This chapter shall be known as the "Land Use Ordinance of the
Borough of Westwood."
A.
It is the purpose of the Borough in adopting this chapter to exercise
to the fullest the powers granted to the Borough by the State of New
Jersey to manage land use through zoning, subdivision and site plan
control, and through the police power generally. It is the further
purpose of the Borough in adopting this chapter to organize and codify
all such powers of land use management into one comprehensive, cohesive
system in order to facilitate the administration of land use procedure,
while providing maximum protection of the public health, safety and
general welfare, in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-2
et seq.
B.
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to:
(1)
Encourage action to guide the appropriate use or development of all
lands in the Borough of Westwood in a manner which will promote the
public health, safety, morals and general welfare.
(2)
Secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural and man-made
disasters.
(3)
Provide adequate light, air and open space.
(4)
Ensure that the development of the Borough of Westwood does not conflict
with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities.
(5)
Promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and
concentrations that will contribute to the well-being of persons,
neighborhoods and the entire municipality, as well as the preservation
of the environment.
(6)
Encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditure of public funds
by the coordination of public development with land use policies.
(7)
Provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of
residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses and open
space, both public and private, according to their respective environmental
requirements.
(8)
Encourage the location and design of transportation routes which
will promote the free flow of traffic while discouraging location
of such facilities and routes which will result in congestion or blight.
(9)
Promote a desirable visual environment through creative development
techniques and good civic design and arrangements.
(10)
Promote the conservation of open space and valuable natural
resources and to prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment
through improper use of land.
(11)
Establish orderly and uniform procedures relating to land use
and development regulation.
(12)
Generally achieve and advance the various purposes of the Municipal
Land Use Law (c. 291, P.L. 1975) as set forth in the statement of
purposes of said law in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-2.
It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul
or in any way impair or interfere with existing provisions of other
laws or ordinances, except those specifically or impliedly repealed
by this chapter, or any private restrictions placed upon property
by covenant, deed or other private agreement unless repugnant hereto.
Whenever this chapter imposes a greater restriction upon, including
but not limited to, the use of buildings or premises or upon the height
of buildings or lot coverage or requires greater lot area or longer
yards or other open spaces than are imposed or required by such rules,
regulations or permits or by such private restrictions, the provisions
of this chapter shall control.
