This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Heliport
Ordinance of the Township of Vernon."
The purpose of this chapter shall be to provide rules, regulations
and standards to guide the operation and location of heliports, helistops
and helispots within the Township of Vernon in order to promote public
health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the municipality.
It shall be administered to ensure the orderly growth and development,
the conservation, protection and proper use of land and adequate provision
for circulation of traffic, utilities and services.
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Construction
Code Official, Zoning Officer and any other official of the Township
of Vernon charged with the enforcement of Vernon Township ordinances.
For the purpose of this chapter, the terms used herein are defined
as follows:
HELIPORT
An area of defined dimensions designated for the landing
and takeoff of helicopters and used solely for that purpose. Such
area may include passenger and cargo facilities, fueling service,
storage space, tie-down spaces, hangars and other accessory buildings.
HELISPOT
An area of defined dimensions designated for the occasional
landing and takeoff of helicopters but not used solely for that purpose.
Examples: parking lots, golf courses, parks, recreational athletic
fields, etc.
HELISTOP, PRIVATE
An area of defined dimensions designated for the landing
and takeoff of helicopters and used solely for that purpose. Such
area shall be limited to the operation of helicopters which are owned
or controlled by the owner or the occupant of the premises or by guests
or patrons of such owner-occupant. Such area may include refueling
but no maintenance, repair or hangar facilities, except that a tie-down
area may be provided for and limited to the accommodation of a single
aircraft.
HELISTOP, PUBLIC
An area of defined dimensions designated for the landing
and takeoff of helicopters and used solely for that purpose. Such
area shall be open to use by any helicopter regardless of ownership
and control. Such area may not include any refueling, maintenance,
repair or hangar facilities, except that a tie-down may be provided
for and limited to a single aircraft.
An operating authorization must be obtained from the Construction
Code Official before any of the facilities governed by this chapter
may be occupied or operated. Such authorization may only be issued
after all of the requirements of all applicable ordinances, statutes
or regulations and conditions imposed by the municipal approving agency
have been complied with. In cases where the Zoning Ordinance of Vernon
Township specifies that the facility applied for falls in the category
of a special exception use, the resulting special use permit shall
take the place of the required operating authorization.
The applicant shall be required to publish, at least 10 days
but not more than 28 days prior to the hearing date in the official
newspaper of Vernon Township, a notice of the hearing, setting forth
in a clear and sufficient manner the subject matter of the application,
the hearing date, hearing place, the location of the proposed facility
by tax lot and block number together with sufficient description to
locate the area with respect to roads, intersections or other landmarks.
No application for a heliport, helistop or helispot shall be
considered by the municipal approving agencies until such time as
approval has first been granted by the New Jersey Division of Aeronautics,
or such other agency which may have jurisdiction over the licensing
of such facilities.
The following are general requirements for helispots in the
Township of Vernon:
A. The site plan to be submitted must be drawn to the scale of not more
than one inch equals 200 feet, and must show the terrain elevation
for at least 800 feet in all directions from the center limits of
the landing area of the proposed helispot. The site plan must locate
within such 800 feet all obstructions, indicate their height and locate
the approach-departure path corridors.
B. The application must describe the type and characteristics of the
helicopters to be used and the proposed frequency of operations.
C. The helispot area shall be covered with a dustproof surface as approved
by the Mayor and Township Council.
D. All such helispots shall be marked in accordance with the Federal
Aviation Agency criteria and shall provide those navigation aids as
shall be required by the New Jersey Division of Aeronautics, or other
agency which may have jurisdiction over such facilities. All such
helispots shall be protected in a manner prescribed by the New Jersey
Division of Aeronautics.
E. The particular helispot shall be reasonably necessary and convenient
in the area in which it is to be located, and that its operation shall
not adversely affect the character of the neighborhood.
F. The helispot area shall provide adequate parking facilities as approved
by the Planning Board.
G. Helicopter landings or takeoffs shall not exceed the maximum number
as set forth in the Zoning Ordinance of Vernon Township for the particular zone in which the helispot is located.
Except that the Mayor and Township Council may permit more landings
and takeoffs as they determine are required by the individual nature
of the helispot, including occasions of civic interest, provided such
additional takeoffs and landings are not a detriment to the public
health, safety and general welfare of the Township. This provision
shall not be interpreted, however, as permitting the establishment
of a regular operating helistop or heliport as herein defined.
H. No such helispot shall be permitted unless the minimum distances
to residential structures, public rights-of-way, property lines or
zone lines as set forth in the Zoning Ordinance for the zone in which
the helispot is located are met.
The following are general requirements for heliports in the
Township of Vernon:
A. The application must describe the type and characteristics of helicopters
to be used and the proposed frequency of operation.
B. Operation is limited to helicopters of a gross weight as set forth
in the Zoning Ordinance of Vernon Township.
C. The site plan must be drawn to a scale of no more than one inch equals
200 feet and must show the terrain elevation for at least 800 feet
in all directions from the center limits of the landing area of the
proposed heliport. It must also locate within such 800 feet all obstructions,
giving their height and locate the approach-departure path corridors.
D. The site plan shall also show the relationship of the heliport to
the lot lines, streets and zoning lines; the location of all buildings
or areas to be used for passenger or cargo operations, maintenance
and overhaul facilities, fueling, storage and hangar or tie-down facilities.
All off-street parking areas, access drives, landscaped areas and
traffic patterns shall also be shown.
E. Off-street parking shall be required in an amount to be determined
by the Planning Board based on the operations contemplated, which
shall include at least one parking space for each two employees serving
the heliport.
F. Any ground level heliport shall be so located as to provide direct
access thereto from a public street.
G. Every takeoff and landing area, taxiway, terminal and/or service
area and parking areas shall be paved with a bituminous or concrete
surface as may be determined by the Vernon Township Planning Board.
H. The heliport shall have an inside area of at least 125 feet by 125
feet.
I. Every ground level heliport shall be fenced with a permanent-type fence as may be determined by the Planning Board and protected to prevent entrance of unauthorized personnel with a minimum fence height of four feet. For each additional foot of fence height, 25 feet must be added to the minimum inside area dimensions, provided in Subsection
H above.
J. All heliports shall be marked in accordance with the Federal Aviation
Agency criteria and shall provide those navigation aids as shall be
required by the New Jersey Division of Aeronautics or other agency
which may have jurisdiction over such facilities.
K. Rooftop heliports may be permitted, provided the minimum area shall
be not less than 40 feet with a three-foot fence inclined 70º
upwards from the horizontal, unless the roof has a parapet wall already
built.
L. Such rooftop heliports must comply with all applicable provisions
of the Township Building and Fire Codes.
M. No portion of any such use shall project into any yards or buffer
areas required in the district in which the heliport is located.
N. Suitable landscaping for the heliport may be required by the Planning
Board based on its relation to surrounding buildings or uses.
O. Any heliport shall be lighted during the hours of darkness in accordance
with Federal Aviation Agency requirements.
P. No such heliport shall be permitted unless the minimum distances
to residential structures, public rights-of-way, property lines or
as set forth in the Zoning Ordinance for the zone in which the heliport is located are met.
The following are general requirements for helistops in the
Township of Vernon:
A. The application must describe the type and characteristics of helicopters
to be used and the proposed frequency of operation.
B. Operation is limited to helicopters of a gross weight as set forth
in the Zoning Ordinance of Vernon Township.
C. The hours of helicopter operations shall be limited as set forth
in the Zoning Ordinance of Vernon Township.
D. No such helistop shall be permitted unless the minimum distances
to residential structures, public rights-of-way, property lines or
zone lines as set forth in the Zoning Ordinance for the zone in which
the helispot is located are met.
E. The site plan shall be drawn to a scale of not more than one inch
equals 200 feet and must show the terrain elevation for at least 800
feet in all directions from the center limits of the landing area
of the proposed helistop. It must also locate all obstructions within
such 800 feet, their height, and the approach-departure path corridors.
F. The site plan shall also show the relationship of the helistop to
lot lines, streets and zoning boundary lines. Any access drives, off-street
parking or landscape areas shall also be shown.
G. The helistop landing/takeoff area shall have an inside area of at
least 110 feet by 110 feet, which area shall be paved with a bituminous
or concrete surface as approved by the Planning Board.
H. Every ground level helistop shall be fenced with a permanent-type fencing as may be determined by the Planning Board and protected to prevent entrance of unauthorized personnel with a minimum fence height of four feet. For each additional foot of fence height, 25 feet must be added to the minimum inside area dimensions, provided in Subsection
G above.
I. Every helistop shall be marked in accordance with the Federal Aviation
Agency criteria and shall provide those navigation aids as shall be
required by the New Jersey Division of Aeronautics, or other agency
which may have jurisdiction over such facilities.
J. Rooftop helistops may be permitted, provided the minimum area shall
be not less than 40 feet by 40 feet with a three-foot fence inclined
70º upward from the horizontal, unless the roof has a parapet
wall already built.
K. Such rooftop helistops must comply with all applicable provisions
of the Township Building and Fire Codes.
L. No portion of any such use shall project into any yards or buffer
areas required in the district in which the helistop is located.
M. Suitable landscaping for the helistop, based on its relation to street
frontages, residence districts and surrounding buildings or uses,
may be required by the Planning Board.
N. In the case of a public helistop, off-street parking shall be required.
The amount of parking to be provided shall be determined by the Planning
Board based on the operation contemplated.
[Added 5-20-1974]
Any person violating, or failing to comply with, any of the
provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable
by a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment for a term not
to exceed 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion
of the Judge. The continuation of such violation for each successive
day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons
allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished
as provided above for each separate offense.