A.
General purpose. The use and development of land may have a substantial impact upon the character of the Township and its environment, as well as upon traffic, utilities and property values therein, thereby affecting the public health, safety, morals and welfare. The general purpose of this chapter, as may be more specifically set forth herein, shall be to provide rules, regulations, procedures and standards to guide land use and development in the Township pursuant to the power and authority conferred upon the Township in the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
B.
Specific purposes.
(1)
To encourage the appropriate use or development of all lands in the Township, in a manner which will promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare;
(2)
To secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural disasters;
(3)
To provide adequate light, air and open space;
(4)
To promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and concentration that will contribute to the well-being of persons and neighborhoods and the preservation of the environment;
(5)
To encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditure of public funds by the coordination of public development with land use policies;
(6)
To provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of agricultural, residential, recreational and commercial and industrial uses and open space, both public and private, according to their respective environmental requirements in order to meet the needs of all the Township's citizens;
(7)
To encourage the location and design of transportation routes which will promote the free flow of traffic while discouraging location of such facilities and routes which result in congestion or blight;
(8)
To promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangements;
(9)
To promote the conservation of historic sites and districts, open space, energy resources and valuable natural resources and to prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land;
(10)
To encourage coordination of the various public and private procedures and activities shaping land development with a view of lessening the cost of such development and to the more efficient use of land;
(11)
To promote utilization of renewable energy resources;
(12)
To promote the maximum practicable recovery and recycling of recyclable materials from municipal solid waste through the use of planning practices designed to incorporate the State Recycling Plan goals and to complement municipal recycling programs;
(14)
To minimize the expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects and the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding;
(15)
To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities, such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard; and
(16)
To ensure that potential buyers of areas of special flood hazard are notified of the hazard and that those who occupy those areas assume responsibility for their actions.