A zoning permit shall be required to be approved by the Zoning Officer prior to the commencement of any of the following:
A. 
The use or additional use or expansion of use of any land, structure or building, whether improved or unimproved, for any purpose.
B. 
The erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, conversion or installation of any structure or building, including signs and fences.
C. 
The occupancy or use or the change of occupancy or use of any land, structure or building.
If a zoning permit is denied by the Zoning Officer, an applicant may do one of the following:
A. 
Modify the proposed use or development so that it complies with all applicable provisions of this chapter, if possible, and reapply for zoning permit approval.
B. 
File the appropriate application for development, pursuant to Article 3 of this chapter.'
C. 
Take no action towards the commencement of the proposed use or development.
[Added 12-16-1996 by Ord. No. 96-18[1]; amended 7-20-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-09; 2-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-01]
A. 
This section is applicable in appropriate cases where minor development is proposed and may be exempt from obtaining site plan approval at the determination of the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer may issue a zoning permit after consultation with the Chairperson of the Planning Board and after the application has been reviewed by the Borough Planner and Borough Engineer to verify and confirm that no variances are required and that the site improvements and/or facade changes conform to applicable Borough design standards. Exemption from site plan review may be permitted for development involving any of the following:
(1) 
Minor alterations to the site, inclusive of the addition or removal of parking areas no greater than two parking spaces or 500 square feet.
(2) 
Minor alterations to one or more of the building elevations, structural changes, inclusive of awnings, canopies, and dormers to buildings without adding additional usable floor area for which parking is required under the provisions of § 110-154.
(3) 
The construction of a nonenclosed outdoor dining structure consisting of no greater than 500 square feet in floor area.
(4) 
The construction of an accessory structure consisting of no greater than 200 square feet in floor area.
B. 
An applicant may request an exemption upon application for a zoning permit by submitting four copies of an application for development and a statement setting forth reasons for the exemption and providing sufficient plan information as determined by the Zoning Officer to verify that an exemption may be granted.
C. 
Pop-up businesses shall be exempt from obtaining site plan approval.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 8 of this ordinance provided that this chapter shall become effective immediately in the B-1, B-2, B-3 and B-4 Zoning Districts and shall be effective in all other zoning districts two years following adoption and publication.
[Added 7-16-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-15; amended 2-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-01]
A. 
Applications which involve deviation from Article 48, Sign Regulations, limited to the following: one additional sign in addition to the maximum number of signs that are permitted, any sign with a dimension that is no more than 25% greater than the maximum permitted area, height, width, thickness of signboard, height of letters, numbers or other characters or images, any blade sign that has height of letters, numbers or other characters or images less than what is permitted, any blade sign that projects no more than 25% greater than the maximum projection from building wall, or any internally illuminated blade sign may be exempt from obtaining site plan approval at the determination of the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer may issue a zoning permit after consultation with the Chairperson of the Planning Board and the Executive Director of the Metuchen Downtown Alliance and after the application has been reviewed by the Borough Planner to verify and confirm that no variances are required and that all other aspects of the application conform to applicable Borough design standards. All other deviations from Article 48, Sign Regulations, shall be subject to minor site plan approval.
B. 
An applicant may request an exemption upon application for a zoning permit by submitting four copies of an application for development and a statement setting forth reasons for the exemption and providing sufficient plan information as determined by the Zoning Officer to verify that an exemption may be granted.