Planning Dept. Fee Schedule

Fees are updated on July 1 with each new Town budget. The following fees are effective July 1, 2026 for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

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 Planning 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.

Fee Maximums: Where a maximum fee is identified for a development application (such as conditional zoning and final plan zoning compliance permit), that maximum only applies to the initial development approval (including resubmission review fees) and any phasing of initial development approval. It does not apply to any future actions related to the original development approval, including but not limited to: permit extensions, inspections, permit modifications, or resubmission review fees for permit modifications.

Modifications: A permit may be modified as long as the permit is active. If the permit has expired, the applicant will need to apply for a new permit.

Project Phasing: Fees can be phased for development projects that need a ZCP (including final plans). Each ZCP application must pay the flat fee. The land disturbance fee amount will only be based on new or additional land disturbance in that application. For example, if land disturbance fees are paid for a Clearing/Grading phase, subsequent construction applications within the cleared/graded area only pay the flat 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Refunds: Potential refunds of fees for projects that are withdrawn prior to completing the development review process shall be issued consistent with the Planning Department's adopted internal refund policy.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.

FY2026-27 Planning Department Fee Schedule

Board of Adjustment (BOA)	Cost
Variance or Appeals	$610

Community Design Commission (CDC)	Cost
Building Elevations, Lighting Plan, or Alternative Buffer	$190

Conditional Zoning Districts (CZD)	Cost
Conditional Zoning District	$10,110 plus $1,110 per acre of rezoned area over 1 acre, maximum fee of $30,330
Minor Modification to CZD	$2,380
Major Modification to CZD	$10,110
CZD Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$1,030 per round / To be paid at resubmission
CZD Extensions
Staff Review	$160
Council Review	$1,650
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit (ZCP) for Conditional Zoning*	$5,090 plus $550 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 40,000, maximum fee of $100,000
Final Plan ZCP Modification	$1,900
Final Plan ZCP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$950
*See note about fees for phased projects.

Development Agreement (DA)	Cost
Development Agreement	To be negotiated
Minor Modification to DA	$2,380
Consultant Support and Analysis	Actual cost of service
Site Development Permit - Carolina North	$5,555
Development Agreement Compliance Permit	$4,790 plus $550 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 20,000

Form District Permit (FDP) and Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for Blue Hill	Cost
Blue Hill Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) or Major COA Amendment (CDC Review)	$660
Minor Blue Hill COA Amendments, Staff Review	$330
Form District Permit	$4,790 plus $550 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 20,000
Minor Modification to FDP	$2,090
Major Modification to FDP	$4,790
FDP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$980 per round / To be paid at resubmission

Historic District Commission (HDC) Certificate of Appropriateness (COA)	Cost
COA Review Request	$60
Minor Works COA	$160
Major Works COA	$610
COA Amendments
Staff Review	$220
Commission Review	$460
COA Extensions
Staff Review	$110
Commission Review	$270
Building Elevations or Lighting Plan Review (when HDC acts in place of CDC)	$190

Master Land Use Plans (MLUP)	Cost
Master Land Use Plans and Major Modification to MLUP	$10,110 plus $1,110 per acre of project area over 1 acre, maximum fee of $30,330
Minor Modification to MLUP	$2,380
Major Modification to MLUP	$10,110
MLUP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$1,030 per round / To be paid at resubmission
Reinstatement, Council Review	$1,650

Sign Permits	Cost
Individual Sign Permit (up to 10 signs per application)	$160
Unified Sign Plan	$140

Special Use Permits (SUP)	Cost
Major Special Use Permit
Major SUP or Major Modification to Major SUP	$7,720 plus $550 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 40,000, maximum fee of $20,000
Minor Modification to Major SUP	$2,300
Major SUP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$810 per round / To be paid at resubmission
Minor Special Use Permit
Minor SUP or Major Modification to Minor SUP	$5,130
Minor Modification to Minor SUP	$1,820
Minor SUP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$540 per round / To be paid at resubmission
SUP Extensions
Staff Review	$160
Board of Adjustment Review	$360
Council Review	$1,650
Consultant Review Fee for Wireless SUP	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant
Final Plan Zoning Compliance Permit (ZCP) for SUPs*	$5,090 plus $550 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 40,000, maximum fee of $100,000
Final Plan ZCP Modification for SUP following an approved MLUP	$1,900
Final Plan ZCP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$950
*See note about fees for phased projects.

Subdivisions & Plats	Cost
Exempt Plat and Sublot or Condominium Subdivision Plat (creating two new sublots or condo lots)	$410
Subdivision Preliminary Plat (up to 4 new zoning lots)	$610
Additional fee per lot for 5 or more zoning lots	$50
Subdivision Final Plat (up to 4 new zoning lots)	$810
Additional fee per lot for 5 or more zoning lots	$50
Sublot or Condominium Subdivision Preliminary Plat (three or more new sublots or condo lots)	$410
Sublot or Condominium Subdivision Final Plat (three or more new sublots or condo lots)	$610
Subdivision and Plat Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6	$160 per round / To be paid at resubmission
Preliminary Plat Extension or Final Plat Re-Approval, Staff Review	$160

UNC Development Permit	Cost
UNC Development Plan	$7,790
UNC Site Development Permit	$1,140

Zoning Compliance Permit (ZCP)	Cost
ZCP Review Request	$60
ZCP Tiers* ZCP Tiers apply to all development applications, except where a final plan ZCP fee applies as mentioned elsewhere in this fee schedule
Tier I	$340
Tier II	$950
Tier III	$2,070 plus $275 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 20,000
Tier IV	$3,650 plus $275 per 5,000 square feet of land disturbance over 30,000
*See note about fees for phased projects.
ZCP Resubmission Review Fee Starting at Round 6
Tier II	$250
Tier III	$430
Tier IV	$830
ZCP Modification Fee
Tier II	$380
Tier III	$1,140
Tier IV	$1,520
ZCP Extension Fee (applies to all ZCPs, including final plan ZCPs)	$160
Final Zoning Reinspection Fee (applies to all ZCPs, including final plan ZCPs)	$60 per hour
Short-Term Rental ZCP	$60
Home Occupation ZCP	$60

Zoning Map and Text Amendments (not Conditional Zoning)	Cost
Zoning Map and Text Amendments	$5,080

Wireless Communications Facility	Cost
Small Wireless Facilities Co-Location
Staff Review	$100 per facility for the first 5 facilities in a single application plus $50 per each additional facility up to a total of 25 in a consolidated application
Consultant Review	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant but not to exceed $500
Eligible Facility Request (not including substantial modification)
Staff Review	$340
Consultant Review	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant
Small Wireless Facility New Base Station or Tower
Staff Review	$680
Consultant Review	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant
Macrocell Wireless Facility New Base Station or Tower
Staff Review	$940
Consultant Review	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant
Modifications or Upgrades to Existing Wireless Communications Facility (non-eligible facility request)
Staff Review	$680
Consultant Review	Actual cost of service to be determined by consultant

Other Planning Fees	Cost
Zoning Letter	$60 per letter
Research (involving one or more of the following: paper archives, micro fiche, zoning project case history, or code compliance history)	$60 per hour
Development Notification Postcards	$1 per postcard
Tree Canopy Mitigation Fee	$750 per tree

Plan Amendments	Cost
Proposed revision to adopted Transportation Plan or Transportation Facility Design	$1,390

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 / smaller format (less than 11 x 17)	$0.10 (B&W) $0.15 (Color)

Professional Training Registration	Cost
Per session	$10