Township of Mansfield, NJ Article X C-2 Highway Commercial District

§ 65-33 Permitted uses.

[Amended 8-16-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]

It is the purpose of the C-2 Zone to permit development of highway-oriented, community- and regional-scale commercial and office development and other uses compatible with the traffic along the major highways in the Township that will not substantially impair the intent or purpose of the Zone Plan or this chapter. In any C-2 Highway Commercial District, land, buildings or premises shall be used by right only for one or more of the following:

A. General retail merchandise stores, including department stores, five-and-ten variety stores, general merchandise discount stores, drugstores and sporting goods stores.

B. Retail apparel and accessories stores, including shoe stores, furriers and custom tailors.

C. Retail furniture, home furnishing and equipment, including household appliance stores, hardware, paint and glass stores, radio and television stores, including services.

D. Retail stores, including supermarkets, bakeries and confectionary shops.

E. Eating establishments, including restaurants, lunch counters, delicatessens, tearooms, cafes, taverns, confectionary or similar establishments serving food or beverages.

F. Retail gift shops, including camera, books, stationery, antique, musical supplies, cosmetics, candy, cigarette and tobacco, flower, hobby, jewelry, leather and luggage shops.

G. Offices for the conduct of medical and other professions, real estate and insurance and banks, including branch banks, messenger or telegraphy services, and general and administrative offices.

H. Office business shops, with sales and services only.

I. Dry-cleaning, barbershop, beautician, shoe repair, laundromat and tailor shops.

J. Government buildings, facilities and uses.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

K. Indoor recreational facilities, including theaters and bowling alleys.

L. Artists and photographers studios.

M. Factory-authorized new automobile sales, agencies and services, including repair shops adjacent to and in connection therewith, including new and used car lots.

N. Mortuaries.

O. Libraries and museums.

P. Motels-hotels and related facilities, such as restaurants, meeting rooms and auditorium spaces and swimming pools.

Q. Newspaper publishing and job printing.

R. General service and repair shops, including carpenter, cabinetmaking, furniture repair, plumbing or similar shop.

S. Office use of a builder, carpenter, caterer, cleaner, contractor, decorator, electrician, furrier, mason, painter, plumber, roofer, upholsterer and similar nonnuisance businesses.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

T. Substation, telephone central office, electric and gas facilities, sewage lift station or water pumping station, subject to the following special requirements:

(1) No storage of materials and trucks and no repair facilities or housing of repair crews except within completely enclosed buildings shall be permitted.

(2) The architectural design of the exterior of any building shall be in keeping with other structures in the neighborhood.

(3) Screening shall be developed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. All plants not surviving one year after planting must be replaced.

U. Automobile repair shops. No outside storage of materials is permitted. Storage of motor vehicles is permitted, provided that the vehicles have up-to-date inspection stickers and registration, are properly fenced from view and are located in the rear of the property.

V. [1] Municipal parks and recreation, including active, both indoor and outdoor facilities, and passive recreation. Subject to an approved site plan, all facilities may be lighted.

[Added 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection V, Tourist, rooming or boarding house, was repealed 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16.

W. Veterinary hospital, provided that all animals are kept in a permanent enclosed structure and are not within 150 feet of any residential use of the zone and contain not less than one acre. Commercial kennels are also a permitted use, subject to the criteria listed in this subsection.

[Amended 3-14-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-5]

X. [2]Clubs and lodges and all associated functions, subject to the standards specified in § 65-10F.

[Added 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

[2] Editor's Note: Former Subsection X, Laboratory, dental and medical, was repealed 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16.

Y. [3]Child-care facilities, subject to the standards specified in Section 65-41J.

[Added 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

[3] Editor's Note: Former Subsection Y, Exterminator, was repealed 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16.

Z. Catering establishment.

AA. Business and instructional school, including trade school.

BB. Dance studios.

CC. Convalescent home and nursing home, subject to the standards specified in § 65-10G.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

DD. Churches and places of worship.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

EE. Hospital, sanitorium, medical center and health center.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

FF. Convalescent home and nursing home.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

GG. Shopping centers, subject to special regulations as specified in §§ 65-39 and 65-40.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

HH. Public or private nonprofit elementary and/or secondary school, subject to a five-acre minimum lot size, 200 feet of lot frontage and a fifty-foot setback from all property lines.

[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]

§ 65-34 Conditional uses.

A. The following uses may be permitted as conditional uses when authorized by the Consolidated Land Use Board of Mansfield Township in accordance with the specifications and standards listed in Subsection B:

[Amended 7-26-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-31; 2-10-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-3; 3-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-5]

(1) Gasoline service stations, subject to the special regulations of this chapter.

(2) Car washes, subject to the special regulations of this chapter.

(3) (Reserved)[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(3), regarding logistic uses, as amended, was repealed 4-20-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-6; 9-21-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-13. For excepted parcels, see Art. XXXV, Redevelopment Plans.

(4) Massage establishments, subject to compliance with the conditions in Chapter 40A.

[Added 12-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-35]

B. Applications for conditional uses shall be in compliance with the following specifications and standards:

(1) That the use will not injure or detract from the use of neighboring property.

(2) That the use will not detract from the character of the neighborhood.

(3) That the use of the property adjacent to the area included in the plan is adequately safeguarded.

(4) That the property is suitable for the intended use.

(5) That the use will serve the best interests of the Township.

(6) That the use will not adversely affect public sewers and facilities, such as water, sewer, police and fire protection.

(7) That the use will not adversely affect the drainage facilities in the adjacent neighborhood.

(8) That the use will not adversely affect the safe flow of highway traffic and that adequate roadway accesses are provided to protect roadways from undue congestion and hazards.

(9) That there shall be no storage, display or sale of any merchandise whatsoever in the front yard setbacks.

(10) That all merchandise accessible to the public shall be adequately safeguarded to prevent injury to persons.

C. Wireless communications towers shall be a conditional use subject to all of the conditions and standards set forth in § 65-10D.

[Added 8-13-1997 by Ord. No. 1997-10]

§ 65-35 Accessory uses.

Only the following accessory uses shall be permitted.

A. Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses.

B. Cafeteria facilities for employees.

C. For office buildings only, retail stores or personal service shops may be permitted as accessory uses. Such uses shall be limited to items in § 65-33A through J and shall be located only in the basement or first floor. Such uses shall be wholly within the structure and limited to service-type uses designed to service primarily the needs of the occupants of the buildings.

D. Outdoor cafes, subject to the standards contained in § 65-30B.

[Added 5-25-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-7]

E. Massage establishments, subject to compliance with the conditions in Chapter 40A.

[Added 12-15-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-35]

§ 65-36 Area and bulk regulations.

A. Area and bulk regulations shall be as follows:

(1) Lot size: two-acre minimum.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

(2) Lot width: 200 feet minimum.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

(3) Lot depth: 150 feet minimum.

(4) Lot coverage: 70%.

[Amended 9-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-23]

(5) Front yard: 75 feet minimum.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

(6) Side yards: 20 feet aggregate total with an eight-foot minimum, each, provided that when a written agreement is provided by adjoining property owners, no side yard shall be required where two or more commercial uses abut side to side, between properties of separate ownership. In case of a series of abutting structures paralleling a public right-of-way, an open and unobstructed passage of at least 30 feet in width shall be provided at grade level at intervals of not more than 300 feet.

(7) Rear yards: 35 feet minimum.

(8) Height: two stories.

[Amended 9-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-23]

(9) FAR: 0.25.

[Added 9-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-23]

B. Yard areas shall be required whenever a business use abuts a residential property, and such yards shall not be less than 20 feet wide and shall provide a buffer landscaped screen.

C. All Highway Business Districts shall be subject to all of the standards and requirements set forth in Chapter 44A, Site Plan Review, and Chapter 50, Subdivision of Land.

§ 65-37 Special regulations for gasoline service stations.

Gasoline service stations shall be subject to all of the following standards and regulations:

A. The lot shall be at least two acres in area, with a minimum lot depth and lot width of 125 feet.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

B. All fuel pumps, appliance and air pumps shall be located at least 35 feet from the street lines and 25 feet away from the side and rear property lines, or edge of any required buffer areas, so as to permit all services to be performed within the lot lines. All other services shall be performed within an enclosed building.

C. All fuel tanks shall comply with the regulations of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy where applicable.

[Amended 5-11-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-9]

D. Driveways.

(1) Driveways shall not be more than 25 feet wide at any point thereof.

(2) There shall be a minimum distance of 30 feet between driveways as measured from the edges of the paved portion. Driveways shall be at least 10 feet from the adjoining property line and at least 20 feet from the street line of any intersecting street.

(3) There shall be a maximum of two driveways on any street.

E. The entire area of the station or garage or sale area traversed by motor vehicles shall be macadam or concrete.

F. No gasoline selling or service station, or area so utilized, shall be located within 500 feet of any property upon which a church, hospital, public or parochial school, private school, college, institution or theater shall be located, nor shall said gasoline selling or service be located within 2,000 feet of another gasoline selling or service station. Said distance shall be measured from the property or lot line on which the proposed service station is to be located on a straight line to the property line or lot line on which the church, hospital, public or parochial school, private school, college, institution, theater or gasoline or service station shall be located.

G. Buffer yard; setback; canopies; building area.

(1) A buffer yard of not less than 50 feet in width shall be provided on the subject lot when it is within 50 feet of any residential zone. Said distance shall be measured as indicated in Subsection F of this section. This buffer yard shall be used only as a planting strip in which hedge, evergreens, shrubbery or other suitable planting shall be provided and maintained with a visual screen year-round.

(2) The walls of any building shall be set back at least 25 feet from every adjoining property line or required buffer yard and at least 50 feet from a street right-of-way line.

(3) Canopies or roof overhangs attached to or extended from the buildings shall not extend more than five feet from said building.

(4) Not more than 20% of the area of each lot may be occupied by buildings. No building shall exceed one story in height.

H. All lubrication, repair, maintenance or similar activities shall be performed within a completely enclosed building. In addition thereto, all displays and sale of merchandise shall be made or sold within a completely enclosed building, except as specifically provided or allowed under the terms of this chapter.

I. Sufficient parking space for all vehicles of employees and patrons shall be provided, with a minimum of five spaces in any event, with the total number of spaces computed on the basis of three spaces for each lift, wheel alignment pit, bay or similar work area, which spaces shall be separate from the driveway and general apron areas giving access to the air pumps, gasoline pumps and garage doors.

J. No automobile, truck, trailer or boat shall be allowed to stand on any gasoline selling or service station property publicly advertising such vehicle for sale.

K. No part of any gasoline selling or service station may be used for resident or sleeping purposes.

L. Signs shall be erected in accordance with the requirements enumerated in this chapter.

[Amended 3-14-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-5]

M. All electric, gas, telephone and other utility lines and uses shall be installed underground.

§ 65-38 Special regulations for car wash establishments.

Car wash establishments shall be subject to the following special regulations:

A. Minimum lot size: two acres.

[Amended 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

B. Minimum lot width: 120 feet.

C. Minimum lot depth: 200 feet.

D. Minimum setback from all property lines: 50 feet.

E. Minimum distance from all property lines other than front property lines: 20 feet.

F. Minimum distance between any buildings, including accessory uses, and any residence district: 50 feet.

G. Minimum distance between any access driveway and residence district: 50 feet.

H. Minimum distance between access driveway and any adjoining property line: 10 feet.

I. Minimum distance between any access driveway and the property line of any church, library, school, college, nursing home, hospital or similar use: 200 feet.

J. Maximum width of curb cuts for access driveways: 20 feet, except that a combined entrance and exit shall total 40 feet.

K. Parking requirements. The following shall be provided:

(1) A waiting or stacking area on the lot for incoming automobiles accessible to the entrance end of the washing equipment, to accommodate at least 15 automobiles for each lane provided in the washing area.

(2) An area beyond the exit end of the washing equipment for at least six automobiles for each lane provided in the washing area.

L. Entrance access driveways shall not be located within 100 feet of the intersection of any two streets.

M. Exterior lighting shall be shielded so that it is deflected away from adjacent properties and from passing motorists.

N. Dripping vehicles shall not be allowed on streets or highways so as to cause ice hazards in freezing weather. Equipment must be installed to prevent this condition. Site drainage shall be designed so as to prevent drainage onto public streets.

§ 65-39 Special regulations for shopping centers.

Shopping centers shall be subject to all of the following special regulations:

A. Permitted uses.

(1) A planned community shopping center.

(2) All of the uses permitted in § 65-33A through L of this article.

(3) Automobile service centers, excluding gas stations and auto body works.

B. Accessory uses.

(1) Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses.

(2) Outdoor cafes, subject to the standards contained in § 65-30B.

[Added 5-25-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-7]

C. Area and bulk regulations.

(1) Any application for development under the terms of this section shall provide initially at least for the construction of either a minimum of 10,000 square feet of ground floor area or a minimum of three of the permitted main uses.

(2) The minimum lot size shall be three acres.

(3) The minimum lot width shall be 200 feet; the minimum lot depth shall be 100 feet.

(4) No more than 30% of the gross land area shall be covered by buildings.

(5) No structure shall be closer than 50 feet to any perimeter property line.

(6) No building, parking access or service area may be located within 50 feet of a side or rear property line.

(7) No building shall be more than six stories or 65 feet in height, whichever is less.

D. Other design requirements.

(1) All shopping center projects shall be subject to all of the standards and requirements set forth in the Site Plan Review Ordinance.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 44A, Site Plan Review.

(2) The minimum width, pavement edge to pavement edge, of interior streets within the development not to be used as through streets shall be 24 feet for two-way traffic and 14 feet for one-way traffic. These widths will accommodate twelve-foot lanes and the necessary width for trucks and emergency vehicles.

(3) There shall be no parking on any interior streets.

(4) The proposed development shall be constructed in accordance with an overall plan and shall be designed as a single architectural scheme with appropriate common landscaping. The buildings, sizes, shapes, site positions and architectural design may be considered along with the landscaping and natural features.

(5) All buildings shall be arranged in a group or in groups.

(6) Parking, loading or service areas used by motor vehicles shall be physically separated from public streets by a buffer strip or other effective and suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle access or egress and shall have not more than two accessways to any one public street. All such areas shall be arranged to facilitate proper and safe internal circulation and shall be paved with an acceptable hard surface.

(7) All accessways to a public street or highway shall be located at least 200 feet from the intersection of any street lines and shall be designed in a manner conducive to safe ingress and egress.

(8) Areas provided for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles and for the servicing of shops by refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles shall be adequate in size and shall be so arranged that they may be used without blockage or interference with the use of accessways or automobile parking facilities.

(9) Along each side or rear property line which adjoins existing residences or a residence district, a buffer planting strip shall be provided, which shall be not less than 30 feet in width and on which shall be placed shrubbery, trees or other suitable plants sufficient to constitute an effective visual screen. Along each street line bounding the district, a twenty-foot line buffer strip shall be provided, suitably landscaped, except for necessary sidewalks and accessways. Nothing herein provided shall prohibit the erection of a suitable fence or wall on the required buffer areas.

(10) Appropriate provisions shall be made for private garage and trash collection and for the private maintenance of all interior roads and streets, including snow removal, and all buildings and land areas not dedicated to the Township. Such services shall be performed at the owner's expense.

(11) All trash or garbage disposal facilities shall be totally screened, and plans shall be submitted as part of the developmental site plan showing the location and types of screening.

E. Parking requirements. Notwithstanding the requirements of this chapter, the following off-street parking standards shall apply for all shopping center projects, except that these standards may be reduced to the extent that combined use of parking lots makes such reduction feasible in the judgment of the approving authority.

	Land Use	Minimum Number of Off-StreetAutomobile Parking Spaces Required
	Shopping center, retail sales, trade, and business services	5.5 for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. Gross personal leaseable area is the total floor area designed for tenant occupancy and exclusive use, including basements, mezzanines and upper floors, if any, expressed in square feet measured from center lines of joint partitions and exteriors of outside walls.
	All other freestanding uses	As required by the parking regulations of this chapter

F. Traffic impact study. At the time of the submission of the concept plat, the applicant shall submit a traffic impact study performed and certified by a licensed engineer. The study shall include, among other factors, the current vehicular volume, width and capacity of streets and highways in the nearby area of the proposed development. Additional vehicular volumes to be generated by the development shall be estimated and related to the current capacity of the roadway network to determine the future adequacy or deficiency of the circulation system. Additional information shall be provided to demonstrate that satisfactory arrangements will be made to facilitate traffic movement on the highways adjoining the development and to assure proper circulation within the development. These arrangements shall include provisions for necessary signalization, channelization, standby turn lanes, right-turn runoff lanes, added highway width, adequate warning signs and adequate storage area and distribution facilities within the development to prevent the backup of vehicles on public streets.

G. Phasing plan. For developments to be constructed over a period of years, a phasing plan shall be submitted as part of the preliminary plan for the entire concept.

§ 65-40 Other regulations.

A. There must exist approved public sewer systems which shall be available to each unit prior to the issuance of the certificates of occupancy.

B. All other regulations of this chapter shall be followed as required.

C. The buildings, sizes, shapes, site positions and architectural design shall be considered along with the landscape and natural features.

D. In order to enhance traffic safety and flow along Route 130, Route 68 and Route 206, it is necessary to prevent numerous curb openings directly onto contiguous property. To implement this policy, each applicant with property adjacent to Route 206 shall provide for a parallel access road on each property so that vehicles can be properly channeled to controlled intersections.

[Added 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

E. All improvements and uses shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from the right-of-way line of all contiguous streets.

[Added 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16]

F. There shall not be any outside storage and sales of materials and motor vehicles unless the following conditions and standards are met to the satisfaction of the Consolidated Land Use Board of Mansfield Township:

[Added 5-23-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-16; 3-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-5]

(1) The use will not injure or detract from the use of neighboring property.

(2) The use will not detract from the character of the neighborhood.

(3) The use of the property adjacent to the area included in the plan is adequately safeguarded.

(4) The property is suitable for the intended use.

(5) The use will serve the best interests of the Township.

(6) The use will not adversely affect public sewers and facilities, such as water, sewer, police and fire protection.

(7) The use will not adversely affect the drainage facilities in the adjacent neighborhood.

(8) The use will not adversely affect the safe flow of highway traffic and adequate roadway accesses are provided to protect roadways from undue congestion and hazards.

(9) There shall be no storage, display or sale of any merchandise whatsoever in the front yard setbacks unless the criteria set forth herein is met.

(10) All merchandise accessible to the public shall be adequately safeguarded to prevent injury to persons.