A.
Any development shall demonstrate conformance to design
standards that will encourage sound development patterns within the
township. Where either an Official Map or Master Plan has been adopted,
the development shall conform to the proposals and conditions shown
thereon. The streets, drainage rights-of-way, school sites, public
parks and playgrounds, scenic sites, historic sites and flood control
basins shown on the officially adopted Master Plan or Official Map
shall be considered in approval of plats. In accordance with good
design practices, extreme deviations from rectangular lot shapes and
straight lot lines shall not be allowed unless made necessary by special
topographical conditions or other special conditions and acceptable
to the approving authority. All improvements shall be installed and
connected with existing facilities or installed in required locations
to enable future connections with approved systems or contemplated
systems and shall be adequate to handle all present and probable future
development.
B.
Character of the land. Land which the approving authority
finds to be in areas identified in the natural resources inventory
as having severe or moderate soil characteristics particularly as
the land relates to flooding, improper drainage, steep slopes, rock
formations, soil conditions, adverse topography, utility easements
or other features which can reasonably be expected to be harmful to
the health, safety and general welfare of the present or future inhabitants
of the development and/or its surrounding areas, shall not be subdivided
and site plans shall not be approved unless adequate and acceptable
methods are formulated by the developer to solve the problems by methods
meeting this ordinance and all other regulations.
C.
Plats straddling municipal boundaries. Whenever a
development abuts or crosses a municipal boundary, access to those
lots within the township shall be from within the township as the
general rule. Whenever access to a development is required across
land in an adjoining community as the exception, the approving authority
may require documentation that such access is legally established
and that the access road is adequately improved.
D.
Development name. The proposed name of the development
shall not duplicate or too closely approximate the name of any other
development in the township. The approving authority shall have final
authority to designate the name of the development which shall be
determined at the sketch plat stage.
E.
Community impact statement.
[Added 12-14-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-48; amended 4-11-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-09; 3-25-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-06]
(1)
Any development application submitted to the Planning
Board or Board of Adjustment, except for minor subdivisions and minor
site plans, shall be accompanied by a community impact statement analyzing
the proposed development and its expected impact upon existing facilities
and services in the Township. The information furnished in the community
impact statement shall serve to influence the design of the proposed
development so that the provision of necessary municipal facilities
can be anticipated and coordinated with the construction of the proposed
development. The community impact statement shall be prepared in accordance
with the methodologies and standards set forth in the most recent
edition of "The New Practitioner's Guide to Fiscal Impact Analysis"
by Robert Burchell, David Listoken, William Dolphin, published by
the Rutgers Center for Urban Policy Research (CUPR) or any more recent
demographic study prepared by the CUPR or the Urban Land Institute.
Notwithstanding that a minor subdivision or minor site plan application
is not required to be accompanied by a community impact statement,
an applicant for a minor subdivision or a minor site plan shall provide
an analysis of the Round 3 COAH affordable housing obligation as the
obligation impacts the proposed development.
(2)
The community impact statement shall address the following
areas:
(a)
Population impact. The applicant shall provide
an analysis of the number of people expected to be added to the municipal
population as a result of the proposed development within the following
schoolaged cohorts: preschool-aged children (zero to four years of
age), school- aged children (five to 18 years of age), parents of
family-bearing age (18 to 40 years of age), middle-aged adults (41
to 62 years of age), and senior citizens (over 62 years of age).
(b)
School impact. The applicant shall provide an
analysis of the anticipated number of pupils who will be added to
the student population in the Township, the ability of the existing
public school facilities to absorb the expected student population
during a ten-year period and the expected cost of any required building
additions and increased teaching staff which may be necessary as a
result of the number of pupils who will be added to the student population.
The applicant may provide this analysis by either of the following
means:
[1]
The applicant may submit an analysis prepared
by the Township Superintendent of Schools or Board of Education; or
[2]
The applicant may submit an analysis prepared
by competent professionals. The applicant shall provide proof that
a copy of the analysis has been served on the Board of Education with
the following notice: "The Planning Board or Board of Adjustment,
as applicable, requests that the Superintendent of Schools or the
Board of Education provide written comments on this analysis within
14 days after service. The Superintendent and the Board are also invited
to attend the hearings on this application and to provide testimony
on the impact of the application on the school system."
(c)
Financial impact. The applicant shall provide
an analysis of the revenue expected to be generated from the development
proposal compared to the anticipated costs which the development proposal
is expected to generate. Projected revenues and costs shall be shown
for the Township, Township school system and the County of Somerset.
(d)
Preliminary major subdivision and site plan checklist. Sixteen copies of a community impact statement prepared in accordance with this section shall be required upon submission of a development application, except as indicated in Subsection E(1) above.
(e)
Round 3 affordable housing requirements. The
applicant shall provide an analysis of the Round 3 COAH affordable
housing obligation as the obligation impacts the proposed development.