A.
Establishment of Planning Board.
(1)
A Planning Board is hereby established consisting of nine members of the following four classes:
(a)
Class I: the Mayor.
(b)
Class II: one of the officials of the Township, other than a member of the Township Council, to be appointed by the Mayor; provided that, if there is an Environmental Commission, the member of the Environmental Commission who is also a member of the Planning Board as required by N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 shall be deemed to be the Class II Planning Board member or alternate member if there is both a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and a member of the Board of Education among the Class IV members.
[Amended 5-2-1980 by Ord. No. 12-1980]
(c)
Class III: a member of the Township Council, to be appointed by it.
(d)
Class IV: six other citizens of the municipality, to be appointed by the Mayor. The members of Class IV shall hold no other municipal office, except that one member may be a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and one may be a member of the Board of Education. The member of the Environmental Commission who is also a member of the Planning Board as required by N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 shall be a Class IV Planning Board member unless there be among the Class IV or alternate members of the Planning Board both a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and a member of the Board of Education, in which case the member of the Environmental Commission shall be deemed to be the Class II member of the Planning Board.
[Amended 5-2-1980 by Ord. No. 12-1980]
(e)
Alternate members.
[Added 5-2-1980 by Ord. No. 12-1980]
[1]
The Mayor may appoint up to two alternate members, meeting the qualifications of Class IV members. Alternate members shall be designated at the time of appointment by the Mayor as "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2." 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 one alternate member 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 he 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. 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, Alternate No. 1 shall vote.
(2)
The term of the member composing Class I shall correspond with his official tenure. The term of the member composing Class II shall be for one year or terminate at the completion of his term of office as a member of the Environmental Commission, whichever comes first.
(3)
The term of a Class IV member who is also a member of the Board of Adjustment or 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 comes first.
(4)
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 evenly distributed over the first four years after their appointment, as determined by resolution of the Township Council; 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 term for which they were appointed. Thereafter, all Class IV members shall be appointed for terms of four years except as otherwise herein provided. All terms shall run from January 1 of the year in which the appointment is made.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 8-2022]
(5)
If a vacancy of any class shall occur otherwise than by expiration of term, it shall be filled by appointment as above provided for the unexpired term.
(6)
The Planning Board shall elect a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from the members of Class IV and select a Secretary, who may be either a member of the Planning Board or a municipal employee designated by it.
B.
Powers and jurisdiction of Planning Board.
(1)
The Planning Board shall have the power to:
(a)
Make and adopt and from time to time amend a Master Plan for the physical development of the Township, including any areas outside its boundaries which, in the Board's judgment, bear essential relation to the planning of the Township.
(c)
Participate in the preparation and review of programs or plans required by state or federal law or regulations.
(d)
Assemble data on a continuing basis as part of a continuous planning process.
(e)
Annually prepare a program of municipal capital improvement projects projected over a term of six years, and amendments thereto, and recommend same to the governing body.
(f)
Consider and make reports to the Township Council within 35 days after referral as to any proposed development regulation submitted to it, and also pass upon other matters specifically referred to the Planning Board by the Township Council.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 8-2022]
(2)
The Planning Board shall have such other powers as prescribed by law, including but not limited to the power to grant the following variances, to the same extent and subject to the same restrictions as the Zoning Board of Adjustment, when the Planning Board is reviewing applications for approval of subdivision plats, site plans or conditional uses:
(a)
Variances, pursuant to § 190-58B(3), from lot area, lot dimensions, setback and yard requirements; provided that relief pursuant to this subsection from lot area requirements shall not be granted for more than one lot.
[Amended 5-2-1980 by Ord. No. 12-1980]
(b)
Direction, pursuant to § 190-58B(5), for issuance of a permit for a building or structure in the bed of a mapped street or public drainageway, flood control basin or public area.
(c)
Direction, pursuant to § 190-58B(6), for issuance of a permit for a building or structure on a lot not abutting a street.
(3)
At the request of the developer, the Planning Board shall grant an informal review of a concept plan for a development for which the developer intends to prepare and submit an application for development. The developer shall not be required to submit any fees for such an informal review. The developer shall not be bound by any concept plan for which review is requested, and the Planning Board shall not be bound by any such review.
[Added 5-2-1980 by Ord. No. 12-1980]