In reviewing any site plan, the approving authority,
all advisory boards and professional advisers shall be guided by the
design standards contained herein. The following standards shall be
utilized by the Joint Planning Board in reviewing all site plans.
These standards are intended to provide a frame of reference for the
applicant in the development of site and building plans, as well as
a method of review for the reviewing authority. These standards shall
not be regarded as inflexible requirements. They are not intended
to discourage creativity, invention and innovation. The specification
of one or more particular architectural styles is not included in
these standards:
A.
Drives, parking and circulation.
(1)
The review of the site plan shall consider 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 and between buildings and vehicles.
(2)
All parking spaces shall be 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. Treatment and design of proposed screening
of parking areas and drives shall be shown, and the site plan shall
provide special attention to the separation of pedestrian, bicycle
and vehicular traffic.
B.
Building design and layout.
(1)
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.
(2)
Proposed structures shall be related harmoniously
to the terrain and to existing buildings in the vicinity that have
a visual relationship to the proposed buildings. The achievement of
such relationship may include the enclosure of space in conjunction
with other existing buildings or other proposed buildings and the
creation of focal points with respect to avenues of approach, terrain
features or other buildings. Whenever practicable, buildings shall
be separated from parking areas by not less than 25 feet unless access
for fire-fighting equipment is otherwise provided.
C.
Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided to ensure
safe movement of persons and vehicles and for security purposes. Directional
lights shall be arranged so as to minimize glare and reflection on
adjacent properties.
D.
Buffering. Buffering, where required, shall be located
around the perimeter of the site to minimize headlights of vehicles,
noise, light from structures, the movement of people and vehicles
and to shield activities from adjacent properties. Buffering may consist
of fencing, evergreens, shrubs, bushes, deciduous trees or combinations
thereof to achieve the stated objectives.
E.
Landscaping.
(1)
Landscaping shall be provided as part of the
overall site plan designed and integrated into building arrangements,
topography, parking and buffering requirements. Landscaping shall
include trees, bushes, shrubs, ground cover, perennials, annuals,
plants, sculpture, art, street furniture and the use of building and
paving materials in an imaginative manner.
(2)
The landscape shall be preserved in its natural
state insofar as practicable and, where desirable, by minimizing tree
and soil removal. Any grade changes shall be in keeping with the general
appearance of neighboring developed areas. Treatment and design of
proposed screening shall be shown and shall be such as may be maintained
throughout the year. Areas of the lot not occupied by buildings, parking
or walkways shall be planted with grass, shrubs or other decorative
landscaping.
F.
Surface water drainage. Special attention shall be
given to proper site surface drainage so that removal of surface waters
shall not adversely affect neighboring properties or the public storm
drainage system and so that the runoff stormwaters from the site generally
will be minimized, including by retention facilities if deemed necessary.
Stormwater shall be removed from all roofs, canopies and paved areas
and carried away in swales or in an underground drainage system. Surface
water in all paved areas shall be collected at intervals so that it
will not obstruct the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic and
will not create puddles or the menace of ice or other hazardous conditions.
G.
Utilities.
[Amended 12-28-1989 by Ord. No. 0-17-89]
(1)
Electric and telephone lines shall be underground.
Any utility installation remaining above the ground shall be located
so as to have a harmonious relation to neighboring properties and
the site. The proposed method of sanitary sewage disposal from all
buildings shall be indicated.
(2)
In all site plans involving the construction
of new or enlarged buildings or structures, no new building or structure
and no part of any building or structure proposed to be enlarged shall
be located within a minimum setback of 25 feet from the center line
of a natural gas or liquefied gas transmission line or within 25 feet
of overhead electric or other high-tension lines. In respect of overhead
or aerial lines, the setback shall be measured from a line drawn vertically
from the outer edge of any overhead electric or other high-tension
line or from any supporting structure or stanchion supporting an overhead
powerline.
H.
Signs. The size, location, design, color, texture,
lighting and materials of all permanent signs and outdoor advertising
structures or features shall not detract from the design of proposed
buildings and structures and the surrounding properties, nor create
confusion with traffic signs or any other signs. Off-site directional
signs shall conform to the foregoing. Buildings, structures or building
features shall not be such as constitute the substantial equivalent
of a sign or advertisement and shall not represent a corporate identity.
I.
Special features. Exposed storage areas, exposed or
hidden machinery installations on all levels, service areas, truck
loading areas, utility buildings and structures and similar accessory
areas and structures shall be subject to such setbacks, screen plantings
or other screening methods as shall reasonably be required to prevent
their being incongruous with the existing or contemplated environment
and the surrounding properties.
J.
Sanitary and solid waste disposal.
(1)
Sanitary waste disposal, water supply and solid
waste 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.
(2)
Solid waste 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, and any outdoor solid waste disposal
facility shall be adequately screened or otherwise landscaped so as
not to detract from an aesthetic environment.
(3)
The location of all existing and proposed solid waste collection stations shall be delineated on the site plan. A plan detail at a scale of one inch equals 10 feet shall be incorporated in the submission for each such station or for a typical station. The containers at each station shall be delineated on the detail plan and described in tabular form. A separate container or containers shall be provided for each recyclable material specified in Chapter 186, Recycling, of the Code of the Township of River Vale in addition to the containers for nonrecyclable solid waste.
[Added 6-22-1989 by Ord. No. 0-12-89]
K.
Environmental considerations.
(1)
Environmental elements relating to soil erosion
and sedimentation, preservation of trees, protection of watercourses
and water quality, noise pollution, topographic limiting areas, wetland
areas and other environmental and ecological factors will be reviewed,
where appropriate, to minimize adverse development effects.
(2)
Provisions shall be made for the elimination
of all loud and offensive noise to the general public.
L.
Common recreation areas and open space.
[Added 7-22-1999 by Ord. No. 0-13-99; amended 7-22-1999 by Ord. No. 0-19-99]
(1)
Any residential development having a density
of 4.5 units per acre or greater and/or private streets and/or common
resident utility or collection areas shall provide common recreation
areas and open space. The design and layout of common recreation areas
and open space shall be reviewed so as to provide an aesthetically
pleasing design with an emphasis on health and safety.
(2)
In order to achieve balanced aesthetic proportion
in addition to promoting health, welfare and safety, the area required
for recreation and open space shall be, at a minimum, a total of 30%
of any individual parcel, with at least 10% of the gross site area
of said parcel reserved for a reasonable mix of active recreation
activities such as sitting areas, picnic areas, playfields, playgrounds,
basketball courts, tennis courts, swimming pools, canoeing, fishing
and various types of water sports.
B.
Circulation within parking area.
(1)
Except for attendant parking, all parking spaces
shall be designed free and clear of any obstruction to individual
parking stalls.
(2)
Such parking spaces shall be located in such
a fashion as to permit all vehicles to exit 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 safety control,
such as fire hydrants, doorways, elevators or other similar locations.
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.
(3)
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.
(4)
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.
C.
Guardrails, wheel stops and parking lot striping.
(1)
Guardrails shall be provided in appropriate
locations when same are required for safety purposes.
(2)
Wheel stops, permanently anchored to the ground,
may be required in appropriate locations. Parked vehicles shall not
overhang or extend over sidewalk areas, unless an additional sidewalk
width of 2 1/2 feet is provided to accommodate such overhang.
(3)
Parking stalls, driveways and aisles shall be
clearly marked and delineated. The approving authority may require
that certain areas be maintained for fire-fighting purposes or other
emergency purposes. These areas as well as other pavement signage
shall be appropriately designated.
D.
Limitations as to use. All off-street parking areas
shall be used solely for the parking of passenger automobiles, and
no commercial repair work or service of any kind shall be conducted
on such parking lot.
A.
Lighting. In connection with every site plan, the
applicant shall submit plans for all proposed exterior lighting. These
plans shall include the location, type of light, radius of light and
intensity in footcandles. The following design standards shall be
followed:
(1)
The style of the light and light standard shall
be consistent with the architectural style of the principal building.
(2)
The maximum height of freestanding lights shall
not exceed 30 feet, mounting height.
(3)
All lights shall be shielded to restrict the
maximum apex angle of the cone of illumination to 150°.
(4)
Where lights along property lines will be visible
to adjacent property, the lights shall be appropriately shielded.
(5)
Spotlight-type fixtures attached to buildings
shall be avoided, except where properly screened from adjacent properties.
(6)
Freestanding lights shall be so located and
protected to avoid being damaged by vehicles.
(7)
Lighting shall be located along streets and
parking areas, at intersections and where various types of circulation
systems merge, intersect or split.
(8)
Pathways, sidewalks and trails shall be lighted
with low or mushroom-type standards.
(9)
Stairways and sloping or rising paths, building
entrances and exits shall require illumination.
(11)
Lighting shall not be permitted which requires
flashing or intermittent illumination. Lighting which requires change
in color, intensity or hue shall likewise be prohibited. Said lighting
shall in no way interfere with, detract from or diminish in any way
the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar safety or warning
device.
B.
Signs. Each site plan application shall include a
sign plan showing the specific design, location, size, construction
and illumination. If the applicant is unable to provide said details
for signs, the approving authority shall condition its approval upon
receipt of same prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
A.
Landscaping. A landscaping plan shall be submitted
with each site plan application. The plan shall identify existing
and proposed trees, shrubs, bushes, plant material, ground cover and
natural features such as boulders and rock outcroppings. It should
show where they are or will be located and the planting details. The
following design principles shall be employed:
(1)
Vines and climbing plants should be considered
for large expanses of walls.
(2)
Ground cover should be used extensively to prevent
erosion.
(3)
Existing large trees should be saved by not
varying the grade around the trees by more than six to 12 inches,
by construction of tree wells and by erecting protective fences. Whenever
the applicant shall excavate or fill in areas in the vicinity of large
trees, he shall notify the Shade Tree Commission, and within 15 days
of said notification, the Shade Tree Commission shall advise the applicant
if it requires a statement and/or sketches outlining compliance with
this subsection.
(4)
In parking lots, at least 5% of the parking
areas shall be landscaped. The landscaping should be located in protected
areas, along walkways, center islands and at the end of bays. In narrow
islands, low-spreading plants such as creeping juniper, English ivy,
myrtle or pachysandra are appropriate.
(5)
All landscaping in parking areas shall be carefully
located so as not to obstruct vision. A variety of different types
of trees should be grouped to break up the mass of cars.
B.
Buffer areas. Buffers are fences, landscaping and
berms and mounds that shall be used to minimize any adverse impacts
or nuisances on the site or from adjacent areas. Buffer areas shall
be required for the following areas:
(1)
Along property lines shielding various uses
from one another.
(2)
Where interior roads or driveways run parallel
with roadways exterior to the site.
(3)
Where parking areas abut other properties.
(4)
In the general areas of garbage storage areas,
loading and unloading areas and outdoor storage areas.
(5)
As windbreak areas.
(6)
To shield areas from deleterious noise or other
adverse conditions.
C.
Buffer area design. Where evergreens are used as buffer
materials, they shall be planted in two or three staggered planted
rows. The rows shall be four to five feet apart, and the evergreens
shall be planted four feet on center. Where earthen berms are utilized,
they shall be maintained with a minimum height of four feet, and a
maximum slope shall be suitably stabilized to prevent erosion.
Gas, electric and telephone service. Where existing
utility lines, such as electric and telephone poles, exist off-tract
and require relocation by the approving authority, a waiver of the
subsurface requirement may be granted.
A.
Retaining walls. Retaining walls shall be designed
to be safe and adequate for the purpose intended. Said walls shall
not detract from the aesthetic beauty of the site when constructed
and, to this end, shall be fenced or landscaped in accordance with
the plans to be approved by the approving authority.
B.
Outdoor storage. Outdoor storage, where permitted,
shall be suitably located and approved by the approving authority
which shall consider the relationship of such areas to adjacent properties
and roadways; provided, however, that in all such cases where storage
is permitted such areas be suitably screened.
C.
Design standards for physically handicapped persons.
All plans and specifications relating to the site improvements shall
provide facilities for the physically handicapped as required by law,
including in respect to parking spaces, building entrances, walkways
and ramps and signage.
