A.
Review procedure; time limitations; conditional approval.
[Amended 6-1-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-4]
(1)
All applications made to the Zoning Officer for zoning permits (as defined in § 525-137) with respect to any permitted uses under this chapter or Chapter 525 of this Code, with the exception of use as a one- or two-family dwelling unit, shall be accompanied with a portion of the information set forth in § 330-101 sufficient to permit the Zoning Officer and/or Site Plan Review Advisory Committee to determine whether a full site plan and submission to the Planning Board is required. At a minimum this information shall include whether any of the following is proposed or required:
(a)
Any new exterior erection, construction, alteration, or conversion of any building or structure;
(b)
A significant change in the use or occupancy of a building, structure or land for reuse (including a change from one use permitted in a zone to another use permitted in the same zone);
(c)
An electrical, plumbing, construction code, other specialized permit or certificate of occupancy will be required; or
(d)
The proposed development or action will have significant impact on the intensity of the use such that there may be increased demand or need for parking or loading docks, need for truck or bus parking or loading areas, changes in on-site circulation (as that term is defined in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-3), building or parking additions or changes to impervious cover or other actions that impact drainage and stormwater run-off, or similar site impacts.
(2)
The Zoning Officer shall examine all applications as required by § 525-137 for, among other things, the presence of any of the factors outlined in Subsection A(1)(a) through (d), above. In making this assessment, the Zoning Officer shall not regard as requiring site plan review: a) upgrades or improvements that do not change or will bring a valid nonconforming use or structure nearer to compliance with existing regulations unless the degree of construction or alteration would otherwise trigger such review; b) valid nonconforming conditions absent material alteration in the exterior structure or site or a significant change in use; c) a tenant fit-out that does not require significant changes to the site or exterior structure; d) a tenant fit-out from one permitted use to another substantially similar permitted use; and e) issuance of a permit under Subsection A(1)(c), above, absent any other indicia that would trigger a site plan review. The Zoning Officer shall determine whether there are any elements of the property or use that are not in compliance with current regulations and approvals for the site. Applications evidencing the criteria set forth in Subsection A(1)(a) or (d), above, or other site plan factors in the judgment of the Zoning Officer requiring further review shall have their applications denied and be referred to the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee for further review and recommendation as to whether an application to the Planning Board site plan shall be required and whether waiver of some or all site plan requirements by the Planning Board is recommended. For applications falling under Subsection A(1)(b) or items b) or c) above, "significant" shall mean likely to require or cause: i) a more-than-minimal increase in traffic or parking demand as measured by the requirements of the site plan ordinance for the use in question; ii) a need to reconfigure parking or on-site circulation; iii) changes in drainage or stormwater management; or iv) similar impacts affecting site plan parameters such as exterior changes or expansions to structures. All requests submitted to the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee shall contain sufficient information for the Committee to make a reasoned judgment as to the need for a site plan or whether a request for site plan waiver should be forwarded to the Planning Board with a positive recommendation. Matters referred to the Site Plan Advisory Committee shall, at a minimum, contain a sketch and description of existing structures, including drive and parking areas, the nature of the present and proposed uses, details regarding any of the factors of Subsection A(1)(a) and (d), and details regarding any requested waivers.
(3)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, referral to the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee and submission of a site plan shall not be required for a tenant fit-out not exhibiting any of the characteristics set forth in Subsection A(1)(a) or (d), above, at a site that is in compliance with applicable regulations, approvals and public health and safety regulations.
(4)
When a site plan is required, the site plan shall consist of: a) a completed site plan application; b) a completed review escrow agreement; c) the information required by § 330-101, together with information on compliance with the design standards set forth in § 525-110B through H; d) the location and dimensions of all existing and proposed structures or buildings; e) the location and dimensions of all parking and loading areas, together with driveways and pedestrian access; f) existing and proposed utility connections; g) landscaping, including screening and/or buffering; h) grading and drainage facilities; i) where any excavation or removal of vegetation is proposed or required, a rodent control and extermination plan; and j) such additional information as may be determined by the Township or Planning Board Engineer that is necessary for a full and complete review of the application and its impacts.
(5)
Site plan applications shall be directed to and accepted by the Planning and Zoning Board Secretary (hereafter "Secretary") who shall advise the applicant as to the necessary number of copies required. Where a rodent control plan is submitted, that plan shall be copied and forwarded to the Board of Health for the Township of Cinnaminson, who shall have exclusive authority to determine the adequacy and supervision of the plan. The Secretary shall record the date of submission, determine and obtain payment of the necessary fees and escrow payments and forward a copy to the Planning Board Engineer to review for completeness. The Zoning Officer may make comments and recommendations to the applicant, Site Plan Advisory Board or Planning Board regarding spacing and orientation of buildings in relation to on-site parking; ingress and egress; adequacy, safety, and convenience of vehicular and pedestrian circulation; sufficiency of landscaping; and conformity with the Master Plan and design standards.
(6)
The Planning Board Engineer shall review the application and determine whether the application is complete or incomplete by checking it against the application checklist and submission requirements adopted by the Township within 45 days of the submission of the application as required by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10.3. In the event the application is deemed incomplete, the Engineer shall notify in writing the applicant and Board Secretary within 45 days of the filing of the incomplete nature of the application and provide a list of the deficiencies. Failure to provide written notice of deficiencies within the allotted time period shall result in the application being deemed complete. A "complete application" means the completed application form, completed review escrow agreement, all supplemental and supporting documents required by ordinance, compliance with applicable regulations and payment of necessary fees. Upon determining that a complete application has been submitted (whether or not supplemental or corrected information is required to be submitted), the Engineer shall certify the application as complete and notify the applicant and the Board Secretary. The Board Secretary shall cause the application to be placed on the agenda of the next available meeting of the Planning Board scheduled no less than two weeks subsequent to the date the application is certified as complete.
(7)
Site plan approval shall be granted or denied by the Planning Board within the time frame established by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-46 or N.J.S.A. 40:55D-46.1, as the case may be, or such other time period as may be agreed to by the applicant. Such time frame shall be measured from the date the application is certified as complete. Failure of the Planning Board to act in the time required shall entitle the applicant to apply for an approval by default following the procedures of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10.4. Whenever an application requires review or approval by the Burlington County Planning Board, the Cinnaminson Planning Board shall condition its action on such review and approval being timely granted by the county.
B.
A fee as set forth in Chapter 265, Fees, shall be paid by the applicant at the time of submission of the site plan.
C.
At the time of submission of the application, the developer shall deposit an escrow fee with the Township as set forth in Chapter 265, Fees, to be held in an escrow fund and used to meet the cost of Board professionals for the review of the application. The Board Engineer, Attorney and Planner shall submit detailed records of their work, and the fees shall be paid whether or not the application is approved. Any costs incurred for the Board professionals' review of the application in excess of the escrow shall be paid by the developer before action is taken with respect to the application. Any monies remaining in the escrow fund shall be refunded to the applicant on approval of the application. Additional escrow funds may be required by the Planning Board and must be deposited by the developer before further consideration of the application. When any escrow account has been drawn against by any of the professionals authorized to review the application and the amount of the escrow fund is depleted so that less than 1/2 thereof remains in the account, the applicant shall thereupon replenish the amount of the escrow to the full deposit required above. The applicant shall have 20 days to post the additional monies to bring the escrow up to the full deposit required above, after written notice thereof from the Planning Board Secretary.
D.
The Township Committee may appoint a person to be known as the "Site Plan Inspector." It shall be the function and duty of said person to inspect all improvements which are not inspected by the Township Engineer. The Township Engineer shall inspect the site improvements to determine whether the same are being installed in accordance with the design criteria of the Township approvals and codes and regulations. The Site Plan Inspector shall inspect landscaping, the numbers of curbs, whether striping exists and other cosmetic features not related to the function of the inspection responsibility of the Township Engineer. The Site Plan Inspector shall carry out such other duties as may be requested of him from time to time by the Planning Board, not inconsistent with the responsibilities of the Township Engineer. However, in the event that the Site Plan Inspector is a licensed civil engineer of the State of New Jersey, then said Inspector may perform the duties of the Township Engineer subject to supervision and review of the Township Engineer.
E.
No final plat, site plan or subdivision considered under this chapter shall be approved unless the developer complies with guaranty and inspection requirements as specified herein.
(1)
The performance guaranty must run in favor of the Township and be in an amount not to exceed 120%, rounded to the nearest dollar, of the cost of installation of improvements the Township may deem necessary or appropriate, including, but not limited to, streets, grading, pavement, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, shade trees, surveyor's monuments [as shown on the final map and required by the Map Filing Law (N.J.S.A. 46:23-9.9 et seq.[1])], water main, culverts, storm sewers, sanitary sewers or other means of sewage disposal, drainage structures, erosion control and sedimentation control devices, public improvements and landscaping. Ten percent of the performance guaranty shall either be in cash or a letter of credit issued by a banking institution licensed to do business in the State of New Jersey; and the balance shall be in the form of a surety bond issued by a bonding company licensed to do business in the State of New Jersey or a letter of credit also issued by a banking institution licensed to do business in the State of New Jersey. Such bond or letter of credit must conform to statutory requirements and be approved and accepted by the Township Attorney. For good cause shown, the governing body may waive the ten-percent cash or letter of credit requirement upon the passage of a resolution setting forth the reasons for the waiver therein. The Board Engineer shall review the improvements required by the reviewing board which are to be bonded and itemize their cost. This itemization shall be the basis for determining the amount of the performance guaranty required by the Township, and the inspection fees based thereon, and the estimate shall be appended to the performance guaranty. The Board Engineer shall forward his/her estimate of the cost of improvements to the applicant within 30 days after the date of receipt of a request sent by certified mail for this estimate. In the event that any of the improvements to be installed are covered by a performance guaranty to another governmental agency, no performance guaranty shall be required from the Township for such improvements.
[1]
Editor's Note: Repealed 2011, c. 217. See now N.J.S.A. 46:26B-1 et seq.
(2)
If, at any time during the period of time between acceptance of the initial performance guaranty and the date on which the Township Committee formally releases such performance guaranty, the Township Committee should have reasonable cause to doubt the value, legality, enforceability or effectiveness of such guaranty, all development activity for which such guaranty was established shall be discontinued until such time as a substitute guaranty, in form and substance equivalent to the guaranty which was required to be in place at the time the status of the original guaranty was questioned, shall be delivered to and accepted by the Township Committee. By way of illustration and not limitation, the following shall be instances of reasonable cause to doubt the value, legality, enforceability or effectiveness of such guaranties:
(a)
The company issuing the bond shall cease to do business, declare insolvency or bankruptcy or be forced into involuntary bankruptcy.
(b)
The bank, savings and loan, credit union, mortgage banking company or other banking or banking-like entity issuing a letter of credit shall become insolvent, be taken over by any governmental or quasi-governmental agency or company or otherwise cease to do business.
(c)
The issuer of any performance guaranty shall serve on the Township notice of termination or cancellation of such guaranty.
(3)
The amount of any performance guaranty may be reduced by the Township Committee, by resolution, when portions of the improvements have been certified by the Site Plan Inspector to have been completed. The time allowed for installation of the improvements for which the performance guaranty has been provided may be extended by the Township Committee by resolution.
(4)
If the required improvements are not completed or corrected in accordance with the finally approved development plans and approvals, the obligor and surety shall be liable thereon to the Township for the reasonable cost of the improvements not completed or corrected, and the Township, either prior to or after the receipt of the proceeds of the performance guaranty, may complete such improvements.
(5)
Upon substantial completion of all required street improvements (except for the top course) and appurtenant utility improvements, and the connection of the same to the public system, the obligor may request of the governing body, as provided in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53(2)d(1) and (2), a list of all uncompleted or unsatisfactory completed improvements, and the Township Engineer shall respond as required. The Township Committee thereafter shall, as provided in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53(2)e(1), by resolution, either approve or reject the improvements based on the Site Plan Inspector's report and authorize the amount of reduction to be made in the performance guaranty within 45 days of receipt of the list and report prepared by the Engineer. All procedures to be taken in conjunction with a reduction or release of the performance guaranty shall be in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53 et seq.
(6)
If any portion of the required improvements is rejected, the obligor shall complete such improvements, and, upon completion, the same procedure of notification as set forth in this section shall be followed.
(7)
The obligor shall reimburse the Township for all reasonable inspection fees paid to the Site Plan Inspector for the foregoing inspection of improvements, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-53h.
F.
Site Plan Review Advisory Committee review required following vacancy. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, any properties with frontage on State Highway 130 or State Highway 73 within the Township, except residential dwellings, which shall have been vacant for any period of time shall be subject to review by the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee as set forth in this section prior to the issuance of any building or construction code permits or certificates of occupancy 1) to determine if a site plan review is required, and 2) if within three years of the release of a prior performance guarantee, to assure that all previously approved improvements are functioning properly. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a transition from one tenant to another for the same or substantially the same use where the factors set forth in § 330-100A(1) are not present or where only minor improvements are proposed. The intent of this subsection is to assure that properties in the primary highway corridors of the Township are maintained and remain in compliance with applicable zoning and site plan requirements.
[Amended 6-1-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-4]
G.
Site plan waiver; Site Plan Review Advisory Committee.
[Amended 6-1-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-4]
(1)
Site Plan Review Advisory Committee created. There is hereby created a Site Plan Review Advisory Committee which shall review matters referred by the Zoning Officer, site plans which have been properly submitted to the Planning Board Secretary, applications for site plan waivers (which shall also be submitted through the Planning Board Secretary), and informal review as set forth in § 330-119D. The Site Plan Review Advisory Committee shall consist of the members of the Economic Development Committee as appointed by Township Committee as set forth in § 10-9.
[Amended 4-15-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-1; 4-18-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
(2)
Recommendations; time for review. The Site Plan Review Advisory Committee (the "Committee") shall review all applications submitted to it to determine a) whether a full site plan application to the Planning or Zoning Board is required, and b) what, if any, provisions of the site plan requirements should be recommended for waiver. Except where no site plan is required, all determinations of the Committee shall be in the form of recommendations to the Planning or Zoning Board, who shall make the final determination. The Committee shall make a determination with respect to applications that it receives within 14 days of receipt. Failure to act within this time period shall result in the application being determined as in need of a full site plan in accordance with Township ordinances and the Municipal Land Use Law.[2] Complete applications determined to need review by the Planning or Zoning Board shall be placed on the next available agenda of the Planning or Zoning Board occurring not less than 14 days after the Advisory Committee's action.
[2]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
(3)
Site plan waiver. Notwithstanding anything contained in Subsections A through F, inclusive, and Subsection G(1) and (2) above, and § 411-10, upon submittal of an application for same, the Site Plan Review Advisory Board may recommend a waiver of formal site plan review if the only change is that of a new occupancy, a tenant fit-out, tenant alteration, or the like, and the request involves applications where the building(s), parking lot, and associated improvements are already in existence, are in satisfactory condition under existing local ordinances, and the building lines proposed by the application coincide with existing building lines on the subject property. The Site Plan Review Advisory Board shall review applications for both site plan and site plan waivers submitted to the Board Secretary to determine the application's compliance with applicable Township ordinances and general site design components and to provide recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Board of Cinnaminson on such. The applicable Township ordinances to be reviewed by the Site Plan Review Advisory Board in connection with site plan reviews and site plan waiver requests, which shall guide the Planning Board's decision on whether to grant a waiver, shall include, but are not limited to, property maintenance, use, location, bulk standards, buildings and improvements, buffer, landscaping and streetscape requirements, lighting, curbing and sidewalks, density, open space, traffic and pedestrian patterns, parking requirements, including ADA requirements, and such other general design components that the Board deems necessary to evaluate the application.