[Adopted 11-25-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-449]
The Township hereby adopts a Property Tax Exemption and Abatement Program for all commercial properties located within the Township which are zoned for commercial use.
Property tax exemption or abatement shall not be granted to a particular use unless an application for same is submitted to the Township Committee for consideration to determine whether a particular tax exemption or abatement is appropriate for the proposed commercial use.
Tax exemption on new commercial improvements, if granted by the Township Committee, shall be for a period of five years on a tax phase-in basis. The percentage of tax reduction granted by the Committee shall be spread over a five-year period with the full exemption being given the first year of occupancy, with payments in lieu of taxation at the rate of 20% of the normal tax on the new improvement in the second year, 40% in the third year, 60% in the fourth year, 80% in the fifth year and full taxes thereafter.
In all instances, any applicant for a tax exemption must appear before the Township Committee and demonstrate why tax exemption is necessary for the applicant to be able to open or expand a commercial use and how the use will benefit the community.
Nothing herein shall be construed to obligate the Township Committee to grant tax exemptions for any proposed use and the Committee shall be free to rely upon its own judgment and discretion as to whether tax exemption is appropriate for the proposed property use.
All applicants for tax exemption for construction of commercial structures or improvements shall provide the Township Committee with an application setting forth the following:
A. 
A general description of the project for which the exemption is sought.
B. 
A legal description or survey and site plan of all real estate necessary for the project.
C. 
Plans, drawings and other documents as may be required by the Township Committee to demonstrate the structure and design of the project.
D. 
A description of the number, classes and types of employees to be employed at the project site within two years of completion of the project.
E. 
A statement of the reasons for seeking tax exemption of the project and a description of the benefits to be realized by the applicant if a tax exemption is granted.
F. 
Estimates of the cost of completing such project.
G. 
A statement showing:
(1) 
The real property taxes which would be assessed at the project site without tax exemption.
(2) 
Estimated payments in lieu of taxation that would be made annually by the applicant on the project during the period of exemption.
(3) 
Estimated tax payments that would be made by the applicant on the project during the first full year following the termination of the tax exemption.
H. 
A description and copy of any lease agreements between the owner or applicant and proposed users of the project and a history and description of the owner's or user's businesses.
I. 
Such other pertinent information as the Township Committee may require.
A. 
No exemption shall be granted pursuant to this article except upon written application therein filed with and approved by the Assessor, after approval by the Township Committee of the taxing district wherein the improvement, conversion, alteration or construction is made. Every application shall be on a form prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury and provided for the use of claimants by the Township and shall be filed with the Assessor within 30 days, including Saturdays and Sundays, following the completion of the improvement, conversion, alteration or construction.
B. 
Every application for exemption within the Township, which is filed within the time specified, shall be approved and allowed by the Assessor to the degree that the applicant is consistent with the provisions of this article, provided that the improvement, conversion, alteration or construction for which the application is made qualifies as an improvement, a conversion, alteration or construction pursuant to the provisions of this article and has been approved by the Township Committee.
C. 
The granting of an exemption shall be recorded and made a permanent part of the official tax records of the taxing district, which record shall contain a notice of the termination date thereof.
The exemption of real property taxes provided pursuant to this article shall apply to property taxes levied for municipal purposes, school purposes, county government purposes and for the purposes of funding any other property tax.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The provisions of this article shall not apply to or include any alcoholic beverage license or permit issued pursuant to the New Jersey Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, N.J.S.A. 33:1-1 et seq.