Borough of Fort Lee, NJ Article VI Design Standards

§ 345-19 Considerations.

In reviewing any site plan, the municipal agency shall consider:

A. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic movement within and adjacent to the site, with particular emphasis on the provision and layout of parking areas, off-street loading and unloading, movement of people, goods and vehicles from access roads, within the site between buildings and between buildings and vehicles. The municipal agency shall ensure that all parking spaces are usable and safely and conveniently arranged. Access to the site from adjacent roads shall be designed so as to interfere as little as possible with traffic flow on these roads and to permit vehicles a rapid and safe ingress and egress to the site.

B. The design and layout of buildings and parking areas shall be reviewed so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing design and efficient arrangement. Particular attention shall be given to safety and fire protection; impact on surrounding development, contiguous and adjacent buildings and lands; and environmental and ecological considerations.

C. Adequate lighting shall be provided to ensure safe movement of persons and vehicles and for security purposes. Lighting standards shall be a type approved by the municipal agency. Directional lights shall be arranged so as to minimize glare and reflection on adjacent properties.

D. Buffering where required shall be located around the perimeter of the site to minimize headlights of vehicles, noise, light from structures and the movement of people and vehicles and to shield activities from adjacent properties.

E. Landscaping shall be provided as part of the overall site plan designed and integrated into building arrangements, topography, parking and buffering requirements.

F. Signs shall be designed so as to be aesthetically pleasing, harmonious with other signs on the site and located so as to achieve their purpose without constituting hazards to vehicles and pedestrians.

G. Storm drainage, sanitary waste disposal, water supply and garbage disposal shall be reviewed and considered. Particular emphasis shall be given to the adequacy of existing systems, and the need for improvements, to adequately carry runoff and sewage and maintain an adequate supply of water at sufficient pressure.

H. Garbage disposal shall be reviewed to ensure frequent collection, protection against vermin and rodents and aesthetic considerations. All systems shall meet municipal specifications as to installation and construction.

§ 345-20 Off-street parking requirements.

A. (Reserved)[1]

[1] Editor’s Note: Former Subsection A, Number of parking spaces required, as amended 9-28-2000 by Ord. No. 200-35, was repealed 5-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-10. For current provisions, see § 410-40B.

B. (Reserved)[2]

[2] Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B, Location of parking spaces, was repealed 5-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-10. For current provisions, see § 410-40C.

C. Parking area design standards.

(1) Aisle widths. Provisions shall be made for safe and adequate circulation of pedestrians and vehicles within and adjoining the subject property. The width of all aisles providing direct access to individual parking stalls shall be in accordance with the standards established in Table 2. Any fire lanes provided may encompass a part of, and need not be in addition to, the minimum aisle widths set forth in Table 2. Only one-way traffic shall be permitted in aisles of less than 24 feet.

[Amended 9-28-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-35]

(2) Size of parking stalls. Parking spaces for all land uses within the Borough of Fort Lee shall have a minimum area of 162 square feet of space, exclusive of aisles, and shall measure no less than nine feet in width and 18 feet in length.

(3) Circulation within parking areas.

(a) Except for attendant parking, all parking spaces shall be designed free and clear of any obstruction to individual parking stalls. The foregoing notwithstanding, the reviewing board may, where appropriate and consistent with the promotion of the public health, safety and welfare, upon a showing by the applicant that adequate parking shall at all times be available to serve the intended use, allow temporary obstructions of parking spaces or, in the case of parking spaces designated as "for employees only," obstructions of a longer duration, for the purpose of facilitating loading, unloading, refuse removal and other service activities.

[Amended 9-28-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-35]

(b) Such parking spaces shall be located in such a fashion as to permit all vehicles to exit the same in a safe and orderly manner. Under no condition shall vehicles be permitted to back out of a parking lot driveway or otherwise block the free movement of traffic within the parking area or specific points of traffic within the parking area or specific points of safety control, such as fire hydrants, doorway, elevators or other similar locations.

(c) Aisle widths and circulation patterns shall be designed to permit emergency and service vehicles such as delivery trucks, solid waste collection vehicles and the like to have reasonable access to and space for their intended functions.

	Table 2 Minimum Aisle Width
	Parking Angle	Minimum Aisle Width (feet)
	0º (parallel parking)	12
	30º	12
	45º	13
	60º	18
	90º (perpendicular)	24

(d) Pedestrian circulation within a parking area shall be, to as great an extent possible, separated from vehicular traffic. Safety zones, crossing points and sidewalk areas, where warranted, shall be provided.

(e) The use of pedestrian carts or other similar accessory vehicles shall not be permitted to be retained within the driving area of the parking facility.

(4) Driveway design criteria.

(a) Location of driveways. All entrance and exit driveways to a public or private street shall be so located to afford maximum safety to said roadway.

(b) Sight distances. The minimum sight distances established in Table 3 shall be adhered to between a driveway and the adjoining street. For the purpose of this chapter, sight distance measurements shall be measured from the driver's seat of a standing vehicle located on that portion of the exit driveway that is immediately contiguous to the traveled way with the front of the vehicle 10 feet behind the curbline of the road, with the height of the eye 3.75 feet to the top of the object 4.5 feet above the pavement.

(c) Where a site is located at the intersection of two streets, no driveway entrance or exit shall be located within 50 feet of the point where the curb return of the street intersection and the curbline meet.

(d) No part of any driveway shall be located closer than 20 feet to any other driveway on an adjoining parcel, nor shall more than one driveway be located closer than 60 feet to another driveway on the same site as measured from the closest edge of any two driveways along the same right-of-way line.

(e) No entrance or exit driveway shall be located on a traffic circle or on a ramp or an interchange or within 50 feet of the beginning of any ramp or other portion of an interchange.

	Table 3 Minimum Sight Distance From a Driveway and Adjoining Street
	Allowable Maximum Speed on Roadway (miles/hour)	Minimum Sight Distance (feet)
	25	175
	30	250
	35	325
	40	400
	45	450
	50 or more	500

(f) Geometric design. The geometric design of a driveway connection to a public or private street shall be governed by sound traffic engineering principles. The following guidelines are utilized in preparing a geometric design, but some deviation may be necessitated from time to time due to the many variables encountered in the course of preparing a design. The applicant should be aware, therefore, that although the driveway layout may conform to these guidelines conditions may dictate deviations from them, and requirements of the Borough Engineer shall be final.

[1] Two-way operation. Driveways used for two-way operation will intersect a public or private street at an angle to as near 90º as site conditions will permit and in no case will be less than 60º.

[2] One-way operation. Driveways used for vehicles in one direction of travel (right turn only) shall not form an angle smaller than 45º with a public or private street.

[3] The dimensions of driveways shall be designed to adequately accommodate the volume and character of vehicles anticipated to be attracted daily onto the land development for which a site plan is prepared. The required maximum and minimum dimensions for driveways connecting to a public or private street at 90º are indicated in Table 4. Driveways serving large volumes of daily traffic or traffic over 25% of which is truck traffic shall be required to utilize high to maximum dimensions. Driveways serving low daily traffic volumes or traffic less than 25% of which is truck traffic shall be permitted to use low to minimum dimensions.

[4] Any vertical curve on a driveway shall be flat enough to prevent the dragging of any vehicle undercarriage and shall provide a clear view of traffic on the street intersecting with said driveway.

[5] Should the sidewalk be so close to the curb at a depressed curb driveway as to cause the ramp to be too steep and be likely to cause undercarriage drag, the sidewalk shall be appropriately lowered to provide a suitable ramp gradient.

[6] The surface of any driveway shall be constructed with a permanent pavement of a type or types specified by standards set by the Borough Engineer. Such pavement shall extend to the paved portion of the public or private street pavement.

[7] The design of the ramps within and adjoining a parking area shall be reviewed by the Borough Traffic Consultant and the Borough Engineer. Factors affecting the grade of such ramps, length and width of ramp, floor-to-floor height, degree of curvature, proximity to driveways and circulation systems shall be evaluated.

D. Tandem parking prohibited. Tandem parking is prohibited except as to R-1 and R-4A Zones, inclusive.

	Table 4 Driveway Widths, Depressed Curbs and Curb Return Radius Standards
		One-Way Operation Driveway Width (feet)	Depressed Curb (feet)	Curb Return Radius (feet)	Two-Way Operation Driveway Width (feet)	Depressed Curb (feet)	Curb Return Radius (feet)
	Five- to ten-family residence	12 to 15	32 to 35	20 min. 30 max.	22 to 26	40 to 50	20 min. 30 max.
	Over 10- family residence	15 to 16	35 to 38	30 min. 30 max.	24 to 30	46 to 52	25  min. 35 max.
	Commercial and indus- trial	15 to 30	35 to 50	35 min. 45 max.	30 to 50	50 to 70	35 min. 45 max.
	Service stations	20 to 30	35 to 50	20 min. 35 max.	40 to 50	50 to 60	20 min. 35 max.
	NOTE: Driveways connecting to a public or private street at an angle shall have the same widths as shown in Table 4. The width of depressed curb and the radius of curb returns shall provide for the sharpest turning radii of vehicles using the driveway, keeping said vehicles within their prescribed lanes.

§ 345-21 Off-street loading requirements.

A. In any district, in connection with every building or building group or part thereof hereinafter erected which is to be utilized by industrial and commercial uses or requires the distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise and for any residential development containing 50 or more dwelling units and for large-scale public and quasi-public uses, there shall be provided and maintained, on the same zone lot with such building, off-street loading spaces in accordance with the requirement of Table 5.

B. Each such loading space shall not be less than 12 feet in width and 30 feet or more in length depending upon the functions to be performed. The overall floor-to-ceiling height or clear height distance shall not be less than 12 feet, which may be increased where required by the Planning Board.

C. Each such loading space may occupy any required side or rear yard, except when adjoining a residential use, institutional use or place of general assembly, where a ten-foot buffer zone, suitably screened or landscaped, shall be provided. Section 345-20B of this chapter shall also be applicable to off-street loading areas.

D. Off-street parking spaces shall not be located within any fire prevention zone, within 25 feet of any fire hydrant, nor shall it block or in any way interfere with the free flow of pedestrians from any stairway, doorway, elevator or other general means of entry to and from a building for the general public.

E. All such loading spaces shall be appropriately indicated by sign or other visual communication as to said location.

F. The reviewing board may, in its discretion, waive the requirement of a loading berth where, through the presentation of competent testimony, it is demonstrated that a loading berth is not necessary due to the operational requirements of the facility, the frequency of deliveries, the type of vehicle utilized in making deliveries or other factors that dictate a lack of need for a dedicated loading berth.

[Added 9-28-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-35]

	Table 5 Off-Street Loading Requirements Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey
	Land Use2	At Which First Berth is Required Floor Area (square feet)	At Which Second Berth is Required1 Floor Area (square feet)
	Industrial:
	Manufacturing	5,000	40,000
	Laboratory, research	5,000	40,000
	Commercial:
	Wholesale	5,000	40,000
	Retail	5,000	20,000
	Service establishments	5,000	40,000
	Commercial recreation	5,000	100,000
	Restaurants [Amended 9-28-2000  by Ord. No. 2000-35]	5,000	25,000
	Office building	5,000	100,000
	Hotel	10,000	100,000
	Residential:
	Apartment building	20,000	100, 000
	Institutional, public schools	10,000	100,000
	Hospitals, nursing homes	10,000	100,000
	Terminals	5,000	40,000
	Auditoriums	10,000	100,000
	Arenas	10,000	100,000
	Funeral homes	10,000	100,000
	NOTES: 1 One additional berth shall be required for each additional amount of square feet as indicated as required between the need for one- and two-berth intervals. 2 In the case of a multiple-use building, the amount of off-street loading required shall be equal to the sum of the parts unless the same can be demonstrated to be in excess as shall be subject to determination by the Planning Board.

§ 345-22 Other required improvements.

A. Curbing.

(1) General. Where curbing is lacking, an applicant for site plan approval shall install curbing along the extent of all property fronting public and private streets in accordance with the standards and specifications of the Borough. The Planning Board may require curbing within parking areas in order to facilitate drainage, provide separation between pedestrian and vehicular movement and to provide traffic channelization.

(2) Alignment and grade. The alignment and grade of curbing is to be determined by that established or existing in the area, unless otherwise indicated by the Borough Engineer.

(3) Curbing at driveway openings. Where a proposed driveway is to serve any land development of 50 or more parking spaces, curbing need not be carried across the driveway opening as a depressed curb but rather may be swept back as curb returns. Where the driveway serves a facility having fewer than 50 parking spaces, a depressed curb driveway shall be utilized.

B. Other roadway widening. The Planning Board, at its discretion, may require dedication of additional street right-of-way and pavement. Where the Borough has adopted an official map or a master plan indicating wider rights-of-way than presently exist, the applicant for site plan approval shall be required to dedicate the same to the Borough.

C. Sidewalks.

[Amended 10-26-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-42; 12-14-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-47]

(1) Each commercial property owner located within a district designated as a streetscape improvement district, and seeking any land development requiring site plan approval, shall provide a sidewalk within the street right-of-way which shall fully comply with the specifications set forth in the Borough's streetscape improvement project, which specifications are incorporated herein, and which are available in the Construction Office of the Borough of Fort Lee. Such sidewalk shall be designed in accordance with those Borough specifications and shall be subject to the review of either the Construction Official or the Streetscaping Engineer. In order to minimize the additional financial cost of compliance with the terms of this section respecting streetscaping compliance, any property owner subject to the provisions of the enhanced sidewalk improvement specifications shall not be compelled to post a performance guaranty for that portion of the estimated cost of the sidewalk and the appurtenant improvements allocated to the enhanced requirements.

(2) The Borough's streetscaping improvement program shall apply to all commercial districts within the Borough.

[Amended 9-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-49]

(3) In the event that any sidewalk within a commercial district requires a repair of 15% or more of the total square footage of the sidewalk on the property, the property owner shall comply with the specifications set forth in the Borough's streetscape improvement project with respect to the entire sidewalk on the premises.

[Added 9-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-49]

D. Buffer areas, fencing, screening and landscaping. Buffer areas, planting strips, fencing and screening may be required by the Planning Board to ensure privacy and harmonious conditions between adjoining land uses. The Planning Board shall approve a landscaping plan which shall include the type of material to be used, the height of such improvements, the seasonal nature of any plant materials and the maintenance of the same. Landscaping may include the use of trees, shrubs, ground cover, plants, sculpture, art and other ornamental devices and the use of building and paving materials in an imaginative manner.

E. Refuse collection. Provision shall be made for the proper storage and collection of refuse. All such storage shall be maintained within the confines of an enclosed building or structure and shall be reasonably accessible for vehicular collection on the site. The reviewing board, based on competent testimony concerning the anticipated frequency of refuse collection and the intended operation of the site, shall have the discretion to determine whether the proposed storage structure is reasonably accessible as required herein. The Fort Lee Board of Health shall approve the location and method of collection on the site. The reviewing board shall, in appropriate instances, condition its approval upon the subsequent approval of the Fort Lee Board of Health.

[Amended 9-28-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-35]

F. Illumination. All exterior lighting for buildings, signs and parking areas shall not produce any glare beyond the property lines of the site and shall, where appropriate, be screened or oriented in such a fashion to prevent the same.

(1) Such lighting shall not be permitted which requires a flashing or intermittent illumination. Lighting which requires change in color, intensity or hue shall likewise be prohibited except when completely shielded from the external segments of the property.

(2) Said lighting shall in no way interfere with, detract from or diminish in any way from the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning device.

(3) The application shall be in accordance with Ordinance No. 74-21, the Fort Lee Sign Ordinance.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 410, Zoning, Art. XII, Signs.

G. Noise control. Provision shall be made for the elimination of all loud and offensive noise to the general public and adjoining properties emanating from the property.

H. Tree removal and replacement. All applications for site plan approval shall comply with Chapter 156, Tree Removal and Replacement, of the Code of the Borough of Fort Lee.

[Added 7-25-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-32]

§ 345-23 Utility improvements.

A. Gas, electric and telephone service. Gas, electric and telephone service shall be provided by the applicant in concert with the appropriate public utility providing such service. Said service on the site shall be provided as part of an underground system.

(1) If such facilities cannot be reasonably provided due to topographic or geologic condition of the land, due to technological circumstances, and where the applicant can adequately demonstrate the lack of feasibility of the same to the satisfaction of the Planning Board, a waiver of this requirement may be granted by the Planning Board.

(2) Where existing utility lines, such as electric and telephone poles, exist off the site and require relocation as a result of the proposed development, the municipal agency shall be assured that said relocation will not create or maintain any hazardous or dangerous conditions.

B. Water supply and sanitary sewage disposal. Adequate provisions for water supply and sanitary sewage disposal shall be indicated. Said facilities shall include and not be limited to approvals, where appropriate, of the Borough Engineer, Building Inspector, Department of Health and Fire Department. The locations of all proposed fire hydrants or similar facilities shall be indicated on the plan, and said areas shall provide for appropriate fire lanes or protective areas which shall not be impeded by parking or standing vehicles or other obstructions. The location and construction of said hydrants shall comply with applicable Fire Department regulations.

C. Stormwater drainage. Each site plan submitted to the municipal agency shall be reviewed by the Borough Engineer to establish requirements to prevent adverse drainage conditions both on and off the site.

(1) The drainage system shall be designed in conformance with accepted engineering standards. To facilitate the review of proposed drainage facilities for development, design calculations prepared by the applicant's engineer shall accompany the application.

(2) The design considerations shall include and not be limited to drainage areas, runoff calculations, storm drain pipelines, inlet designs and manholes.

(3) Unless otherwise stipulated by the Borough Engineer, drainage facilities shall be designed on the basis of a ten-year storm, using a one-hour intensity of two inches.

§ 345-24 (Reserved). [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 345-24, Signs in language other than English, was repealed 9-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-48.

§ 345-25 Collection or storage of recyclable materials in new multifamily housing developments.

A. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

A building containing three or more dwelling units occupied or intended to be occupied by persons living independently of each other, or a group of such buildings.

RECYCLING AREA

Space allocated for collection and storage of source-separated recyclable materials.

B. There shall be included in any new multifamily housing development that requires subdivision or site plan approval an indoor or outdoor recycling area for the collection and storage of residentially generated recyclable materials. The dimensions of the recycling area shall be sufficient to accommodate recycling bins or containers which are of adequate size and number and which are consistent with anticipated usage and with current methods of collection in the area in which the project is located. The dimensions of the recycling area and the bins or containers shall be determined in consultation with the Municipal Recycling Coordinator and shall be consistent with the district recycling plan adopted pursuant to Section 3 of P.L. 1987, c. 102 (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.13), and any applicable requirements of the Municipal Master Plan adopted pursuant to Section 26 of P.L. 1987, c. 102.

C. The recycling area shall be conveniently located for the residential disposition of source-separated recyclable materials, preferably near, but clearly separated from, a refuse dumpster.

D. The recycling area shall be well lit and shall be safely and easily accessible by recycling personnel and vehicles. Collection vehicles shall be able to access the recycling area without interference from parked cars or other obstacles. Reasonable measures shall be taken to protect the recycling area, and the bins or containers placed therein, against theft of recyclable materials, bins or containers.

E. The recycling area or the bins or containers placed therein shall be designated so as to provide protection against adverse environmental conditions which might render the collected materials unmarketable. Any bins or containers which are used for the collection of recyclable paper or cardboard and which are located in an outdoor recycling area shall be equipped with a lid, or otherwise covered, so as to keep the paper or cardboard dry.

F. Signs clearly identifying the recycling area and the materials accepted therein shall be posted adjacent to all points of access to the recycling area. Individual bins or containers shall be equipped with signs indicating the materials to be placed therein.

G. Landscaping and/or fencing shall be provided around any outdoor recycling area and shall be developed in an aesthetically pleasing manner.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 345-25.1, Design standards and guidelines in the C-1 Central Business District, which immediately followed this section, as added 8-17-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-41, was repealed 8-21-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-34.