Planning Dept. Fee Schedule

Fees are updated on July 1 with each new Town budget. The following fees are effective July 1, 2025 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.

The Manager may negotiate and charge a fee or reimbursement for plan review, amendment or other types of applications not listed in this schedule adopted by the Town Council based on a determination that such fees and reimbursements are reasonably calculated to reflect the cost of Town services associated with said review.

Notes Related to Fee Schedule

After the Fact Permits: All review fees are doubled if the activity or site change requested has already occurred or been started unless the Manager or their designee find that there are mitigating circumstances.

Modifications: Revisions requested more than 30 days after a permit is issued require a new permit application and fee.

Refunds: Potential refunds of fees for projects that are withdrawn prior to completing the development review process shall be issued consistent with the Planning Department's adopted internal refund policy.

Public Project Fee Waivers: All Planning review fees are waived for Town of Chapel Hill development applications. All other development applications submitted by public agencies are subject to fees.

Affordable Housing Fee Waivers: All Planning review fees are waived for the affordable units within projects that provide affordable home-ownership opportunities and/or provide rental housing that remains affordable for at least 20 years. Affordable is defined as being sold or rented to households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income, as determined and approved by the Town. To qualify for the waiver, the applicant must commit to executing an Affordable Housing Performance Agreement with the Town. If application fees are paid for a proposed development that subsequently converts existing approved market rate units to affordable units, a pro rata refund of any such fees that have already been paid shall be provided to the applicant upon approval of the development to reflect the conversion to affordable units. The refunded amount will be determined by the percentage of the affordable units within the development. In addition, any existing development that receives approval to construct new affordable units may have the fees waived for the new affordable units. This refund or waiver does not apply to any market rate units.

Service Project Fee Waivers: All Planning review fees are waived for service projects by non-profits, for a non-profit organization.

Master Plan and Special Use Permits: In the case of a Master Plan and a Special Use Permit submitted concurrently, the application fee shall be waived for the application with the smaller fee.

Fee Schedules

Board of Adjustment (BOA)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Variance or Appeals $695

Community Design Commission (CDC)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Building Elevations, Lighting Plan, or Alternative Buffer $455

Concept Plan

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Planning Commission or Council Concept Plan Review $420

Conditional Zoning Districts

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Conditional Zoning or Major Modification $9,465 + $32/100 SF*
Conditional Zoning Minor Modification $1,460
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit for Conditional Zoning $4,505 + $16/100 SF*

Development Agreement

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Development Agreement To be negotiated
Development Agreement Minor Change $1,460
Site Development Permit - Carolina North $5,555
Development Agreement Compliance Permit - All Others $13,480 + $53/100 SF*
Consultant Support and Analysis Actual cost of service

Form District Permit (FDP)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Form District Permit $13,485 + $53/100 SF*
Form District Permit Major Modification $1,390
Special Appearance District Certificate of Appropriateness or FDP Minor Modification $460

Historic District Commission (HDC)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Major Works $455
Minor Works $150
Building Elevations, Lighting Plan, or Alternative Buffer $455
COA Amendments $150
COA Time Extension $25

Master Land Use Plans*

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Master Land Use Plans or Major Modification $9,465 + $32/100 SF*
Abandonment, Reinstatement $1,390

Signs

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Individual Sign or Individual Sign Compliant with Approved Unified Sign Plan (single business on one zoning lot) $210
Unified Sign Plan (multiple businesses on one zoning lot) $345

Site Plan Review

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Site Plan Review or Major Modification* $3,465 + $32/100 SF*
Extension, Renewal, Minor Modification $1,040
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit for Site Plan Review $1,330 + $16/100 SF*
Project Name Change $125
Northside and Pine Knolls Neighborhood Conservation Districts (Single and Two-Family Applications only): Combined Single-family Site Plan Review and ZCP Application $278
Northside and Pine Knolls Neighborhood Conservation Districts (Single and Two-Family Applications only): Site Plan for parking exemption/exception $135

Special Use Permits

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Special Use Permit or Major Modification* $9,465 + $32/100 SF*
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit for Special Use $4,505 + $16/100 SF*
Single Family Development unrestricted by Floor Area $9,465 + $331/unit
Extension, Renewal, Minor Modification, Abandonment, or Reinstatement $1,390
Extraction of Earth Products, Landfill, Cemetery, Park/Ride Terminal $9,465 + $331/unit
Radio/TV Transmitting/Receiving Facility $9,465

Subdivisions & Plats

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Exempt Plat (recombination, easement, or other exempt plats) $280
Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat $9,465 + $331/lot
Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat Re-approval $1,390
Minor Subdivision Preliminary Plat $1,040 + $68/lot
Minor Subdivision Preliminary Plat Re-approval $280
Final Plat - Major and Minor Subdivision $695 + $63/lot
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit for Major Subdivision $4,505 + $165/lot
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit for Minor Subdivision $555 + $34/lot

UNC Development Permit

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
UNC Development Plan (OI-4) UNC Site Development Permit $7,290 + $137/acre
UNC Site Development Permit  $5,555 

Zoning Compliance Permit (ZCP)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Limited Review Zoning Compliance Permit $310
Administrative Zoning Compliance Permit $555 + $16/100 SF*
RCD Encroachment for all other properties $555
RCD Encroachment for one- and two-family dwellings $250
RCD Exemption approval $70
Short-Term Rental Zoning Compliance Permit (STR ZCP) $160
Special Events Permit $135
Indoor Pop-Up Event Permit $150
Home Occupation $135
Tree Canopy Mitigation Fee $578 per tree
Food Truck ZCP - Property Owner $135
Food Truck ZCP - Vendor $135
Exceptions to Front Yard Parking Requirements $135

Zoning Map and Text Amendments (for Conditional Zoning, see above)

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Zoning Map and Text Amendments (Including Transition Areas & Neighborhood Conservation District Overlays) $1,390 + $68/acre***

Wireless Communications Facility

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Small Wireless Facility in Town Right-of-Way or outside Town Right-of-Way on property other than Single- Family Residential property, Staff Review $110 per facility for the first 5 facilities in a single application plus $53 per each additional facility up to a total of 25 in a consolidated application
Small Wireless Facility in Town Right-of-Way or outside Town Right-of-Way on property other than Single- Family Residential property, Consultant Review $550 per application
Co-Location or Modification, Streamlined Review (eligible facility), Consultant Review $1,105
Co-Location, Modifications, and Upgrades (non-eligible facility),Site Review and Report, Consultant Review $4,410
All Others, Consultant Review $7,165

Other Planning Fees

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Resubmittal Fee After 3rd Round of Review $1,455
Revised Final Plans/Revised Phasing Plan $1,455
Application Revision, Requiring Additional Review, After Staff Memorandum is Written** 50% of original application fee
Research(involving one or more of the following: Zoning Opinion Letter, Paper archives, micro fiche, Zoning Project case history or code compliance history) $68/hr
Development Notification Postcards $1 per postcard

Plan Amendments

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Proposed revision to adopted Transportation Plan or Transportation Facility Design $1,390

Development Fee Caps

Type of Application/Permit Fee Schedule
Development Fee Cap for Zoning Compliance Permit and Subdivision $90,000
Development Fee Cap for Conditional Zoning No cap

* Based on square footage of floor area, rounded to the nearest 100 square feet

** Changes to an active application, post-completion of an advisory board or council memorandum that results in additional staff review and revisions to staff memorandum.

*** Neighborhood Conservation Districts fees are waived for areas in which it is documented that 51% of the property owners are low to moderate income as defined by HUD.

Ordinances and Reports Cost
Printing Land Use Management Ordinance, Comprehensive Plan, Data Book, Design Guidelines, Historic District Guidelines Handbook, Bicycle Plan, or Pedestrian Plan (per page) $0.10 (B&W)

$0.15 (Color)
Maps and Other Documents Cost
Copying and Printing per page (smaller format, less than 11 x 17) $0.10 (B&W)

$0.15 (Color)
Copying and Printing per page (larger format, larger than 11 x 17) $1.00/page (B&W)

$2.00/page (Color)
Miscellaneous Scanning, Printing, and Copying (less than 11 x 17) $0.10 (B&W)

$0.15 (Color)
Professional Training Registration (per session) $10
Professional Training Registration Cost
Per session $10
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