Purpose:
In January, City Council approved changes to some of the development-related fees which will go into effect on April 1, 2024.
Scope:
Development Applications
The City continuously examines development-related fees to ensure they are adequately covering the cost to process development applications, account for inflation, are structured for operational streamlining, and reducing the burden on taxpayers. Development fees were last updated in 2018.
- The application fee to demolish a building will be streamlined from being based on the structure’s cubic feet to flat-based rates of $100.00 for residential, and $100.00 per story for commercial.
- Administrative subdivision plat waiver applications will remain at a $150.00 fee, but if they must be heard by a board/commission, the fee is $300.00 to account for increased processing and agenda preparation.
- Subdivision platting application fees are based on the total acreage with a maximum fee limit; the maximum will be eliminated.
- Final plat fees will include an additional $50.00 per residential lot being created, and an additional $500.00 when public infrastructure is included.
- A $30.00 fee will be included with each subdivision platting application to cover the final document’s transport cost for recordation.
- State-mandated mail notification to nearby property owners for a variety of applications is currently $2.15 per mailing. This is changing to a flat rate of an additional $52.00 per applicable application.
- Currently there are two types of zoning verification letters: basic and detailed. They will be merged into a single type and the fee will be the current fee for detailed letters: $100.00.
- Clarification is added that tree removal permits are applicable to commercial as well as multi-family development.
- An additional option is added regarding tree removal: In lieu of replanting, developers may opt to pay the cost for replanting required trees, at the rate of $175.00 per caliper inch of protected trees removed or $300.00 per caliper inch of heritage trees removed. The funds will be deposited into a Tree Mitigation Fund to be used to plant trees across the City.
- There are currently two tiers for special events based on size and complexity, however the fee is currently the same. The new fee will be $100.00 and $250.00 respectively; non-profits will continue to receive a 50% discount.
- The name of Future Land Use Plan Amendment is changing to Comprehensive Plan Amendment and the fee will be $900.00 to be consistent with the current Regional Thoroughfare Plan Amendment application fee.
- Tier 1 Vested Rights applications for individual residences will remain at $200.00, while Tier 2 applications for subdivision or commercial development will be $500.00.
- Clarification will be added that the existing 3% Technology Fee applies to all development-related applications and not just those associated with development “review”. This covers the cost of technology (software and hardware) required to process and track applications.
Health & Food Safety
These fees have not been modified in 10 to 20 years. The food establishment fees were adjusted to be comparable with similar Texas cities. Some of the changes will be for Grocery permits, Central Prep Facility/Commissary permits, Mobile Food Vehicle permits, Frozen Dessert Reinstatements, changes to classification types of food establishments, and re-inspections due to failure.
- Currently the Grocery permits, and mobile food vehicle permit types (Mobile Food Units/Ice Cream Truck, Mobile Catering, Mobile Food Trucks) are based on the total number of employees, but this will be shifting to a flat rate fee of $250 per year.
- The Central Prep Facility/Commissary fee is also based on the number of employees, but will be changed to a flat rate of $110.00 per year.
- The Frozen Dessert Reinstatement fee only applies to businesses that are permitted as frozen dessert establishments that do not pass their sample inspections. The current rate which has not been updated in over 20 years is $25 per occurrence and the new fee will be $100.
- New Braunfels currently has 5 types of food establishment classifications based on the total number of employees of the business. The new structure will be condensed to 4 classifications.
- The Type 1 permit fee was being used by food trucks and there were not many true Type 1 locations due to business size. Therefore, a separate fee for the vehicle types was created.
- The current Type 1 permit of 1-3 staff will be modified to include the current Type 2 permits of 4-6 staff. This will create a New Type 1 permit of 1-6 total staff members.
- The current Type 1 fee of $156 and current Type 2 fee of $312 will be the new Type 1 fee of $300.
- The current Type 3 (7-10 staff) will be the new Type 2 (7-10 staff).
- The current Type 3 fee of $468 will be the new Type 2 fee $470.
- The current Type 4 (11-20 staff) will be the new Type 3 (11-20 staff).
- The current Type 4 fee of $628 will be the new Type 3 fee $650.
- The current Type 5 (21 & more staff) will be the new Type 4 (21 & more staff).
- The current Type 5 fee of $781 will be the new Type 4 fee $790.
- For all food establishments that do not pass a routine Health inspection with a score of less than 70 a reinspection fee is required prior to the reinspection. The current rate for this reinspection fee is $65 and the new fee will be $150. This fee only applies to food establishments that do not pass their routine Health inspection.
Additional Information
Below are excerpts of the fee schedule out of the City’s Code of Ordinances, Appendix D. It illustrates only those fees that were modified. A full fee schedule is available at https://library.municode.com/tx/new_braunfels/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXDFESC
Additionally, the ordinance adopting these fee modifications is available at https://newbraunfels.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6458459&GUID=7C348E47-3699-4CA6-B39A-17D8BAA42FD5
The Health and Food Safety fees were moved from other Chapters in the City Code to this appendix, which is why the old numbers do not appear below. View more details for Health and Food Safety at https://newbraunfels.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6430194&GUID=2AF3AA8C-0A32-439C-A0C7-2B6E74C749EB
Questions may be directed to the Planning and Development Services Department’s Health & Food Safety Division or Planning Division.
Summary
This bulletin is provided as a customer service initiative.
Prepared by:
Bryan V. Ruiz, R.S., Neighborhood Services Manager
Mary Lovell, Senior Planner
Authorized by:
Christopher Looney, AICP, Director – Planning & Development Services
| APPLICATION | FEE |
|---|---|
BUILDING PERMITTING, PLAN REVIEW, INSPECTIONS | |
Building demolition fee | $ |
Building demolition fee |
|
PLATTING RELATED | |
Legal lot/Plat exemption determination | $150.00 |
Plat/Master Plan waiver/subdivision variance - Administrative | $150.00 |
Plat/Master Plan waiver/subdivision variance – Planning Commission | $300.00 |
Master plan | $1,000.00 plus $50.00/acre |
Preliminary plat | $1,0 |
Final plat/minor plat/development plat | $1,2 |
Replat, not administrative | $1,0 |
Amending plat/amendment to plat—Administrative | $5 |
|
|
ZONING | |
|
|
Certificate of alteration | $0.00 |
Zoning change | $1,000.00 plus $100.00/acre (max. $3,000.00), plus $52.00 for mail notification |
Special use permit | $1,500.00 plus $100.00/acre (max. $4,000.00), plus $52.00 for mail notification |
Planned development | $2,000.00 plus $100.00/acre (max. $5,000.00), plus $52.00 for mail notification |
|
|
|
|
Zoning verification | $100.00 |
ZBA AND AMBA | |
Variance application | Homestead: $350.00 (plus $50.00 for each additional variance request), plus $52.00 for mail notification |
Special exception | $700.00, plus $52.00 for mail notification |
Appeal of an administrative determination | $700.00, plus $52.00 for mail notification |
|
|
MISCELLANEOUS | |
Tree removal permit (commercial and multi-family only) | $100.00 |
Fee in-lieu of replacing a protected tree | $175.00/caliper inch |
Fee in-lieu of replacing a heritage tree | $300.00/caliper inch |
Tree removal violation | Residential: $70.00/lot, $2,000.00 minimum Commercial: $150.00/acre, $2,000 minimum |
Special events Tier 1 | $100.00 (non-profits 50% of fee) due at application |
Special events Tier 2 | $250.00 (non-profits 50% of fee) due at application |
Comprehensive plan amendment | $900.00 |
Vested rights determination – individual single-family, duplex, tri-plex or four-plex lot | $200.00
|
Vested rights determination – residential or commercial development | $500.00 |
Health & Food Safety Fee Schedule | |
The fees in this section are based on the number of employees | |
Type 1 (1-6 Employees) | $300 |
Type 2 (7-10 Employees) | $470 |
Type 3 (11-20 Employees) | $650 |
Type 4 (21 and more Employees) | $790 |
Permit types listed below are not based on the number of employees. | |
Grocery | $250 |
Other Fee Types | |
Central Prep Facility | $110 |
Mobile Food Unit | $250 |
Frozen Dessert Permit Reinstatement | $100 |
Reinspection Fee (due to failure of inspection) | $150 |
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | |
Technology fee | 3% on all review, building, zoning and development related fees |