Ordinance further reduces construction fees

By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
      HILLSBOROUGH — In a continuing effort to reduce costs for residents, the Township Committee unanimously approved the introduction of an ordinance Oct. 14 to make its 15th and 16th reductions in construction fees in the past two years.
   ”We have already reduced numerous fees,” Township Construction Official John Fiedler said. “It has been very well-received, and there has been no negative impact (on finances) overall.”
   If approved, the township’s new ordinance reduces the inspection fee for ladder safety at, and the enclosure of, temporary pools of 2 feet or more in depth from $80 to $40.
   A 2007 state regulation requires Building Departments to conduct inspections of ladders and enclosures on pools 2 feet high or more, including temporary and blow up ones.
   ”The state in its infinite wisdom (mandated this inspection),” Mayor Anthony Ferrera said sarcastically. “This is an obvious area where we can give homeowners some relief from the fee schedule.”
   In addition, the ordinance would eliminate the township’s $50 zoning permit fee for seasonal pools less than 4 feet deep.
   ”These are seasonal use pools,” Mr. Fiedler said. “People spend money for the pools, then we have to charge.”
   The Township Committee also unanimously approved a resolution concerning this fee elimination for obtaining a zoning permit for the construction of a seasonal pool.
   According to the resolution, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs requires permits to be issued by building departments for seasonal use pools. This requires zoning approval to construct the pool, and zoning permits, which cost residents money.
   The resolution states that the Planning Board recommended the fee be waived based on the assumption that the purpose of constructing a seasonal pool would be to save the money that would normally go for installing a permanent one.
   ”This is an example of another ridiculous fee,” Mayor Ferrera said
   Aside from the fee reductions for temporary pools, the proposed ordinance includes changes for those wishing to set up solar energy panels on homes or businesses.
   ”We need to do everything we can at the local level to encourage energy alternatives and savings,” Mayor Ferrera said.
   With the previous regulations, homeowners would pay $24 for every $1,000 of the cost of the construction of the solar panels, with residents seeing fees ranging from $600 to $1,200.
   The introduced ordinance reduces the fee to a flat rate of $100 for homeowners.
   As for businesses, owners will be required to pay between $250 and $750, based on the kilowatt hours of the system. The previous fee schedule, with the same rate as for homeowners, had required business owners to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to the township.
   ”This will be a lot more relevant for the costs we incur,” Mr. Fiedler said. “This is a great time to act on this.”
   The final piece of the ordinance reformats the building subcode fee section to list everything alphabetically.
   If approved, the ordinance will be another in a list of previous cuts in construction fees, including the elimination of fees for disables residents needing to make changes to their homes, as well as cuts on roofing, siding, decks, generators, masonry fireplaces and furnaces.
   Public hearing for the ordinance will be held Nov. 10.