The Development Review Committee of the Planning Board shall
meet on a regular basis and shall have the following responsibilities.
A. Informal concept plan review. Major developers are encouraged to
submit a concept plan for informal review by the Development Review
Committee (the DRC) of the Planning Board prior to making a complete
application. The purpose of the informal review is to enable the site
designers to confer with the DRC about their design approach at a
formative stage. No fee shall be assessed for the informal review
with the Development Review Committee and both parties are not bound
by any comments made during the concept review process. The applicant
may also request an informal concept plan review by the entire Planning
Board of not more than 15 minutes in duration. The required fee for
the informal review shall be paid prior to the scheduling of the informal
review. The developer shall not be bound by any concept plan for which
the review is requested and the Planning Board shall not be bound
by any such review.
B. Completeness. The land development application completeness review procedure is discussed in §
255-108C. While the completeness determination is delegated to the Board Engineer, the Engineer may consult with the DRC in making the completeness determination. In addition, any applicant may appear before the DRC to discuss the completeness review decision of the Board Engineer.
C. Submission waivers. All requests for submission waivers shall be reviewed by the DRC within 45 days of the request pursuant to §
255-108C. The DRC shall decide whether to grant the submission waiver request. An applicant may appeal the decision of the DRC to the full Planning Board. Submission waivers shall only be granted if the item is not necessary to make an informed decision and would involve a significant expense or delay. Waivers shall not be granted for routine plan information requirements.
D. Technical review. All major subdivision and site plan applications
shall be reviewed by the Development Review Committee prior to being
heard by the Planning Board. The purposes of the DRC technical review
meeting are to provide the applicant with a preliminary technical
review of the application; to provide insight on the technical deficiencies
of the plan; to consider requests for submission waivers; to offer
suggestions and recommendations for the improvement of the plan; and
to comment on the acceptability of the plan. The DRC meetings are
not a public hearing and need not be advertised. The technical review
comments are meant to provide guidance and direction to the applicant
but do not constitute a formal review. No minutes or actions are taken
on the applications that have been deemed complete.
E. Land development issues. The DRC shall discuss relevant land development
issues on a continuing basis in conjunction with the Board professionals.
These issues shall periodically be presented to the Planning Board
for policy decisions.
F. Distribution of documents.
(1)
Promptly after the certification of completeness is received
from the Board Engineer, the application documents shall be distributed
by the Board Secretary to the following:
(a)
The Planning Board (11 copies each of the minor plat or plan
and the application);
(b)
The Board Planner (one copy each of the minor plat or plan,
the application and any protective covenants, easements and/or deed
restrictions);
(c)
The Board Engineer (one copy each of the minor plat or plan,
the application and any protective covenants, easements and/or deed
restrictions);
(d)
The Zoning Officer (one copy of the minor plat or plan);
(e)
The Board Attorney (one copy each of the minor plat or plan,
the application and any protective covenants, easements and/or deed
restrictions);
(2)
At the direction of the Planning Board, additional copies of
the minor plat or plan and/or other items of submitted information
shall be sent to other Township, county or state agencies and/or to
other professional consultants as may be designated by the Board;
and
(3)
It shall be the applicant's responsibility, unless specifically
provided otherwise in this chapter, to submit the required application
to any agency (including but not limited to the County Planning Board,
the County Board of Health, the Soil Conservation District and the
New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection) having jurisdiction
over any aspect of the proposed development.