All building permits shall be issued in accordance with the provision of the Building Code of the Township of Riverside. No building permit shall be issued for any new structure or any modification to an existing structure unless a zoning permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer.
A. 
Zoning permit requirement. A zoning permit shall be required prior to the erection or structural alteration of any building, structure or portion thereof and prior to the use or change in use of a building or land, and prior to the change or extension of a nonconforming use.
B. 
Application for permit. Application for permits, including temporary permits, shall be made in writing to the Zoning Officer on such forms as may be furnished by the Township. No permit shall be considered complete or permanently effective until the Zoning Officer has certified that the work meets all the requirements of applicable codes and ordinances.
C. 
Plot plans for zoning permit. All applications for zoning permits shall be accompanied by three copies of a true and accurate plot plan drawn to scale, showing the location and size of each building to be erected upon each lot, the actual dimension of each lot to be built upon and such other information as may be necessary to enable the Zoning Officer to determine whether the proposed structure and use of land will conform to the provisions of this chapter. The Zoning Officer shall keep a record of all applications for zoning permits and a record of all permits issued with a notation of all special conditions involved. He shall also file and safely keep copies of all plans submitted and the same shall become a part of the records of his office for the use of the Township Committee and other officials of the Township.
D. 
Issuance of zoning permit. Zoning permits shall be granted or refused within 10 days after the written application has been filed with the Zoning Officer. Upon completion of the erection or alteration of any building or portion thereof authorized by any permit, and prior to occupancy or use, the holder of such permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. No permit shall be considered complete or permanently effective until the Zoning Officer has certified that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable ordinances.
E. 
Expiration of permits. No permit for the erection, razing, change, alteration or removal of buildings shall be valid or effective after one year from the date of issuance thereof and shall thereafter be void, unless the work authorized by such permit shall have been substantially commenced within one year from the date of issuance and proceeded with due diligence. If, however, the applicant has been delayed in proceeding with the work for which the permit was granted by reason of any reasonable cause not due to his own negligence, the permit may be renewed without additional cost to the applicant.
Application for any conditional use permit as permitted under the provisions of this chapter shall be made to the Planning Board Secretary. The Board Secretary shall forward the plans submitted in connection with the application to the professional staff for its report thereon as to the application effect on the comprehensive planning of the Township. Once the application is deemed complete, the Board Secretary shall schedule a hearing on the matter. The Planning Board may hold public hearings on the application prior to receipt of the report and recommendation referred to above, but may not finally act until the recommendation and report are received. Subject to the above, the Planning Board shall hear the application in the same manner and under the same procedure as it is empowered by law and ordinance to hear such cases and make exceptions to the provisions of Part 2, Zoning. The Planning Board may thereafter direct the Board Secretary to issue such permit if, in its judgment, any one of such cases will not be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the Township and is deemed necessary for its convenience. In approving any such application, the Planning Board may impose any conditions that it deems necessary to accord the reasonable application of applicable standards as provided in this chapter and may deny any such application but only in accordance with said standards.
A. 
Temporary use permits. It is recognized that it may be necessary in accordance with the purpose of the chapter to permit temporary activities for a limited period of time, which activities may be prohibited by other provisions of this chapter. If such uses are of such a nature and are so located that at the time of petition they will:
(1) 
In no way exert a detrimental effect upon the uses and land and activities normally permitted in the zone.
(2) 
Contribute materially to the welfare of the Township, particularly in a state of emergency, under conditions peculiar to the time and place involved, then the Planning Board may, subject to all requirements for the issuance of special permits elsewhere specified, direct the Zoning Officer to issue a permit for a period not to exceed six months. Such period may be extended not more than once for an additional period of six months.
A. 
Certificates of occupancy shall be issued in accordance with the procedures set forth by the Township Committee.
B. 
New uses. No building shall be occupied or used until such time as a certificate of occupancy is issued by the Zoning Officer, after determination that the building, structure or use is in conformance with the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
Existing uses. Upon written request from the owner, tenant, occupant or purchaser under contract, the Zoning Officer, after inspection, shall issue an occupancy permit for a use legally existing at the time this chapter is made effective, certifying the extent and kind of use and any other such existing use which conforms to the provisions of this chapter.
D. 
Change of use. No owner, tenant or other person shall use or occupy any building or structure after the use of such building or structure is changed after the passage of this chapter without first procuring an occupancy permit, provided that an occupancy permit, once granted, shall continue in effect so long as there is no change in use, regardless of change in tenancy or occupancy.
A. 
The prospective purchaser, prospective mortgagee or any other person interested in any land which forms part of a subdivision may apply, in writing, to the Township Clerk for the issuance of a certificate certifying whether or not such subdivision has been approved by the Planning Board. Such application shall contain a diagram showing the location and dimensions of the land to be covered by the certificate and the name of the owner thereof.
B. 
The Township Clerk shall make and issue such certificate within 15 days after the receipt of such written application and the fee therefore. Said officer shall keep a duplicate copy of each certificate, consecutively numbered, including a statement of the fee charged, in a binder as a permanent record of his or her office.
C. 
Each such certificate shall be designated a "certificate as to approval of subdivision of land" and shall certify:
(1) 
That there exists in the Township a duly established Planning Board and that there is an ordinance controlling subdivision of land adopted under the authority of the Municipal Land Use Law of 1975, Chapter 291.
(2) 
Whether the subdivision, as it relates to the land shown in said application, has been approved by the Planning Board and, if so, the date of such approval and any extensions and terms thereof, showing that subdivision of which the lands are a part is a validly existing subdivision.
(3) 
Whether such subdivision, if the same has not been approved, is statutorily exempt from the requirement of approval as provided within the Municipal Land Use Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
D. 
The fee for such certificate is indicated on the Township fee schedule.
In the event that, during the period of approval heretofore or hereafter granted to an application for development, the developer is barred or prevented, directly or indirectly, from proceeding with the development otherwise permitted under such approval by a legal action instituted by any state agency, political subdivision or other party to protect the public health and welfare or by a directive or order issued by any state agency, political subdivision or court of competent jurisdiction to protect the public health or welfare, and the developer is otherwise ready, willing and able to proceed with said development, the running of the period of approval under this chapter or under any ordinance repealed by this chapter, as the case may be, shall be suspended for the period of time said legal action is pending or such directive or order is in effect.
A. 
In the event that a developer submits an application for development proposing a development that is barred or prevented, directly or indirectly, by a legal action instituted by any state agency, political subdivision or any other party to protect the public health and welfare or by a directive or order issued by any state agency, political subdivision or court of competent jurisdiction to protect the public health and welfare, the Planning Board shall process such application for development in accordance with this chapter, and, if such application for development complies with the requirements of this chapter, the Planning Board shall approve such application, conditioned on removal of such legal barrier to development.
B. 
In the event that development proposed by an application for development requires an approval by a governmental agency other than the Planning Board, the Planning Board shall, in appropriate instances, condition its approval upon the subsequent approval of such governmental agency, provided that the municipal agency shall make a decision on any application for development within the time period provided in this chapter or within an extension of such period as has been agreed to by the applicant, unless the municipal agency is prevented or relieved from so acting by the operation of law.
No zoning permit required by this chapter shall be issued by the Zoning Officer until he shall have made such examination of the application and plot plan and such inspection of the property as are necessary to enable him to determine whether the proposed structure or use of land will conform to the provisions of this chapter. No certificate of occupancy required by this article shall be issued until the Construction Official and Zoning Officer have made such inspection as is necessary to determine whether the erection or alteration of the building or structure has been completed in conformity with the provisions of this chapter, or that the proposed use of occupancy of land will conform to the provisions of this chapter, It shall be the duty of the Construction Official and Zoning Officer, upon request of the owner, to make an inspection at any stage of the erection or alteration of a building or structure for the purpose of determining whether such erection or alteration is being made in conformity with the Uniform Construction Code and the provisions of this chapter, but the failure of the Construction Official or the Zoning Officer to make any such inspection shall not in any manner entitle such owner to a certificate of occupancy if such erection or alteration when completed does not conform to the Uniform Construction Code or the provisions of this chapter.