[Amended 4-17-1989; 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98; 3-2-2010 by Ord. No. 1-2010]
A. 
Establishment. There is hereby established, pursuant to Chapter 219, P.L. 1975 (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-23 et seq.), in the Borough of Sea Bright, a Municipal Planning Board of nine members, consisting of the following four classes:
(1) 
Class I: The Mayor or the Mayor's designee in the absence of the Mayor.
(2) 
Class II: One of the officials of the municipality other than a member of the governing body to be appointed by the Mayor.
(3) 
Class III: A member of the governing body to be appointed by the Borough Council.
(4) 
Class IV: Six citizens of the Borough to be appointed by the Mayor.
B. 
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-25c and being that the Borough of Sea Bright is a municipality having a population of 2,500 or less, the nine-member Planning Board shall exercise, to the same extent and subject to the same restrictions, all the powers of a Board of Adjustment; but the Class I and Class III members shall not participate in the consideration of applications for development which involve relief pursuant of Subsection D of Section 57 of P.L. 1975, c. 291 (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70).
C. 
Alternate members.
(1) 
The Mayor may appoint four alternate members who shall meet the qualifications of Class IV members of the nine-member Planning Board. Alternate members shall be designated at the time of appointment by the Mayor as "Alternate No. 1," "Alternate No. 2," "Alternate No. 3" and "Alternate No. 4." The terms of the alternate members shall be for two years, except that the terms of the alternate members shall be such that the term of not more than two alternates shall expire in any one year; provided, however, that in no instance shall the terms of the alternate members first appointed exceed two years. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled by the appointing authority for the unexpired term only.
(2) 
No alternate member shall be permitted to act on any matter in which the member has either directly or indirectly any personal or financial interest. An alternate member may, after public hearing if he requests one, be removed by the governing body for cause.
(3) 
Alternate members may participate in discussions of the proceedings but may not vote, except in the absence or disqualification of a regular member of any class, except that an alternate member may not vote in the place of a Class I or Class III member if that member is disqualified due to the application involving relief pursuant to Subsection D of Section 57 of P.L. 1975, c. 291 (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70). A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular member may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event that a choice must be made as to which alternate member is to vote, alternates shall vote in the order of their number.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
The members of Class IV shall hold no other municipal office, except that one member may be a member of the Board of Education.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 130-8, Alternate members, amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 12-15-2015 by Ord. No. 16-2015. See now § 130-6.
A. 
The term of the member composing Class I shall correspond with his official tenure. The terms of the members composing Class II and Class III shall be for one year or terminate at the completion of their respective terms of office, whichever occurs first.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98]
B. 
The term of a Class IV member who is also a member of the Board of Education shall terminate whenever he is no longer a member of such other body or at the completion of his Class IV term, whichever occurs first.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98]
C. 
The terms of all Class IV members first appointed pursuant to this chapter shall be so determined that to the greatest practicable extent the expiration of such terms shall be distributed evenly over the first four years after their appointment as determined by resolution of the governing body; provided, however, that no term of any member shall exceed four years and; further, provided that nothing herein shall affect the term of any present member of the Planning Board, all of whom shall continue in office until the completion of the terms for which they were appointed. Thereafter, all Class IV members shall be appointed for terms of four years, except as otherwise hereinabove provided. All terms shall run from January 1 of the year in which the appointment is made.
If a vacancy in any class shall occur otherwise than by expiration of the term, it shall be filled by appointment as above provided for the unexpired term.
The Planning Board shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson both from the members of Class IV and select a Secretary who may either be a member of the Planning Board or a municipal employee designated by the Board.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 16.3.2, Zoning Board of Adjustment, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 4-17-1989.
[Amended 4-17-1989]
The Board shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions and purposes of this chapter. In the issuance of subpoenas, administration of oaths and taking of testimony, the provisions of the County and Municipal Investigations Law of 1953 (N.J.S.A. 2A:67A-1 et seq.) shall apply.
When any hearing before the Board shall carry over two or more meetings, a member of the Board who was absent for one or more of the meetings shall be eligible to vote on the matter upon which the hearing was conducted, notwithstanding his absence from one or more of the meetings; provided, however, that such Board member has available to him a transcript or recording of the meeting from which he was absent and certifies in writing to the Board that he has read such transcript or listened to such recording.
Whenever the performance of his official duties shall require any member of the Board to deliberate, vote or act upon any matter involving his financial or personal interest, either directly or indirectly, he shall publicly disqualify himself from participating in the deliberations, absenting himself from the physical location of such deliberations as well as from voting hereon, and he shall not participate in any discussion or decision relating thereto.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98]
A condition for any approval by the Planning Board shall be the certification by the Tax Collector that no taxes or assessments for local improvements are due or delinquent on the property for which the application is made.
A. 
Regular meetings of the Planning Board shall be scheduled not less than once each month and shall be held as scheduled unless canceled for lack of applications for development to process. The Planning Board may provide, in its rules and regulations, for special meetings, at the call of the Chairperson or on the request of any two of its members, which shall be held on notice to its members and the public in accordance with the notice provisions of state and municipal regulations.
[Amended 4-17-1989; 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98]
B. 
No action shall be taken at any meeting without a quorum being present. All actions shall be taken by a majority vote of a quorum unless the specific action being taken required a vote of a different proportion.
C. 
All regular meetings and all special meetings shall be open to the public. Notice of such meetings shall be given in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231 of the Laws of 1975.[1] All meetings and business conducted by the and before the Planning Board shall be in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231 of the Laws of 1975.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
Minutes of every regular or special meeting shall be kept and shall include the names of the persons appearing and addressing the Board and of the persons appearing by attorney, the action taken by the Board, the findings, if any, made by it and reasons therefor. The minutes shall thereafter be made available for public inspection during normal business hours at the office of the Board Secretary. Any interested party shall have the right to compel the production of the minutes for use as evidence in any legal proceedings concerning the subject matter of such minutes. Such interested party may be charged a reasonable fee for reproduction of the minutes for his use.
A. 
The Planning Board shall hold a hearing on each application for development or adoption or amendment of the Master Plan, within its jurisdiction.
[Amended 4-17-1989]
B. 
The Board shall make the rules governing such hearings consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. Any maps and documents for which approval is sought at a hearing shall be on file available for public inspection at least 10 days before the day of the hearing during normal business hours in the office of the Secretary. The applicant may produce other documents, records or testimony at the hearing to substantiate or clarify or supplement the previously filed maps and documents.
[Amended 4-17-1989]
C. 
The officer presiding at any hearing or such person as he may designate shall have power to administer oaths and issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant evidence, including witnesses and documents presented by the parties, and the provisions of the County and Municipal Investigations Law, P.L. 1953, c. 38 (N.J.S.A. 2A:67A-1 et seq.) shall apply.
D. 
The testimony of all witnesses relating to an application for development shall be taken under oath or affirmation by the residing officer, and the right of cross-examination shall be permitted to all interested parties through their attorneys, if represented, or directly, if not represented, subject to the discretion of the presiding officer and to reasonable limitations as to time and number of witnesses.
E. 
Technical rules of evidence shall not be applicable to the hearing, but the Board may exclude irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence.
F. 
The Planning Board shall provide for the verbatim recording of the proceedings by either stenographic, mechanical or electronic means. The Planning Board shall furnish a transcript, or duplicate recording in lieu thereof, on request to any interested party at his expense.
[Amended 4-17-1989; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
G. 
Each decision on any application for development shall be in writing and shall include findings of facts and legal conclusions based thereon.
H. 
A copy of the decision shall be mailed by the Planning Board within 10 days of the date of decision to the applicant, or if represented, then to his attorney, without separate charge, and to all who request a copy of the decision for a reasonable fee. A copy of the decision shall also be filed by the Planning Board in the office of the Board Secretary. The Board Secretary shall furnish a copy of such file decision to any interested party upon payment of a fee calculated in the same manner as those established for copies of other public documents in the municipality and shall make it available for public inspection at the office during reasonable hours.
I. 
A brief notice of the decision shall be published in the official newspaper of the municipality, if there shall be one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. Such publication shall be arranged by the applicant. The period of time in which an appeal of the decision may be made shall run from the first publication of the decision.
A. 
Contents. Notices of hearings shall state the date, time and place of the hearing, the nature of the matters to be considered and, in the case of notices of application, an identification of the property proposed for development by street address, if any, or by reference to lot and block numbers as shown on the current tax duplicate in the Municipal Tax Assessor's office, and the location and times at which any maps and documents for which approval are sought are available for review by the public.
B. 
Responsibility. Notice of hearings shall be given by the applicant at least 10 days prior to the date of hearing.
C. 
When required.
(1) 
Public notice of hearing on all applications for development shall be given, except in the case of application for approval of a final plat of a major subdivision; provided however, that the Planning Board may waive the giving of public notice in connection with minor subdivision, preliminary site plan or final site plan approval if in its judgment such notice is not required to protect the public interest or the interest of adjacent property owners. In determining whether to grant such waiver, the Board shall consider whether the proposed subdivision or use will tend to:
(a) 
Increase the need for off-street parking.
(b) 
Generate additional vehicular traffic.
(c) 
Increase noise or exterior artificial lighting requirements.
(d) 
Increase the risk of fire, explosion or other damage to adjacent owners.
(e) 
Differ markedly from the character of the existing uses in the immediate area from either an aesthetic or safety standpoint.
(2) 
Public notice shall always be required whenever relief is requested under § 130-21H of this chapter or whenever a variance of any kind is involved. Public notice shall be given in the official newspaper of the Borough, if there shall be one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the Borough.
D. 
Method of notice. Notice shall be given by:
(1) 
Serving a copy thereof on the property owner as shown on said current tax duplicate or his agent in charge of the property; or
(2) 
Mailing a copy thereof by certified mail to the property owner at his address as shown on the current tax duplicate. Notice to a partnership owner may be made by service upon any partner. Notice to a corporate owner may be made by service upon its president, a vice president, secretary or other person authorized by appointment or by law to accept service on behalf of the corporation.
E. 
Furnishing of lists. Upon the written request of any applicant, the Borough Clerk shall, within seven days, make and certify a list from said current tax duplicates of the names and addresses of owners to whom the applicant is required to give notice pursuant to § 130-18F of this chapter. The applicant shall be entitled to rely upon the information contained in such list and failure to give notice to any owner not on the list shall not invalidate any hearing or proceeding. A sum as provided in § 130-74E may be charged for such list.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
F. 
Distribution of notice. Whenever public notice is required, a notice shall also be given to the owners of all real property as shown on the current tax duplicate, located within 200 feet in all directions of the property which is the subject of such hearing. Any application for development involving property located within 200 feet of an adjoining municipality shall require that notice also be given to the Clerk of such adjoining municipality. Notice of an application for development on property adjacent to an existing county road or proposed road shown on the Official County Map or on the County Master Plan or adjoining other county land or situated within 200 feet of the municipal boundary shall also require that notice be served upon the County Planning Board. Notice shall be given to the Commissioner of Transportation of a hearing on an application for development of property adjacent to a state highway. Notice shall be given to the State Planning Commission of a hearing on an application for development of property which exceeds 150 acres or 500 dwelling units. Such notice to the State Planning Commission shall include a copy of any maps or documents required to be on file prior to the hearing of the application for development.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
G. 
Proof of service. The applicant shall file an affidavit of proof of service with the Planning Board.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98]
H. 
Effect of mailing notice. Any notice of hearing made by certified mail shall be deemed complete upon mailing.
The Mayor may appoint one or more persons as a Citizens Advisory Committee to assist or collaborate with the Planning Board in its duties, but such person or persons shall have no power to vote or take other action required of the Board. Such person or persons shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and without compensation.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 16.3.5, Environmental Commission, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 94-98.