Planning Board recommends City Council approve fee‑structure simplifications and limited site‑plan exemptions

The New Brunswick Planning Board voted April 13 to recommend to the City Council a set of proposed amendments to the Land Development Code intended to simplify escrow and application fee calculations and to add narrowly tailored exemptions.

Board staff presented changes that would replace complex fee formulas with a simplified fee schedule for common small applications so applicants would not have to calculate square footage or unit counts for basic escrows. The package also includes two cycle exemptions and clarifications that administrative sign applications should be handled on a streamlined fee basis rather than requiring full site‑plan submissions in many cases; the amendments carve out examples such as changing roof pitch without adding floor area and handling certain sign variances administratively or under a reduced fee schedule.

Board members briefly discussed the amendments; staff framed the changes as correcting prior complexity in fee calculation and creating a clearer, fairer structure for small applicants. No public comments were offered during the public comment period. The board moved to recommend the amendments to the City Council and recorded its recommendation for the legislative body to consider.

The recommended changes will go to the City Council for consideration; if approved, they would change administrative processes and fee schedules used by applicants for minor site plan matters, signage and similar limited actions.