Oxford to increase fees for site plan reviews
Published 10:17 am Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Developers and homeowners seeking site plan approvals and variances to existing Land Development Code requirements will soon pay more to submit applications.
On Tuesday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen voted to increase current fees for applications for site plan approval and requests for Certificate of Appropriateness for structures in the Historic Preservation Districts.
The Land Development Code established the authority for the aldermen to set a schedule of fees covering the process of public hearings and notices, applications and other related expenses. City Planner Judy Daniel said the increase was due to the increased “complexity and amount of work required” by the department.”
“Both have increased significantly in recent years and the schedule of fees should be modified,” she told the aldermen Tuesday.
Daniel said the fees have not been changed for several years.
Some of the fees are increasing by $50, like variance requests and special exception requests; while some have jumped substantially, like Site Plan Reviews which are increasing by $2,000.
Currently, a site plan review is $250. Under the approved changes, it will be $2,500 for the initial review of a structure under 10,000-square feet; $3,000 for a structure up between 10,000- and 50,000-square feet and $5,000 for a development more than 50,000-square feet.
Rezoning requests will increase from the current flat $150 fee to $250 up to 5 acres; $500 for 5 to 25 acres and $1,000 for more than 25 acres.
The aldermen also approved several new fees including zoning text change, $250; appeal to Planning Commission, $50, appeal to Board of Aldermen, $50; cancellation or re-notification for a public hearing, $50 per each 100 mailing labels.
Fees for historic property permits will also increase from $25 for minor alterations to $50 and from $100 for major alterations to $150. Demolition requests will increase from $75 to $100.
A complete list of fee changes can be viewed on the city’s website, oxfordms.net or call the Planning Department at 662-232-2305.