This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Mullica Township Land Development Ordinance."
A. 
Basis of the Land Development Ordinance. The Land Development Ordinance contained herein has been developed by the Mullica Township Planning Board, in conjunction with the governing body, as part of the overall Master Plan process. Accordingly, it is consistent with the land use element of Mullica Township's Master Plan.
B. 
The overall intent of this chapter is to promote the health, safety, morals, welfare, environment, rational use of land, and other purposes established and enumerated pursuant to the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, Chapter 291, Laws of New Jersey, 1975, and the Pinelands Protection Act, N.J.S.A. 13:18A-1 to 29, and as listed herein:
(1) 
To encourage municipal action to guide the appropriate use or development of all land in this state in a manner which will promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare;
(2) 
To secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural and man-made disasters;
(3) 
To provide adequate light, air and open space;
(4) 
To ensure that development of the municipality does not conflict with the general welfare of neighboring municipalities, the county and state as a whole;
(5) 
To promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and concentration which will contribute to the well-being of persons, neighborhoods, communities and regions, and preservation of the environment;
(6) 
To encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditure of public funds by the coordination of public development with land use policies;
(7) 
To provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of agricultural, residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses, open space, both public and private, according to their respective environmental requirements in order to meet the needs of all New Jersey citizens;
(8) 
To 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 result in congestion or blight;
(9) 
To promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques, good civic design and arrangements;
(10) 
To 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) 
To encourage cluster developments which incorporate the best features of design and relate the type, design and layout of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational development to the particular site;
(12) 
To encourage senior citizen community housing construction consistent with provisions permitting other residential uses of a similar density in the same zoning district;
(13) 
To encourage coordination of the various public and private procedures and activities shaping land development with a view of lowering the cost of such development and to promote more efficient use of land;
(14) 
To implement the requirements of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (N.J.A.C. 7:50-1 et seq.).
All development in Mullica Township shall comply with the standards set forth in this chapter. The standards and regulations in this chapter applicable to the Pinelands Area are intended to be the minimum provisions necessary to achieve the purposes and objectives of this chapter and the Pinelands Protection Act. In the event of a conflict between any provisions, the stricter provision shall apply.
Any power expressly authorized by this chapter (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.) to be exercised by the Planning Board and/or Zoning Board of Adjustment shall not be exercised by any other body, except as otherwise provided herein.
Nothing herein shall be construed to contravene any other ordinance or state statute providing for procedures for governing bodies. (See N.J.S.A. 40:55D-9a.)
There is hereby established the Zoning Officer, who shall be appointed by the Township Committee. The Zoning Officer shall, along with the Construction Code Official and his/her office, enforce the provisions of this chapter.