Contents of zoning ordinance.

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40:55D-65 Contents of zoning ordinance.

52. A zoning ordinance may:

a. Limit and restrict buildings and structures to specified districts and regulate buildings and structures according to their type and the nature and extent of their use, and regulate the nature and extent of the use of land for trade, industry, residence, open space or other purposes.

b. Regulate the bulk, height, number of stories, orientation, and size of buildings and the other structures; the percentage of lot or development area that may be occupied by structures; minimum or maximum lot sizes, or a combination thereof, and dimensions, including provisions concerning lot-size averaging; minimum improvable lot areas and cluster development, and for these purposes may specify minimum or maximum floor areas, or a combination thereof, floor area ratios and other ratios and regulatory techniques governing the intensity of land use and the provision of adequate light and air, including, but not limited to the potential for utilization of renewable energy sources. Such regulations may provide for the clustering of development between noncontiguous parcels and may, in order to provide equitable opportunities for the use of development potential on off-tract locations in addition to authorized on-site development, and, to encourage the flexibility of density, intensity of land uses, design and type, authorize a deviation in various clusters from the density, or intensity of use, established for the zoning district. The regulations by which the design, bulk and location of buildings are to be evaluated shall be set forth in the zoning ordinance and all standards and criteria for any feature of a cluster development shall be set forth in such ordinance with sufficient certainty to provide reasonable criteria by which specific proposals for clustered development can be evaluated.

c. Provide districts for planned developments; provided that an ordinance providing for approval of subdivisions and site plans by the planning board has been adopted and incorporates therein the provisions for such planned developments in a manner consistent with article 6 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-37 et seq.). The zoning ordinance shall establish standards governing the type and density, or intensity of land use, in a planned development. Said standards shall take into account that the density, or intensity of land use, otherwise allowable may not be appropriate for a planned development. The standards may vary the type and density, or intensity of land use, otherwise applicable to the land within a planned development in consideration of the amount, location and proposed use of open space; the location and physical characteristics of the site of the proposed planned development considering the availability of existing and proposed infrastructure and the environmental characteristics of the parcel that will be developed and the open space, agricultural or historical resources to be protected; and the location, design and type of dwelling units and other uses. Such standards may provide for the clustering of development between noncontiguous parcels and may, in order to encourage the flexibility of density, intensity of land uses, design and type, authorize a deviation in various clusters from the density, or intensity of use, established for an entire planned development. The standards and criteria by which the design, bulk and location of buildings are to be evaluated shall be set forth in the zoning ordinance and all standards and criteria for any feature of a planned development shall be set forth in such ordinance with sufficient certainty to provide reasonable criteria by which specific proposals for planned development can be evaluated.

d. Establish, for particular uses or classes of uses, reasonable standards of performance and standards for the provision of adequate physical improvements including, but not limited to, off-street parking and loading areas, marginal access roads and roadways, other circulation facilities and water, sewerage and drainage facilities; provided that section 41 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-53) shall apply to such improvements.

e. Designate and regulate areas subject to flooding (1) pursuant to P.L.1972, c.185 (C.58:16A-55 et seq.) or (2) as otherwise necessary in the absence of appropriate flood hazard area designations pursuant to P.L.1962, c.19 (C.58:16A-50 et seq.) or floodway regulations pursuant to P.L.1972, c.185 or minimum standards for local flood fringe area regulation pursuant to P.L.1972, c.185.

f. Provide for conditional uses pursuant to section 54 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-67).

g. Provide for senior citizen community housing.

h. Require as a condition for any approval which is required pursuant to such ordinance and the provisions of this chapter, that no taxes or assessments for local improvements are due or delinquent on the property for which any application is made.

i. Provide for historic preservation pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1991, c.199 (C.40:55D-65.1).

j. Provide for sending and receiving zones for a development transfer program established pursuant to P.L.2004, c.2 (C.40:55D-137 et al.).

k. Provide for areas to be developed and areas to be preserved through cluster development or establish criteria for the establishment of such areas for cluster development.

l. Provide that parcels that are developed and parcels that are preserved through contiguous cluster or noncontiguous cluster may be consolidated for tax and stewardship purposes if they are in common ownership.

L.1975,c.291, s.52; amended 1979, c.216, s.21; 1980, c.146, s.5; 1985, c.516, s.14; 1991, c.199, s.4; 1995, c.364, s.2; 2004, c.2, s.39; 2013, c.106, s.14.


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