levied. In the event the affected premises comprise more than one tax lot, the Village Treasurer shall distribute such levy equally among such tax lots without regard to assessed value or any other factor.
The amount of the initial deposit for various projects covered by this article shall be set forth in a schedule of deposits from time to time by resolution of the Village Board. Said schedule shall remain in effect and shall apply to all applicants until amended or revised by subsequent resolution. In the event the Village receives an application for a project for which the amount of the initial deposit has not been established on the schedule of deposits, the Village Board shall forthwith establish an amount of the initial deposit for such project and the Village Clerk shall notify the applicant.
No monies deposited pursuant to this article shall be used by the Village to offset the Village's general expenses of consultants' services nor for its general administration expenses.
The deposits required by this article shall be in addition to any application fees which may be required by any other regulation of the Village.

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