[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 14-2017]
Off-premises billboard signs shall be permitted only in the
zones identified as HC and CI, where said zone or zones are adjacent
to the Atlantic City Expressway. The billboard signs shall be positioned
so that their intended direction of visibility shall be from the Atlantic
City Expressway and are intended to be visible only from a limited
access highway.
Landscaping which contains buffers for off-site billboards shall
be designed and constructed in accordance with the following standards:
A. Billboards shall be suitably landscaped to improve the environment
of the site and surrounding area and to protect the general welfare
of the public, so that the sign shall be shielded by buffers, which
shall be located not less than 40 feet from the edge of the right-of-way
to the edge of the berm, which shall contain the buffer. The purpose
of the berm described hereinafter is to limit visibility from residential
areas which may overlook the sign. Any and all landscaping around
the off-site billboard installation shall be placed so that it will
not obstruct sight distance along any street frontage.
B. Landscape shall be constructed in accordance with the standard description
attached hereto and made a part hereof, as Exhibit A, and shall consist of a berm elevated to five feet, on
which and in which shall be located deciduous trees, which shall,
at the top of the berm, at the time of installation, be not less than
19 feet in height, with a total berm and tree elevation of 24 feet
minimum, or 80% of the height of the sign.
C. In addition to the trees, the plant types which shall be installed
shall be a mixture of hardy evergreen and other deciduous canopy and
understory trees and shrubs, which shall be indigenous to the area.
A conscious effort shall be made to preserve and incorporate the existing
vegetation on site, wherever possible. The support structure for the
billboard shall be screened with evergreen and deciduous shrubs and
trees. The final spacing and species mixture shall be as approved
by the Planning Board Planner.
D. Balled and burlapped trees shall be planted so that at least 25%
of the understory trees and shrubs have not less than a four-foot
minimum planting size.
E. All plant material installed as part of a billboard planting screen
shall be guaranteed for a period of two years.
F. The berm shall be constructed in accordance with the berm detail
attached and made a part hereof as Exhibit A, along with a slope ratio of one to two feet.
G. The berm shall be constructed so as to conceal 80% of the sign elevation
and shall be of that length so as to conceal 80% of the elevated sign
from any visible dwelling houses and residences, as per Exhibit B appended hereto and made a part hereof.
No off-premises sign shall be approved except under the following
procedure:
A. Permitted conditional use. The following principal use and uses are
permitted conditionally upon a determination by the Planning Board
that the use can be provided in a manner that will minimize the impact
upon adjacent properties and will conform with the additional standards
as provided in both municipal ordinances and the Administrative Code
of the State of New Jersey and applicable New Jersey statutes.
B. Application and review procedures.
(1)
An application for billboard site plan review approval and general
application may be obtained from the Planning or Zoning Office upon
proper request and a fee covering costs for said application. It shall
be the right of any applicant to request a meeting with the Planning
Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment to review in concept form the
application, in which event, the applicant shall submit elevations,
size, configuration, colors, buffers and specific locations of the
signs for review and recommendation by the Board.
(2)
Any applicant desiring to obtain a site plan approval and permitted conditional use under Subsection
A herein shall file with the Planning Board Secretary or Zoning Board of Adjustment Secretary copies of the required plans and information in accordance with the application checklist and the required fee at least 30 days prior to the regular meeting of the Planning Board from which review is sought. The appropriate Board Secretary, upon determination that the submission is complete, shall distribute copies as applicable to the Planning Board Engineer, Environmental Committee, the Fire Commissioners, Tax Assessor, Township Construction Official, Township Clerk, Planning Board office, Solicitor for the Planning Board, and such other agencies as may have specific jurisdiction over the application.
C. Review, action and timing.
(1)
At a public meeting of the Planning Board within 45 days of submittal of the required information, or within a mutually agreed upon time extension, the hearing board, as the case may appear, shall approve or conditionally approve or disapprove the application for conditional use under Subsection
A herein and any site plan relating thereto. The reason for approval or any disapproval shall be set forth in full in the minutes of the Board hearing the application, and notice shall be given to the applicant in written form within 30 days of such action.
(2)
The hearing board shall adopt a resolution containing findings
of fact.
D. Changes. In the event the hearing board shall require a substantial
change in the layout, the applicant shall submit an amended or revised
plan. If changes are required by the hearing board, approval may be
given subject to the submission of an amended plan so long as the
use shall have been approved by the hearing board. The action of the
hearing board shall be noted in the final resolution, and the final
site plan shall be filed in accordance with all of the findings of
the hearing board.
E. No permit shall be issued until such time as the application shall
have been fully approved by the hearing board.