Within the City of Northfield, all residential developers, except for developers of the types of developments specifically exempted below and developers of developments that include affordable housing, shall pay a fee of 1.5% of the equalized assessed value for all new residential development, provided no increased density is permitted. Development fees shall also be imposed and collected when an additional dwelling unit is added to an existing residential structure; in such cases, the fee shall be calculated based on the increase in the equalized assessed value of the property due to the additional dwelling unit.

When an increase in residential density is permitted pursuant to a "d" variance granted under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70d(5), developers shall be required to pay a "bonus" development fee of 6% of the equalized assessed value for each additional unit that may be realized, except that this provision shall not be applicable to a development that will include affordable housing. If the zoning on a site has changed during the two-year period preceding the filing of such a variance application, the base density for the purposes of calculating the bonus development fee shall be the highest density permitted by right during the two-year period preceding the filing of the variance application.

Affordable housing developments, developments where the developer is providing for the construction of affordable units elsewhere in the municipality, and/or developments where the developer has made a payment in lieu of on-site construction of affordable units, if permitted by ordinance or by agreement with the City of Northfield, shall be exempt from the payment of development fees.

Developments that have received preliminary or final site plan approval prior to the adoption of Northfield's first adopted Development Fee Ordinance shall be exempt from the payment of development fees, unless the developer seeks a substantial change in the original approval. Where site plan approval is not applicable, the issuance of a building permit shall be synonymous with preliminary or final site plan approval for the purpose of determining the right to an exemption. In all cases, the applicable fee percentage shall be determined based upon the Development Fee Ordinance in effect on the date that the building permit is issued.

Development fees shall be imposed and collected when an existing structure undergoes a change to a more intense use, is demolished and replaced, or is expanded, if the expansion is not otherwise exempt from the development fee requirement. The development fee shall be calculated on the increase in the equalized assessed value of the improved structure.

Homes demolished and replaced within the same footprint as a result of a natural disaster (such as a fire or flood) shall be exempt from the payment of a development fee. In all other cases, the development fee shall be calculated on the increase in the equalized assessed value of the replacement structure.