[Amended 7-9-1987 by Ord. No. 22-87; 4-14-1988 by Ord. No.
3-88; 5-12-1988 by Ord. No. 7-88; 8-11-1988 by Ord. No. 19-88; 5-24-1990 by Ord. No. 16-90; 5-13-1993 by Ord. No. 12-93; 12-22-1993 by Ord. No.
36-93; 9-8-2011 by Ord. No. 25-11]
The OB-RL Office Building and Research Laboratory Zone District is designed for professional, executive or administrative offices, laboratories devoted exclusively to research design and experimentation, state-licensed hospitals and nursing homes, indoor physical fitness facilities and conditional uses as permitted and regulated in Article XXI of this chapter; provided, however, that any part of the OB-RL Zone that falls within an area defined as an airport hazard area in the Air Safety and Hazardous Zoning Act of 1983,[1] N.J.A.C. 16:62 et seq., as amended May 15, 1989, shall comply with the provisions of said chapter. State-licensed hospitals and nursing homes are not permitted within any part of an area that falls within said airport hazard area. Data processing centers shall also be permitted, but only within a planned commercial development. Also permitted within the OB-RL Zone are planned commercial developments (PCD) and planned industrial developments (PID) as hereinafter regulated in § 166-192L. The permitted principal uses within a planned commercial development shall be limited to professional, executive or administrative offices, laboratories devoted exclusively to research design and experimentation and data processing centers. The permitted principal uses within a planned industrial development shall be limited to laboratories devoted exclusively to research design and experimentation. More than one principal building on a lot in the OB-RL Zone is only permitted where said buildings are part of an approved PCD or PID as herein regulated. Any use permitted by this section shall meet all of the following regulations:
A.
Pilot plants for the testing of manufacturing, processing or fabrication
methods or for the testing of products or materials shall be permitted
only as an accessory use to a research laboratory. No materials or
finished products shall be manufactured, processed or fabricated on
said premises for sale, except such as are incidental to said laboratory
research, design or experimental work.
B.
No manufactured or commercial explosives shall be kept, maintained
or stored on said premises, except in small quantities for laboratory
research, design or experimental use, and then only in compliance
with all applicable federal, state and local safety statutes.
C.
No animal shall be kept or maintained for laboratory research, design
or experimental work unless a written permit is first obtained from
the Board of Health.
D.
Accessory uses are permitted if accessory to the business and professional
offices, data processing centers and research laboratories, including
garages for the storage and maintenance of company, employee and visitor
motor vehicles and the storage of gasoline and lubricating oils therefor;
parking facilities; maintenance and utility shops for the upkeep and
repair of buildings and structures and service; central heating and
power plants for furnishing heat and electrical energy to structures
on the site only or, in the case of planned development, on the overall
planned development tract; training schools for employees; buildings
for the storage of documents, records and personal property; communication
facilities; and clinics, dining and recreational facilities, banks,
post offices, company stores and guest lodges to be used only by company
employees and by visitors to the building or buildings, provided that
such uses are planned as an integral part of the development.
E.
No use permitted shall be of such nature as to endanger neighboring
properties, nor shall any such use be so conducted as to be noxious
or offensive by reason of odor, dust, smoke, gas, vibration or noise.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 6:1-81 et seq.
Any use other than those uses permitted by § 166-190 are prohibited, and, more particularly, none of the following uses shall be permitted:
B.
Residential construction or use.
C.
Public or commercial incineration.
D.
Junkyards.
E.
Dumps, lagoons or pits for the disposal or storage
of garbage, trash or any other liquid or solid waste materials, except
by the municipality or its agent.
F.
Sand, clay or gravel pits.
G.
Tar plants.
I.
The storage and repair of heavy construction equipment
either within or outside the confines of a building, such as but not
necessarily limited to dump trucks, backhoes, bulldozers, road graders,
cranes, front-end loaders, flatbed trailers, portable or stationary
cement mixers, compactors, rollers or blacktop paving machines.
J.
Amusement devices, unless an integral part of the permitted accessory uses as set forth in § 166-190D. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit amusement devices that are available for operation to the general public. Their use shall be limited to company employees and visitors.
K.
Trucking terminals. This prohibition is not intended
to exclude warehousing and manufacturing uses to which trucking is
ancillary.
L.
Refuse separation and recycling stations.
M.
Refuse transfer stations.
N.
Resource recovery plants.
[Amended 5-12-1988 by Ord. No. 7-88; 7-11-1991 by Ord. No.
16-91]
The following requirements must be complied with in the OB-RL Zone; provided, however, that certain lands within the OB-RL Zone that fall within an area defined as an airport hazard area in the Air Safety and Hazardous Zoning Act, Chapter 260, of the Laws of 1983, and Chapter 62, Air Safety and Hazardous Zoning (N.J.A.C. 16:62-1.1 et seq.), shall be regulated by the provisions of said Chapters 260 and 62 where said Chapter 260 or 62 regulations are more restrictive than the following requirements, which shall govern all lands in the OB-RL Zone:
A.
No building shall exceed a maximum of 75 feet in height, exclusive
of roof tanks and supports, chimneys or head houses or similar enclosures
for elevators or air-conditioning machinery, dish antennas or other
apparatus. The foregoing roof structures shall not exceed 10 feet
in height, except for enclosures for elevators and stairwells, which
shall not exceed 16 feet in height, nor shall the total area of rooftop
appurtenances that exceed the permitted building height exceed 5%
of the roof area to which they are attached.
[Amended 10-12-2017 by Ord. No. 22-2017]
B.
There shall be a front yard of not less than 100 feet in the case
of buildings being not more than three stories or 45 feet in height,
whichever is the lesser, and an additional 100 feet of front yard
for each story in excess of three stories or each 15 feet or fraction
thereof in excess of 45 feet. If the building varies in height, the
setback requirement shall apply independently to each portion of the
building, based upon the height of such portion.
[Amended 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 15-2018]
C.
Side yards.
[Amended 12-13-2001 by Ord. No. 18-2001; 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 15-2018]
(1)
There shall be a minimum side yard of 50 feet on each side of
the building or a side yard equal to 1.5 times the building height
on each side, whichever computation gives the greater side yard. If
the building varies in height, the setback requirement shall apply
independently to each portion of the building, based upon the height
of such portion.
(2)
The two side yards must total at least 40% of the lot width as measured at the required front street setback line, but in no case shall a side yard be less than that required in Subsection C(1) above.
(3)
For buildings in excess of three stories or 45 feet in height, the side yard, if adjoining a residential zone, shall be not less than 100 feet, the front yard required for said building 1.5 times the height of the building, whichever is more restrictive, unless the requirements of § 166-125 impose a more stringent requirement. If the building varies in height, the setback requirement shall apply independently to each portion of the building, based upon the height of such portion.
(4)
For buildings up to three stories or 45 feet in height, the side yard adjacent to a residential zone shall not be less than 100 feet, unless the requirements of § 166-125 impose a more stringent requirement. If the building varies in height, the setback requirement shall apply independently to each portion of the building, based upon the height of such portion.
D.
There shall be a rear yard of at least 60 feet. For buildings in excess of three stories or 45 feet, the rear yard, if adjoining a residential zone, shall not be less than 100 feet or the front yard required for said building, whichever is more restrictive, unless the requirements of § 166-125 impose a more stringent requirement. For buildings up to three stories or 45 feet in height, the side yard adjacent to a residential zone shall not be less than 100 feet, unless the requirements of § 166-125 impose a more stringent requirement. If the building varies in height, the setback requirement shall apply independently to each portion of the building, based upon the height of such portion.
[Amended 12-13-2001 by Ord. No. 18-2001; 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 15-2018]
E.
Every principal structure hereafter constructed shall
have a minimum floor area of 1,500 square feet.
F.
Those portions of all front, rear and side yards that are not used for off-street parking shall be attractively planted and maintained with trees, shrubs, plants and grass lawns as required by the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment. The buffer requirements of § 166-125 shall also be complied with.
[Amended 12-13-2001 by Ord. No. 18-2001]
G.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part 5,
antennas, radio towers or masts having a projected ground area of
not more than 100 square feet and required as an accessory structure
in connection with the occupancy and/or use of premises within this
zone may be erected, provided that any such structure shall be set
back from any public street or any adjoining property line a distance
not less than 125% of the overall height of said structure measured
from ground level.
H.
Prior to the issuance of a building permit or certificate
of occupancy, the Planning Board shall review and approve a site plan
as required in Part 4.
I.
The total floor area within all structures on any lot in the OB-RL Zone shall not be more than 25% of the total lot area, and any lot containing a building that has parking underneath said building or any part thereof shall not have more than 65% of the entire lot area covered with buildings, parking areas, sidewalks or any other impervious material. That part of the lot that is not covered with buildings or impervious material shall be landscaped as set forth in Subsection F above.
[Amended 11-20-1989 by Ord. No. 37-89]
J.
Lot area. There shall be a minimum lot area of 60,000
square feet, with an average width of 200 feet. Said area must be
measured within 300 feet of the front street property line.
K.
Every building shall be faced on all exterior walls
with a veneer material as approved by the Planning Board.
L.
Planned commercial development and planned industrial development shall be permitted on a tract having a gross tract area of at least 50 contiguous or noncontiguous acres in the OB-RL District. A planned commercial or planned industrial development shall meet the following requirements, in addition to all other applicable requirements of this chapter; provided, however, that where the requirements of this Subsection L conflict with or contradict the other requirements of this chapter, the requirements of this Subsection L shall supersede such other requirements:
[Added 4-14-1988 by Ord. No. 3-88; amended 12-13-2001 by Ord. No.
18-2001; 9-8-2011 by Ord. No. 25-11]
(1)
Any planned development shall be developed as a single entity.
For purposes of administering this provision, the following shall
apply:
(a)
The developer shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the
Board, that the development is a single entity, as evidenced by the
following features: shared access, parking, drainage, utilities, lighting
and landscaping, as appropriate; and a single or unified control over
the operation and maintenance of common areas and shared features
within the development.
(b)
Within the development tract, individual lots shall be permitted.
Within the planned development tract, the required lot width, lot
depth, floor area ratio, coverage, and yard setback requirements shall
not apply to such individual lots, but only to the total development
tract.
(c)
As a condition of any approval of a planned development, the
developer shall provide, subject to approval of the Board, covenants,
deed restrictions and/or other binding and enforceable controls upon
the development sufficient to ensure that, notwithstanding the fact
that the development may consist of multiple lots, all lots, common
areas and shared features shall continue to be designed as and to
function as originally approved for the planned development.
(d)
If phased development is proposed, the developer shall submit
a phasing plan that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Board,
adequate provisions to ensure completion of the total planned development
within specified time frames and appropriate parking and loading spaces,
site access and circulation, utility services, drainage controls,
landscaping and lighting at the completion of each phase.
(2)
No building or structure shall exceed a maximum of 75 feet in
height; provided, however, that parking structures shall not exceed
a maximum of 46 feet in height, or the height of the principal building
or buildings to which they are accessory, whichever results in the
lesser parking deck height. Roof tanks and supports, chimneys, head
houses, or similar enclosures for elevators or air-conditioning machinery,
dish antennas, solar panels or other apparatus mounted on the roof,
and any screening for the same, shall not be subject to the foregoing
height restrictions, but shall comply with the following requirements:
[Amended 10-12-2017 by Ord. No. 22-2017; 4-13-2023 by Ord. No. 11-2023; 8-10-2023 by Ord. No. 28-2023]
(a)
Roof-mounted structures shall not exceed 10 feet in height above
the level of the roof where they are located, except for solar panels
mounted on the roof of a parking deck, which shall not exceed 16 feet
in height above the roof level.
(b)
The total area of rooftop appurtenances that exceed the permitted
building height shall not exceed 5% of the area of the roof upon which
they are located; provided, however, that solar panels shall be exempt
from this area limitation.
(c)
The reviewing agency, as part of any site plan application or application
for site plan exemption, shall determine the need for and manner of
screening of roof-mounted structures. The need for and manner of such
screening shall be intended to minimize detrimental visual, sound,
light, or other impacts from such structures affecting abutting residential
zones and streets. Such screening may include, but not be limited
to, topographic changes, berms, vegetation, structural features or
any combination of the foregoing. Structural screening, if required,
shall be designed in a manner compatible with the finish of the exterior
building walls.
(3)
No building shall be permitted closer to any tract boundary
of a planned development or abutting street than two feet for every
foot of building height or 100 feet, whichever results in the greater
setback. If the building varies in height, the setback requirement
shall apply independently to each portion of the building, based upon
the height of such portion. The foregoing building heights shall be
exclusive of the height of roof-mounted structures.
[Amended 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 15-2018; 8-10-2023 by Ord. No. 28-2023]
(4)
No building or roofed structure shall be closer to another building
or roofed structure than a distance that equals or exceeds the height
of the higher building or structure. Enclosed walkways may connect
individual buildings and, for the purpose of administering this section,
shall not be construed as an integral part of either building. If
the building or structure varies in height, the separation requirement
shall apply independently to each portion of the building or structure,
based upon the height of such portion. The foregoing building heights
shall be exclusive of the height of roof-mounted structures.
[Amended 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 15-2018; 8-10-2023 by Ord. No. 28-2023]
(5)
No storage of any kind shall be permitted other than within
a building.
(6)
Off-street parking shall be provided as required in § 166-155 but can be improved as set forth in § 166-153L. Said parking, including access driveways and aisles, shall not be closer than 25 feet to any tract boundary of the planned development which abuts a nonresidentially zoned property line or public street right-of-way, or 50 feet to any tract boundary of the planned development which abuts a residential zone district boundary line, unless the requirements of § 166-125 impose a more stringent requirement.
(7)
The total floor area of all buildings within a planned industrial
or planned commercial development shall not exceed 30% of the total
area of the planned development tract. For the purpose of determining
this 30% ratio, the applicant may cluster his development on one or
more lots within the planned development that exceed the 30% coverage
of said lot or lots; provided, however, that to do so he shall either
deed to the Township public areas or he shall set aside within the
planned development other areas to remain undeveloped in an amount
that when added to the area of the lot or lots containing the cluster
development the thirty-percent ratio would be met. The public areas
to be deeded or set aside under the terms of this subsection shall
be in the OB-RL Zone at a location and shape as approved by the Planning
Board.
[Amended 2-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2-17]
(8)
Those portions of the PID or PCD not covered with buildings,
sidewalks, parking areas or other impervious materials shall be attractively
planted with trees, shrubs, plants and grass lawns as required by
the Planning Board.
(9)
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 166-114A or of any other provision in this chapter, utility buildings facilities, such as but not limited to power plants, power houses, power generator buildings and sewer or water treatment plants are permitted as accessory buildings or uses on lots without the principal buildings or uses to which they are accessory, provided that both the principal and accessory buildings and uses, and the lots on which they are located, are part of the overall planned development and developed as a single entity as required in Subsection L(1) above.
(10)
Security fencing shall be permitted in any yard and within required
buffer areas, subject to the following requirements:
(a)
If located within a required buffer, fencing shall not diminish
the screening function of the buffer.
(b)
Fencing located within the front yard shall have at least 50%
of its vertical area open so as not to obstruct views through the
fence.
(c)
Fencing shall not exceed a height of eight feet.
(d)
All perimeter fencing shall be of a decorative design and material,
such as but not limited to wrought iron or aluminum. Chain link fencing
shall be prohibited in the front yard.
Before the issuance of any building or occupancy
permit for any use in the Office Building and Research Laboratory
District, all of the following regulations must be complied with:
A.
All activities shall be carried on only in structures which conform
to the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters or Township
Building Code or Fire Ordinance,[1] whichever is more restrictive. All operations shall be
carried on and combustible raw materials, fuels, liquid and finished
products shall be stored in accordance with the standards of said
Board of Fire Underwriters.
[Amended 7-11-2013 by Ord. No. 19-13]
B.
Any industrial activity which emits dangerous radioactivity
at any point is prohibited, except for laboratory research, design
or experimental use, and then only in compliance with all applicable
federal and state safety laws and regulations.
C.
There shall be no dissemination of smoke, fumes, gas,
dust, odor or any other atmospheric pollutant beyond the boundary
of the lot occupied by such use.
D.
Every use in this zone shall meet the performance standards of the liquid and solid wastes of § 166-197D of this chapter.
[Amended 7-9-1987 by Ord. No. 22-87]
E.
There shall be no vibration beyond the immediate size
on which such use is conducted.
F.
Noise.
(1)
There shall be no noise, defined as follows:
The sound-pressure level radiated continuously from a facility between
the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. shall not exceed the following
in any octave band limit:
|
Octave Band Center Frequency
(hertz)
|
Sound-Pressure Level*
(decibels)
|
|---|---|
|
31.5
|
67
|
|
63
|
62
|
|
125
|
52
|
|
250
|
46
|
|
500
|
40
|
|
1,000
|
36
|
|
2,000
|
33
|
|
4,000
|
30
|
|
8,000
|
27
|
|
*According to the following formula: Sound-pressure
level, in decibels, equals 20 LOG P/P2, where P2 equals 0.0002 dyne
per square centimeter.
|
(2)
If the noise is not smooth and continuous and
is not radiated at nighttime, one or more of the following corrections
shall be added to or subtracted from each of the decibel levels given
above:
|
Type of Operation or Character of Noise
|
Correction in Decibels
|
|---|---|
|
Daytime operation only
|
Plus 5
|
|
Noise source operates less than 20% of the time
|
Plus 5*
|
|
Noise source operates less than 5% of the time
|
Plus 10*
|
|
Noise source operates less than 1% of the time
|
Plus 15*
|
|
Noise of impulsive character (hammering, etc.)
|
Minus 5
|
|
Noise of periodic character (hum, screech, etc.)
|
Minus 5
|
|
*Apply one of these corrections only.
|
(3)
The foregoing measurements shall be made at
a point 25 feet distant from the building wherein the noise originates
or at the nearest boundary line of the property, whichever is further
away, and shall be measured with a sound-level meter and an octave
band analyzer that conform to the specifications published by the
American Standards Association, Incorporated, New York, New York.
G.
Every building shall be faced on all exterior walls
with a veneer material as approved by the Planning Board.
H.
Loading and unloading shall be done in other than
the front yard.
