A. 
The applicant shall submit to the Borough Clerk, at least 10 days but no more than 14 days prior to the meeting at which discussion is desired, six copies of the sketch plat of the proposed subdivision for purposes of classification, preliminary discussion and appropriate action, two copies of the application and a fee of $25 to cover costs. The Borough Clerk shall process the application and shall issue an application number. Once an application has been assigned a number, such number shall appear on all papers, maps, plats and other documents submitted for processing in conjunction with the subdivision.
B. 
At least 10 days prior to the next regular meeting of the Board, the Borough Clerk shall distribute the six copies of the sketch plat and two copies of the application in the following manner: Three copies of the sketch plat and one copy of the application shall be retained in the Planning Board's files; the remaining three copies of the sketch plat and one copy of the application shall be forwarded to the Subdivision Committee.
C. 
The Subdivision Committee shall review the sketch plat for classification purposes and discuss the proposed plan as it relates to the Master Plan, Zoning Ordinance and the design standards and improvement requirements of this chapter. The Subdivision Committee shall offer its comments and recommendations to the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board within 45 days of the submission of the application to the Borough Clerk. Should the application be determined by the Subdivision Committee or Planning Board either to be incomplete or to require substantial revisions, the applicant shall be notified within the forty-five-day time period and may thereafter submit an appropriately revised application to the Borough Clerk as in the first instance.
D. 
Any subdivision determined by the Board to be creating, imposing, aggravating or leading to the possibility of an adverse effect upon either the original property being subdivided or upon any adjacent properties may be required to be revised by the subdivider to remove such adverse effect(s) prior to further review, classification or approval by the Board, or where the remaining portion of the original tract is of sufficient size to be subdivided further, the subdivider may be required to submit a sketch plat of the entire remaining portion of the tract to indicate a feasible plan whereby the applied for subdivision, together with subsequent subdivision(s), will not create, impose or aggravate or lead to any such adverse effect.
E. 
If classified by the Planning Board as a division of land not considered a subdivision as defined in this chapter, no further action by the Borough is necessary, provided that an affidavit, proper in form, is submitted by the owner to the effect that the division of land either will not be used for any purpose other than for agriculture, is by testamentary or intestate provisions or is predicted upon court order. Additionally, a map drawn in accordance with the New Jersey Map Filing Law (1960), as amended, or a metes and bounds description of the property in question shall be submitted to the Board for certification prior to filing with the county recording officer.
F. 
If the sketch plat is considered for classification as a minor subdivision, the Board shall act on the proposed plat within 45 days of its complete and proper submission to the Borough Clerk or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant. Failure of the Planning Board to act within the prescribed time period shall constitute minor subdivision approval. The Board shall act pursuant to a review by the Subdivision Committee indicating that the submitted sketch plat is in accordance with the definition of minor subdivision as stipulated in this chapter and that the appropriate details and specifications of this chapter have been met.
G. 
If classified as a minor subdivision by the Planning Board, the Board shall waive notice and hearing thereon, and the subdivision application shall be deemed approved by the Borough subject to the County Planning Board's review and approval.
H. 
A notation to that effect, including the date of classification, shall be made on the master copy. All prints of the plat and deed(s) or right(s)-of-way dedication, if applicable shall be signed by the Chairman of the Planning Board (or the Acting Chairman in his absence), the Chairman of the Subdivision Committee (or the Acting Chairman in his absence) and the Secretary of the Planning Board. Three signed copies of the plat and one copy of the application shall be sent to the County Planning Board for review and approval. Approval must be received, in writing, within 30 days after its receipt of the plat. If a reply is not received from the County Planning Board within 30 days, the sketch plat shall be deemed to have been approved by it unless, by mutual agreement between the Board, the County Planning Board and the subdivider, the thirty-day time period for County Planning Board approval has been extended for an additional thirty-day period. In the event that the sketch plat is not classified as a minor subdivision by the Planning Board, the Borough Clerk, within five days of such action, shall notify the subdivider by certified mail of such action and the reasons therefor.
I. 
Within 190 days of the date of approval by the Planning Board of the minor subdivision, including the deed(s) or right(s)-of-way dedication, if applicable, the subdivider shall file a signed copy of the classified plat or a metes and bounds description of the subdivision with the Gloucester County Clerk. In the event of failure to file within said 190 days, the approval of the minor subdivision shall expire, and any further proceedings shall require the filing of a new sketch plat as in the first instance.
J. 
Upon receipt of the County Planning Board's approval of the minor subdivisions, the Borough Clerk shall immediately notify each of the following of said approval. The official copy of approved minor subdivisions shall be kept in the Planning Board's files. Before the Borough Clerk returns any approved sketch plat to the subdivider, the Clerk shall have sufficient copies made to furnish copies as indicated below. The cost of the copies will be charged to the subdivider and shall be collected before the return of the original sketch plat to the subdivider.
(1) 
Borough Clerk.
(2) 
Borough Engineer.
(3) 
Building Inspector or Zoning Officer.
(4) 
Tax Assessor.
(5) 
Borough Planning Board.
(6) 
Gloucester County Planning Board.
(7) 
The subdivider.
K. 
If the sketch plat is considered for classification as a major subdivision, the Board shall act on the proposed plat within 45 days of its complete and proper submission to the Borough Clerk or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant. When classified as a major subdivision, a notation to that effect shall be made on the plat which shall be returned to the subdivider for compliance with the procedures of this chapter.
A. 
The applicant shall submit to the Borough Clerk, at least 10 days but no more than 14 days prior to the meeting at which discussion is desired, eight copies of the preliminary plat of the proposed subdivision, four copies of the application and four copies of any protective covenants or deed restrictions applying to the land being subdivided.
B. 
At the time of submission, each applicant shall deposit, in cash or by certified check, with the Borough Clerk a sum of $25 for each lot proposed in the subdivision, to be placed in escrow by the Borough to cover the cost of professional services and review, including engineering and legal or other incidental expenses connected with the processing, reviewing and checking of all materials. Each applicant who shall submit a plan for preliminary subdivision approval shall agree in writing to pay all reasonable costs for professional review of said site plan and for inspection of improvements required by the Borough. Sums not utilized in review and inspection processes shall be returned to the applicant. If additional sums are deemed necessary, the applicant shall be notified of the required additional amount and shall add such sum to the escrow. No preliminary approval shall be granted unless all required fees and escrows have been paid.
C. 
Upon receipt of the necessary material from the applicant, the Borough Clerk shall retain one copy each of the preliminary plat, the completed application and any applicable protection convenants or deed restrictions and shall then immediately distribute the remaining seven copies of the preliminary plat, three copies of the completed application and three copies of any applicable protective covenants or deed restrictions in the following manner:
(1) 
Secretary of the Borough Planning Board: one copy of the preliminary plat, the application and any applicable protective covenants or deed restrictions.
(2) 
County Planning Board: two copies of the preliminary plat and one copy each of the application and any applicable protective covenants or deed restrictions.
(3) 
Borough Engineer: one copy of the preliminary plat.
(4) 
Secretary of the Borough Board of Health: one copy of the preliminary plat.
(5) 
Subdivision Committee: one copy of the preliminary plat, the application and any applicable protective covenants or deed restrictions.
(6) 
Such other Borough, county or state officials as directed by the Board.
D. 
Upon the submission of a complete application for a subdivision of 10 lots or less, the Board shall grant or deny preliminary approval within 45 days of the date of such submission or within such further time as may be consented to by the developer. Upon the submission of a complete application for a subdivision of more than 10 lots, or whenever an application includes a request for relief pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance, the Board shall grant or deny preliminary approval within 95 days of the date of such submission or within such further time as may be consented to by the developer. Otherwise, the Board shall be deemed to have granted preliminary approval of the subdivision. If the application is found to be incomplete, the applicant shall be notified thereof with 45 days of the date of submission, or it shall be deemed to be properly submitted.
E. 
The Board shall have the power to grant such exceptions from the requirements for subdivision approval as may be reasonable if the literal enforcement of one or more provisions of this chapter is impracticable or will exact undue hardship because of peculiar conditions pertaining to the land in question.
F. 
Should minor revisions or additions to the plan be deemed necessary, the Board may grant preliminary approval subject to specified conditions. Should major revisions to the plan be deemed necessary, the Board shall require that an amended plan be submitted and proceeded upon as in the case of the original application for preliminary approval.
G. 
The recommendations of the County Planning Board and those of all other agencies and officials to whom the preliminary plat was submitted for review shall be given careful consideration in the final decision on the plat. If the County Planning Board or the Township Engineer approves the preliminary plat, such approval shall be noted on the plat. If the Board acts favorably on the preliminary plat, the Chairman and Secretary of the Board (or the Acting Chairman and Secretary where either or both may be absent) shall affix their signatures to the plat with a notation that it has been approved, and it shall be returned to the subdivider for compliance with final approval requirements.
H. 
Preliminary approval of a subdivision shall confer upon the applicant the following rights for a three-year period from the date of the preliminary approval:
(1) 
That the general terms and conditions on which preliminary approval was granted shall not be changed, including but not limited to use requirements, layout and design standards for streets, curbs and sidewalks, lot size, yard dimensions and off-tract improvements.
(2) 
That the applicant may submit for final approval, on or before the expiration date of preliminary approval, the whole or a section or sections of the preliminary subdivision.
(3) 
That the applicant may apply for and the Board may grant extensions on such preliminary approval for additional periods of at least one year but not to exceed a total extension of two years, provided that if the design standards have been revised by ordinance such revised standards may govern.
I. 
If the Board, after consideration and discussion of the preliminary plat, determines that it is unacceptable, a notation shall be made by the Chairman of the Board to that effect on the plat and a resolution shall be adopted setting forth the reasons for such rejection. One copy of the plat and said resolution shall be returned to the subdivider within 10 days of such determination. The subdivider may hereafter resubmit a revised preliminary plat for further consideration by the Board.
A. 
All public hearings held on applications for preliminary subdivision approval shall require public notice of the hearing. The Board shall set the date, time and place for the public hearing and shall inform the applicant of this at least 20 days prior to said hearing date. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the applicant at least 10 days prior to the date of the hearing:
(1) 
By publication in the official newspaper of the municipality, if there is one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality.
(2) 
To all owners of real property as shown on the current tax duplicate located within 200 feet in all directions of the property which is the subject of the hearing, which notice shall be given by serving a copy thereof on the property owner as shown on the current tax duplicate, or his agent in charge of the property, or by mailing a copy thereof by certified mail to the property owner at his address as shown on said current tax duplicate. It is not required that a return receipt be obtained. Notice is deemed complete upon mailing (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-14).
(3) 
Notice to a partnership owner may be made by service upon any partner; and 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.
(4) 
To the Clerk of any adjoining municipality or municipalities when the property involved is located within 200 feet of said adjoining municipality or municipalities, which notice shall be given by personal service or certified mail.
(5) 
To the Gloucester County Planning Board when the application for development involves property adjacent to an existing county road or proposed road shown on the Gloucester County Official Map or the Gloucester County Master Plan or adjoining other county land.
(6) 
To the Commissioner of Transportation of the State of New Jersey when the property abuts a state highway.
(7) 
To the Director of the Division of State and Regional Planning in the Department of Community Affairs when the hearing involves an application for development of property which exceeds 150 acres or 500 dwelling units, in which case the notice shall include a copy of any maps or documents required to be on file with the Borough Clerk.
B. 
Upon the written request of an applicant, the Borough Clerk shall, within seven days, make and certify a list from said current tax duplicates of names and addresses of owners within Paulsboro to whom the applicant is required to give notice. The applicant shall be charged $10 for said list and 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. Additionally, the applicant shall be responsible for giving proper notice to all property owners pursuant to Subsection A(2) above who do not reside in the Borough of Paulsboro.
C. 
The applicant shall file an affidavit or proof of service with the Board.
D. 
The notice shall state the date, time and place of the hearing; the nature of the matter to be considered; 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 or documents for which approval is sought are available for inspection.
E. 
No public hearing shall be held on the preliminary plat until the Board receives a report in writing from those to whom copies of the plat had been forwarded; or if within 30 days after receiving the preliminary plat the County Planning Board or any other agency or individual to whom the preliminary plat was forwarded does not return any comments to the Board, the preliminary plat shall be deemed to have been approved by them unless by mutual agreement between the County Planning Board or other Borough, county or state official and the applicant the thirty-day period shall be extended for an additional thirty-day period; however, any such extensions shall not extend the time within which the Board is required to act.
A. 
Within three years after the date of preliminary plat approval, the applicant shall submit to the Borough Clerk, at least 10 days but no more than 14 days prior to the meeting at which discussion is desired, eight copies of the final plat of the proposed subdivision and four copies of the application. Additionally, at the time of submission each applicant shall deposit, in cash or by certified check, with the Borough Clerk a sum of $20 for each lot proposed in the subdivision, to be placed in escrow by the Borough to cover the cost of professional services and review, including engineering and legal or other incidental expenses connected with the processing, reviewing and checking of all material. Each applicant who shall submit a plan for final subdivision approval shall agree in writing to pay all reasonable costs for professional review of said site plan and the inspection of improvements required by the Borough. Sums not utilized in review and inspection processes shall be returned to applicant. If additional sums are deemed necessary, the applicant shall be notified of the required additional amount and shall add such sum to the escrow. No final approval shall be granted unless all required fees and escrows have been paid.
B. 
Any application to the Planning Board for the final approval shall include the following items:
(1) 
All changes or modifications required by the Planning Board in the approval of the preliminary plat and all details stipulated in this chapter.
(2) 
Letters directed to the Chairman of the Board and signed by a responsible official of the lighting agency, water company and of any other utility company or governmental authority or district which provides accessory utility service and has jurisdiction in the area, approving each proposed utility installation design and stating who will construct the facility so that the service will be available prior to occupancy.
(3) 
A statement from the Borough Engineer that he is in receipt of a map showing all utilities in the subdivision in exact location and elevation, that he has examined the drainage plans and found that the interests of the Borough and of neighboring properties are protected and that he has identified those portions of any utilities already installed and those to be installed. The subdivider shall certify in writing to the Planning Board that he has:
(a) 
Installed all improvements in accordance with the requirements of this chapter; and/or
(b) 
Posted a performance guaranty in accordance with this chapter.
(4) 
A statement from the Borough Engineer that all improvements installed prior to application have been inspected and that such improvements meet the requirements of the Borough. Any improvements installed prior to application for final plat approval that do not meet or exceed Borough standards shall be factored into the required performance guaranty.
C. 
Upon receipt of the necessary material from the applicant, the Borough Clerk shall retain one copy each of the final plat and completed application as well as the performance guaranty and required fee and shall then immediately distribute the remaining seven copies of the final plat and three copies of the completed application in the following manner:
(1) 
Secretary to the Borough Planning Board: one copy each of the final plat and application.
(2) 
County Planning Board: two copies of the final plat and one copy of the application.
(3) 
Borough Engineer: one copy of the final plat.
(4) 
Subdivision Committee: one copy of the final plat and application.
(5) 
Such other Borough, county or state officials as directed by the Board.
D. 
Upon the submission of a complete application for a final subdivision, the Board shall grant or deny final approval within 45 days of the date of such submission or within such further time as may be consented to by the developer. Failure of the Board to act within 45 days or within such further time as may be agreed to by the developer shall constitute final approval. In such cases, the Borough Clerk shall certify the submission date of the plat and the failure of the Board to act within the specified time period, and this certification shall be sufficient in lieu of the written endorsement of the Board.
E. 
If the Board acts favorably on the final plat, the Chairman and Secretary of the Board (or the Acting Chairman and Secretary where either or both may be absent) shall affix their signatures to the plat with a notation that it has been approved.
F. 
After approval of the plat by the Board, copies of the signed plat shall be furnished to each of the following within 10 days from the date of such approval. The official copy of the approved final submission shall be kept in the Planning Board's files. Before any approved final plat is returned to the subdivider, the Clerk shall have sufficient copies made to furnish copies as indicated below. The cost of the copies will be charged to the subdivider and shall be collected before the return of the final plat to the subdivider.
(1) 
Borough Clerk.
(2) 
Borough Engineer.
(3) 
Building Inspector or Zoning Officer.
(4) 
Tax Assessor.
(5) 
Borough Planning Board.
(6) 
Gloucester County Planning Board.
(7) 
The subdivider.
G. 
Within 95 days of the date of approval of the final plat by the governing body, the subdivider shall file a copy of same with the Gloucester County Clerk. In the event of failure to file within said 95 days, the approval of the major subdivision shall expire, and any further proceedings shall require the filing of a new sketch plat as in the first instance. The Board, for good cause shown, may extend the time for filing for an additional 95 days.
H. 
Final approval of a subdivision shall confer upon the applicant the following rights for a two-year period from the date of final approval:
(1) 
The zoning requirements applicable to the preliminary approval first granted and all other rights conferred upon the developer, whether conditionally or otherwise, shall not be changed.
(2) 
If the developer has followed the standards prescribed for final approval and has duly recorded the final plat with the Gloucester County Clerk, the Board may extend the period of protection for extensions of one year each, not exceeding three such extensions.
I. 
If the Board, after consideration and discussion of the final plat, determines that it is unacceptable, a notation shall be made by the Chairman of the Board to that effect on the plat and a resolution shall be adopted setting forth the reasons for such rejection. One copy of the plat and the resolution shall be returned to the subdivider within 10 days of such determination.
The sketch plat shall be based on Tax Map information or some similarly accurate base at a scale of 50 feet to the inch to enable the entire tract to be shown on one sheet and shall include the following information:
A. 
The location of that portion which is to be subdivided in relation to the entire tract.
B. 
All existing structures and wooded areas within the portion to be subdivided and within 200 feet of the boundaries thereof.
C. 
The name of the owner and of all property owners within 200 feet of the boundaries thereof as disclosed by the most recent municipal tax records.
D. 
The Tax Map sheet, block and lot numbers.
E. 
All streets or roads and streams within 500 feet of the subdivision.
The preliminary plat shall be clearly and legibly drawn or reproduced at a scale of one inch equals 50 feet. Preliminary plats shall be designed and drawn by a New Jersey licensed land surveyor, architect or engineer. The plat shall be designed in compliance with the provisions of Article V of this chapter and shall show or be accompanied by the following information:
A. 
A key map showing the entire subdivision and its relation to surrounding areas.
B. 
The tract name, Tax Map sheet, block and lot number, date, reference meridian, graphic scale and the following names and addresses:
(1) 
Name and address of record owner or owners.
(2) 
Name and address of the subdivider.
(3) 
Name, address, license number and seal of the person who prepared the map.
C. 
Square footage of the tract to be subdivided.
D. 
Sufficient elevations or contours to determine the general slope and natural drainage of the land and the high and low points and tenative cross sections and center line profiles for all proposed new streets.
E. 
The location of existing and proposed property lines, proposed minimum setback lines, streets, buildings, watercourses, railroads, bridges, culverts, drainpipes and any natural features such as wooded areas and lake areas.
F. 
Plans of proposed utility layouts (sewers, storm drains, water, gas and electricity) showing feasible connections to existing or any proposed utility systems. When an individual water supply and/or sewage disposal system is proposed, the plan for such system must be approved by the appropriate local, county and state health agency. When a public sewage disposal system is not available, the developer shall have percolation tests made and submit the results with the preliminary plat. Any subdivision or part thereof which does not meet with the established requirements of this section or other applicable regulations shall not be approved. Any remedy proposed to overcome a noncompliance with this section shall first be approved by the appropriate local, county and state health agency.
G. 
A copy of any protective covenants or deed restrictions applying to the land being subdivided shall be submitted with the preliminary plat.
The final plat shall be drawn in ink on tracing cloth at a scale of one inch equals 50 feet and in compliance with all the provisions of Chapter 358 of the Laws of 1953.[1] The final plat shall show or be accompanied by the following.
A. 
Date, name and location of the subdivision; name of owner; graphic scale and reference meridian.
B. 
Tract boundary lines, right-of-way lines of streets, street names, easements and other rights-of-way, land to be reserved or dedicated to public use, all lot lines and other site lines; all with accurate dimensions, bearings or deflection angles and radii, arcs and central angles of all curves.
C. 
The purpose of any easement or land reserved or dedicated to public use shall be designated and the proposed use of sites other than residential shall be noted.
D. 
Each block shall be numbered and the lots within each block shall be numbered consecutively beginning with No. 1.
E. 
Minimum building setback line on all lots and other sites.
F. 
Location and description of all monuments.
G. 
Names of owners within 200 feet of subdivided land.
H. 
Certification by a New Jersey licensed engineer, architect or land surveyor as to accuracy of details of plat.
I. 
Certification that the applicant is the agent or owner of the land or that the owner has given consent under an option agreement.
J. 
When approval of a plat is required by an officer or body of a municipality, county or state, approval shall be certified on the plat.
K. 
Cross sections and profiles of streets, approved by the Municipal Engineer.
L. 
Contours at five-foot intervals for slopes averaging 10% or greater and at two-foot intervals for land of lesser slope.
M. 
Plans and profiles of storm and sanitary sewers and water mains in plan only.
N. 
A certificate from the Tax Collector that all taxes and other municipal charges are paid to date.
O. 
Approved items required by the preliminary plat if not incorporated on the final plat.
[1]
Editor's Note: Chapter 358 of the Laws of 1953 was repealed by Chapter 141 of the Laws of 1960. For current provisions, see N.J.S.A. 40:23-9.10 et seq.