City of Corbin, NJ Site Plan Review

§ 102-17.1 Intent.

Site Plan Review is provided for in the Municipal Land Use Law. Such review makes it possible for planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment to determine developmental impacts with regard to topography, vegetation, drainage, flood plains, marshes and waterways. Additionally, site plans show the location of existing and proposed buildings, drives, parking spaces, walkways, means of ingress and egress, drainage facilities, utilization, landscaping, structures, signs, lighting and screening.

In short, a site plan allows the boards involved to assess the project in order to insure the compatibility with existing uses and determine the impact of proposed uses.

§ 102-17.2 Application.

Within the City of Corbin City compliance with preliminary and final site plan review will be required for all new construction, additions and all building conversions and all changes in use with the exception of single family detached dwellings. Review will be conducted prior to any evacuation or removal of soil or clearing of the site. Without approval neither permits or certificates of occupancy will be given. Upon submission of an approved application site plan review may be waived by the Planning Board if it determines that the proposed development would not result in any significant impact on the site or its surrounding area. Establishment of a home occupation shall require site review.

§ 102-17.3 Review emphasis.

In conducting the review process the planning board will consider pedestrian and vehicular movement, parking adequacy and safety, design and layout of structures, lighting, buffering, drainage, environmental elements, and signs.

§ 102-17.4 Preliminary submission.

The applicant will submit 14 copies of the site plan clearly drawn and accurately reproduced at a scale not more than one inch equals 50 feet to the secretary of the appropriate board. All maps, plats and sketch plats required to be submitted by this ordinance shall conform to one of the following size configurations: 15 inches by 21 inches, 24 inches by 36 inches, or 30 inches by 42 inches. A copy of the plan shall also be sent to the Atlantic County Planning Board for approval. The various elements of the site plan shall be prepared by the appropriate professionals as required in New Jersey Statute 13:40-7.1, licensed to practice in the State of New Jersey. The application shall be prepared according to the following instructions and shall include the following information and data:

Key map showing the parcel to be developed in relationship to the surrounding area and all street intersections and waterways within 300 feet.

Title of project, north point, scale, name and address of owner of record, name and seal of person preparing the site plan.

Block and lot numbers, and owners of record within 200 feet of the site in all directions.

All existing zoning boundaries located on or within 200 feet of subject property, and a Zoning Table listing conformance or variance required.

A certified survey prepared by a land surveyor licensed in the State of New Jersey within the last 12 months shall accompany site plans and shall show the boundaries of the parcel, proposed building setback lines, existing and proposed lot lines and the limits of all proposed streets, recreation areas and other property to be dedicated to public use or to common open space.

All existing and proposed structures, and topography with two foot intervals.

Location and height of existing and proposed walls, fences, signs, culverts, bridges.

Architectural elevations.

Street profiles and cross sections indicating roadway width, location an width of sidewalks, location and width of utility easements, and proposed pedestrian walkways.

10.

Location of all proposed sewer and water lines, valves, manholes and hydrants.

11.

A soil erosion and sedimentation control plan pursuant to requirements of N.J.S.A. 4:24-39, et seq.

12.

Proposed reservations for parks, playgrounds, common open space and all easements.

13.

A storm water management plan and calculations and the location of all existing and proposed storm drainage retention basins, pipes, and water courses with pipe sizes, grades and direction of flow.

14.

Tabulation of total acreage and percentage devoted to streets, parking and common open space.

15.

Location, design, and ingress/egress of all proposed parking areas including bay size and size of internal aisles. Parking design shall conform to § 17.12.

16.

Proposed landscaping plan conforming to requirements in § 17.13.

17.

Proposed lighting conforming to requirements in § 17.14.

18.

Status of Permits and approvals by other governmental agencies.

19.

If the application is for the construction of a communications structure, the application shall include a copy of the completed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Form 7460, bearing the assigned Aeronautical Study Number and a copy of the completed FAA study where required. Where a mandatory FAA study is not required and the proposed communications structure is 100 feet in height, or more, above ground, an Aeronautical Study shall be required by this Board as part of the application.

20.

If the application is for the construction of a communications structure, the application shall include an Environmental Assessment where required by the Code of Federal Regulations, the applicant shall submit as part of its application a copy of a consultation performed by the United States Department of the Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to § 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (87 Stat.884, as amended; 16U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) [Note: Amended by Ordinance 7-2002 adopted 5-13-2002]

§ 102-17.5 Review process preliminary site plan.

Following receipt of a completed application with required fee (Article XXII, § 22.1), the Board Secretary will notify applicant within 45 days. The reviewing board shall:

Review and grant or deny site plan approval within 45 days in the case of developments of 10 acres or less, and 10 dwelling units or less, unless the applicant is also seeking relief subject to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-60 in which case the board shall grant or deny approval within 95 days. In either case, the time may be extended if agreed to by the applicant.

If the development is more than 10 acres, or more than 10 dwelling units, the reviewing board shall grant or deny site plan approval within 95 days of receipt of a complete application unless an extension is consented to by the applicant.

If the application has been submitted to the Zoning Board of Adjustment pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-76b the Board shall grant or deny site plan approval within 120 days of receipt of a completed application unless an extension is consented to by the developer.

If the reviewing Board requires substantial changes in the site plan presented as a result of a public hearing an amended application shall be submitted and processed upon in the same manner as the original application.

If the reviewing Board fails to reach a decision within the specific time periods or extensions, approval of the site plan as submitted shall result.

The Board and developer may discuss a sketch plat informally prior to submission of a completed preliminary site plan application for purposes of exchanging ideas with neither side bound by the discussion.

§ 102-17.6 Rights of preliminary approval.

Preliminary Approval of a major subdivision, or of a site plan, shall, except as provided in subsections 4 and 5 of this section, confer upon the applicant the following rights for a three-year period from the date of the preliminary approval:

That the general terms and conditions on which preliminary approval was granted shall not be changed; except that nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the municipality from modifying by ordinance such general terms and conditions of preliminary approval as relate to public health and safety.

That the applicant may submit for final approval on or before the expiration date of preliminary approval, the whole or sections of the preliminary subdivision plat or site plan, as the case may be; and,

That the applicant may apply for and the Planning Board may grant extensions of such preliminary approval for additional periods of at least one year but not to exceed a total extension of two years, provided that if the design standards have been revised by ordinance, such revised standards may govern as determined by the Board.

In the case of a subdivision of or site plan for an area of 50 acres or more, the Planning Board may grant the rights referred to in subsections 1,2, and 3 above for such period of time, longer than three years, as shall be determined by the Planning Board to be reasonable, taking into consideration:

The number of dwelling units and nonresidential floor area permissible under preliminary approval;

Economic conditions and

The comprehensiveness of the developer.

The applicant may apply for thereafter and the Planning Board may thereafter grant an extension to preliminary approval for such additional period of time as shall be determined by the Planning Board to be reasonable taking into consideration:

The number of dwelling units and non-residential floor area permissible under preliminary approval,

The potential number of dwelling units and nonresidential floor area of the section or sections awaiting final approval.

Economic conditions and

The comprehensiveness of the development;

Provided that if the design standards have been revised, such revised standards may govern as determined by the Board.

§ 102-17.7 Final submission.

The developer shall submit 14 copies of the final plan to the secretary of the appropriate board which includes and is accompanied by:

A site plan in final form, including all of the information shown on the preliminary plat (§ 19.4) along with the conditions of preliminary approval and any proposed dedication of streets or improvements.

Performance guarantees approved by the municipal solicitor in an amount sufficient to cover improvements completion.

A statement from the City Engineer that construction plans for streets, drainage, and other facilities comply with City standards.

Final submission shall include the developer's estimate of cost for the various improvements.

§ 102-17.8 Review process final site plan.

Following receipt of a completed application with the required fee (see Article XXII, § 102-22.1), the appropriate board will review and grant or deny approval within 45 days or within such further time as the applicant consents to. Failure to do so will result in approval.

§ 102-17.9 Rights of final approval.

After final approval the general terms and conditions of that approval Including applicable zoning rights shall not change for a period of two years and may be extended by the reviewing board not more than three times for a period of one year.

§ 102-17.10 (Reserved)

§ 102-17.11 Site plan standards.

Those standards established by Corbin City's engineer and with those minimum standards called for in zoning districts (Articles IV to XVI) with regard to use, lot size, setbacks, area and bulk, landscaping, parking, and signs shall be considered the minimum general standards. In addition, the specific design standards set forth in Article XIX shall apply here.

§ 102-17.12 Parking requirements.

All off street parking shall conform to the requirements of this section, or as noted in the specific districts, and all other applicable ordinances of the City.

Automobile parking spaces. The following number of off-street parking spaces shall be provided as set forth below. The approving body, at its discretion, may require more parking spaces than those listed below. The Planning Board may also allow some parking spaces to be unimproved initially, provided that the physical space is shown on the plans where the unimproved parking spaces could be constructed at future date if the need arises as determined by the Planning Board.

All dwellings	2 per unit located on the lot
Hotel, motel, rooming or boarding homes	1 per rental room, plus 1 for each employee
Restaurants or similar establishments	1 for every 3 seats.
Theaters, churches, lodges, meeting places, auditoriums or other places of public or private assembly	1 for every 3 seats.
Retail store	1 for each 250 square feet of floor area, used for sale or display merchandise, with a minimum of 3. An additional space is required for each 1,000 square feet of warehouse or storage area associated with the retail use.
Medical offices, dental offices or clinics	2 for each operating area and/or examination room, plus 1 space for each employee, including the medical practitioner (s) with a minimum of 5 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
Professional offices	1 for each 200 square feet of floor area.
Hospitals, nursing homes or institutions for the ill or aged	1 for every 3 beds
Bowling alleys	3 for each alley.
Industrial establishments, research laboratories and warehouses	1 for each 2 persons customarily employed at peak employment on the major shift, plus 1 for each 3 persons customarily employed at peak employment on the largest adjacent shift if the employees of the 2 shifts are required to be present simultaneously while shifts are changing, or not less than 1 for each 300 square feet of aggregate floor area of buildings if employment data is unknown
Schools and child care center	1 for every 600 square feet of floor area, including classrooms and administrative areas
Funeral homes	1 for each 3 seats devoted to assembly room purposes, but in no case less than 50
Motor vehicle service station repair garage	2 either within or without the structure, for each 200 square feet of floor or ground area devoted to repair or service facilities, plus 1 for each employee. In no case shall the spaces for permitted motor vehicle storage in conjunction with a service station be less than 5.
Buildings or uses other than those specified above	At least 1 for a 500 square feet of gross floor area or lot area, whichever is larger, except when otherwise required by the Planning Board. The determination shall be consistent with the principles set forth herein for comparable buildings.
Employee parking	1 for each 2 employees on the largest shift, unless [noted] otherwise above

Truck Berths:

(1)

In addition to the parking lot requirements in the preceding section, truck berths for the loading and unloading of goods and materials shall be provided.

(2)

Any building or outdoor area used for business, industry, storage, hospital, membership club or other nonresidential purposes which needs to be serviced regularly by trucks shall have truck berth facilities on the premises in accordance with the following:

Gross Floor Area and Outdoor Area Used (square feet)	Required Number of Truck Berths
For each 20,000 square feet or any portion thereof	1

(3)

As used in this subsection, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

OUTDOOR AREA

Refers to outdoor areas in active use, such as outdoor manufacturing areas, outdoor storage areas and outdoor automobile sales lots. Such areas as yards and other unused open spaces are not intended to be included in the term "outdoor area" as used in this subsection.

(4)

The size of a truck berth shall be a minimum of 45 feet long and 12 feet wide.

(5)

Driveways, aisles, loading platforms and other areas required to make a truck berth usable shall not be included in the minimum area required for a truck berth itself.

(6)

A clear height shall be provided for each truck berth and for each truck accessway between public streets and a truck berth equal to a minimum of 14 feet.

Parking Lot Design Criteria.

(1)

Parking stall design criteria - the following list of stall and driveway/aisle sizes shall be adhered to:

			Driveway/Aisle
Angle of Parking	Stall Width (feet)	Stall Depth (feet)	One-Way (feet)	Two-Way (feet)
90°	9	18	18	25
60°	9	18	18	25
45°	9	18	15	18
30°	9	18	12	18
Parallel	9	24	12	18

In parking areas containing 20 or more spaces, only 90° parking shall be permitted unless because of the exceptional narrowness, shape or topographic conditions of the lot, it is the determination of the Planning Board that another stall and driveway alignment should be utilized.

(2)

The entire parking lot area shall be landscaped with shade trees and other vegetation located in center islands between facing rows of reduced parking stalls in other islands and pen areas and around the parking lot perimeter.

(3)

The plan shall indicate the location of freestanding signs. Additional optional directional features may include pavement lettering, colored stripes or a combination of these techniques. Typical details of directional signs and other features shall be included on the plan.

Parking facilities for physically handicapped. The number, location and type of handicapped parking facilities shall be in accordance with current Federal, State, Uniform Construction Code or other applicable access requirements.

Shared Parking. A reduction in spaces can be made for shared parking if all of the items listed below are satisfied:

(1)

Common parking supplies are in close proximity to each other, and

(2)

The land uses are owned by the same owner or developer, and

(3)

Parking spaces are not reserved for special groups or individuals, and

(4)

The land uses are complementary and conductive to shared parking as so identified by a traffic analysis, and

(5)

This shared parking concept and associated analysis are approved by the board's traffic consultant.

A maximum reduction in shared parking of 25% is allowed under this ordinance.

Minimum Average Maintained Illuminance Standards, in accordance with Illuminating Engineering Society Standards as contained in the I.E.S. Lighting Handbook. (Applications Volume, Chapter 14), shall be as follows:

Parking areas: 1.5 footcandles.

Project roadways (local): 0.6 footcandles.

Project intersections: 3.0 footcandles.

Roadside sidewalks: 0.6 footcandles.

Pedestrian walkways: 0.5 footcandles.

Stairways: 0.6 footcandles.

At property lines: maximum intensity 1.0 footcandles.

All other lighting intensities shall be based upon current Illuminating Engineering Society Standards.

Submitted site plans shall include a proposed lighting plan including the following required information:

Show location and orientation for all proposed lighting.

Show photometric pattern for all lighting with appropriate footcandle level determined by the purpose for which the light was intended.

Provide manufacturer's make, model number and lighting intensity output characteristics for all proposed lighting.

Provide landscaping information as it relates to proposed site lighting.

Provide time control information and proposed hours of use for all site lighting.

Provide any additional information deemed necessary for review for Planning Board.

§ 102-17.13 Landscape design criteria.

§ 102-17.13-1.

General. Landscape design is an important element in creating a well conceived site plan. All applications shall include a landscape plan prepared by a qualified professional. The following elements are set forth to identify the areas of landscaping design required as part of any site plan application.

Architectural uses. Plans, singly or in groups, form walks, canopies, or floors varying heights and densities creating walls and privacy, plan canopies, and plan floors.

Engineering uses. Engineers are concerned with such items as glare, traffic, noise control, soil erosion, etc. Utilities well chosen and properly placed plan material, noise, soil erosion, glare, can be reduced.

Climate control uses. Shade trees, windbreak trees, and snowfence plants are examples of plans used for climate control.

Aesthetic uses. Plans can be used to blend together various unrelated elements such as buildings, utility structures, or inharmonious land uses. Landscaping can be very effectively used to improve a building design by complementing a building's design through color, texture, seasonal configurations, and highlighting areas of interest using landscaping creatively with lighting and signage.

Wildlife Habitat. Wildlife habitat is an important element in large tract development where large areas of open space are to remain undisturbed. Designs must inventory this habitat and assure its continuity either through supplementing habitat, preserving it, or both. Accordingly, the design for development must address such concerns with concrete alternatives.

Planting material shall be as listed in § 19.6. Alternate material may be used upon review and approval by the Board.

§ 102-17.13-2.

Residential Development.

Landscaping for Energy Conservation.

Landscape planting generally throughout the site shall be utilized to provide buildings with summer shade canopies, maximum winter exposure to sun, windbreaks, and similar features.

§ 102-17.13-3.

Commercial Development.

Plan Submission. The landscape plan shall clearly delineate all areas that will be preserved and landscaped. Associated construction and installation details shall accompany the plans.

Plant Requirements.

All areas not covered by roadways, pedestrian walkways, parking areas, etc., shall be landscaped according to a landscaping plan submitted as part of the site plan application process. The minimum number of trees planted in lots as buffers or in parking areas shall be as follows:

Canopy trees. There shall be a minimum number of two canopy trees two inches to three inches in caliper measured six inches from the top of the root ball per each proposed commercial unit. A two inches to three inches caliper canopy tree shall be at least 12 feet in height at time of planting. Clump or flowering trees incapable of being measured six inches from the top of the root ball shall be at least 10 feet high at time of planting.

Shrubs and ornamental planting. The minimum number of this type of plant material shall be 20 plants per commercial unit. The intent, however, is to assure that proper uses of under story plant material along the edges of buildings, walkways, bases of signs, bases of street lights, creation of plant walls, highlighting entrance ways, and basic ornamental planting.

Special Landscaping Emphasis. The following standards shall be supplemental to those requirements of subsection B above in cases where the Board determines that such requirements have not been met through the minimum standards set forth in subsection B.

Parking Lots. All parking lots in Commercial Development shall be landscaped In the following manner.

At a minimum, every tenth parking space shall be interrupted with a canopy tree two inches to three inches in caliper measured six inches from the top of the root ball. Such tree shall be planted at least two feet into an "island" so that it is clear of vehicle overhang and opening doors. The tree shall be so positioned and the island designed that the landscaping will not interfere with pedestrian circulation. The ground cover shall be installed on the parking lot island to prevent soil erosion. Additional plant material shall also be considered.

All overhand areas shall be designed with a hard surface from the outside edge of the wheel bumper (head of parking stall to a distance of three feet beyond that point).

Commercial building to edge of parking. The area extending between the wall of a commercial unit to the edge of any parking area shall be landscaped to achieve a visual transition with a combination of hedges, shrubs, bollards or other similar techniques. Area not used for walks or decorative hardscape treatment shall be landscaped.

Commercial unit to edge of street. The area extending between any commercial unit and street edge shall be landscaped with screen, buffer or ornamental planting as required to provide an appropriate transition between the two elements.

Common areas. Outdoor plazas and similar areas designated for passive recreation shall be landscaped with screen, canopy and ornamental planting.

Maintenance, storage, refuse collection areas. These areas shall be landscaped with buffer and screen planting to provide visual and physical separation of such elements from contiguous areas.

Landscaping for energy conservation. Landscape planting generally throughout the site shall be utilized to provide buildings with summer shade canopies, maximum winter exposure to sun, windbreaks, and similar features.

Developed common open spaces. The developed open spaces throughout any commercial project area shall be landscaped according to an overall theme incorporating existing plan material and supplementing it.

Utility fixtures such as transformers, heat pumps, gas and water meters throughout the site shall be screened with a combination of fencing and landscaping.

Buffer Areas.

It is the intent of this ordinance to require landscape buffers to separate uses and to achieve an acceptable physical and psychological barrier between such mixed uses

The following buffer standard shall be required to satisfy specific site conditions. Planted portions of buffers shall be no less than 10 feet wide and shall be planted as follows:

Buffer Screening. Double alternating rows of evergreen trees six feet to zero inch in height at time of planting, planted 10 feet on center. One deciduous canopy tree, two inches to three inches in caliper measured six inches from the top of the root ball, per every 20 linear feet of buffer screen.

Maintenance of Landscape Areas. All landscaped areas shall be maintained in a neat and professional manner throughout the life of the project to include the replacement of plant material as required. A maintenance plan shall be part of the Landscape Plan, and included in the landscape drawings. The agency, office or person charged with such responsibility shall be designated. All areas of site plan to be under a common association responsibility shall be designated on the site plan. The submission of a landscape plan shall include a statement that the premises shall be properly maintained at all times by competent workmen, and plantings shall be replaced as determined by the Township Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer.

Retention of Native Plant Material. All efforts shall be made to retain natural plant material. Clearing shall be limited to roadways, building sites, and common areas.

Location of Landscape Material. All landscape material shall be located so as not to obstruct vision in parking areas, along roadways, or other areas assessable to motorized vehicles.

Landscaping for Signage. All signage for commercial development shall be landscaped at the base in such a manner so as to highlight the immediate area around the signage.

§ 102-17.14 Lighting requirements.

§ 102-17.14-1.

General. Site plans shall include a lighting plan for vehicular, pedestrian and security within and adjacent to the project.

§ 102-17.14-2.

Design Criteria.

All lighting shall be designed, oriented, and selected to prevent glare upon surrounding properties or roadways.

Street lighting shall be provided along all project streets and project intersections.

Lighting standards shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the interior perimeter buffer lines, except along ingress and egress lanes where light standards may be located no closer than five feet from the lanes and not closer than 10 feet from the street right-of-way lines.

Light standards shall not be more than 25 feet in height overall and their bases shall be landscaped and maintained.

Pedestrian oriented lighting shall be low or mushroom type standards located along pedestrian routes. Height not to exceed three feet.

Security lighting provided throughout which shall light all security sensitive areas and any areas deemed to require lighting site plans by the Planning Board and/or local Police Department personnel.

Recreational lighting shall be provided for all recreational facilities incorporated as part of the recreational plan for any project. Such lighting, at a minimum, shall be installed to provide adequate illumination by which each designated recreational activity can be safely carried out. Current Illuminating Engineering Society Standards shall be maintained.

All lighting shall be in architectural character with building design and be embodied into an overall landscape design whenever possible.

Minimum Average Maintained Illuminance Standards, in accordance with Illuminating Engineering Society Standards as contained in the I.E.S. Lighting Handbook (Application Volume, Chapter 14), shall be as follows: