The County shall determine and establish a reasonable fee sufficient to cover the costs of processing the application including the cost of holding the necessary hearings.  Within thirty (30) days after determining a Permit is required (in accordance with Section 17.172.090 FONSI Determination), the Permit Administrator shall determine which one of the two application fee processes (below) is applicable to the application, and shall provide the applicant written notification of the determination.  The application fee processes are as follows:

1.  Application Fee, "Estimate Process"

A. The Administrator shall establish an estimate in an amount necessary to cover costs of reviewing and processing the application, including costs of copying, mailings, publications, labor, overhead and retention of consultants, experts and attorneys that the County deems necessary to advise it on the application package.

B. Once the estimate is established, the Administrator shall notify the applicant in writing of said fee and its amount.  Following receipt of such notice, the applicant shall present to the Permit Authority certified funds in the amount set.  Until the fee is paid, the application for Permit shall not be further processed.

C. The actual costs incurred by the County to process the application shall be deducted from the application fee.  The Administrator shall keep an accurate record of the actual time, and other costs, required for processing the application.  If the balance of fees falls below a minimum balance established by the Administrator, additional billings shall be made to the Applicant commensurate with the additional costs incurred by the County.  The County may cease processing the application pending receipt of additional installments.

D. The County will deposit in an account of its choosing that portion of the fee which may not be necessary to cover current costs and expenses.  The funds in the account will be applied by the County toward costs and expenses in processing the application.  Any portion of the application fee which is not necessary to cover the cost of processing the application will be reimbursed to the applicant at the conclusion of all actions necessary to process the application.

E. The Permit Authority may in its sole discretion waive all or a portion of the fees if the applicant demonstrates a special need or such waiver of fees is found to be in the best interests of the citizens of Pueblo County.

2.  Application Fee, "Bill for Costs Process"

A. The Permit Administrator shall track and document all costs of reviewing and processing the application including costs of copying, mailings, publications, labor, overhead and retention of consultants, experts and attorneys that the County deems necessary to advise it on the application package.  The applicant shall be billed for these costs.  The Permit Administrator may bill the applicant during the Permit review process and/or at the completion of the Permit review process.  Failure to pay the application fee in accordance with the determination and instructions of the Permit Administrator made pursuant to these regulations shall result in the suspension of any further proceedings on the Application until such time as the fee is paid in full.  If, after receiving notice of suspension for failure to pay the required fee, the applicant fails to pay the fee within a period of 30 days, then the Application shall be deemed to have been abandoned and therefore denied without further action by the Permit Administrator and/or the Permit Authority.  In the event the permit fee is not fully finalized and billed to the applicant prior to the approval of the permit, then a failure to pay the fee in full at the time of final billing shall result in an action by the Permit Authority to rescind the approval of the permit.