Can a municipality charge to recover the cost of administering its zoning regulations?
Municipalities cannot “direct-bill” zoning applicants for the costs of administering their respective zoning reviews, but they may establish a reasonable fee structure which may include the cost of posting and publishing notices, holding public hearings, and the cost of conducting periodic inspections during the installation of public improvements. Many bylaws currently charge fees as a percentage of the total cost of the project. Municipalities may require that applicants pay these fees upon submission of an application or prior to the issuance of any municipal land use permit. 24 V.S.A. 4440(b).
