Article IV District Regulations

Farm.

One single-family detached dwelling per lot.

Community residence for the developmentally disabled, community shelter for victims of domestic violence, community residence for the terminally ill, and community residence for persons with head injuries.

Agricultural activities as regulated in § 50-301N.

Family day-care home.

Municipal parks and playgrounds.

Accessory uses and structures incidental to a single-family detached dwelling or a farm, including the sale of farm products from a farm stand on a farm and including a home office, as defined in Article I, in conjunction with a single-family detached dwelling.

Groundwater remediation structures and equipment.

The taking in of not more than two roomers or boarders within a dwelling, provided no cooking takes place within the guest room(s), and further provided that the dwelling remains its owner's principal residence.

Elder cottage housing opportunities (ECHO) units shall be a permitted accessory use, subject to the following provisions:

ECHO units must be located on a property containing a single-family dwelling that meets the minimum lot size requirement provided in § 50-203.

ECHO units shall comply with the applicable yard setbacks of accessory structures provided in § 50-203 and § 50-303C, E, and E(2).

The maximum impervious surface coverage for single-family residential properties containing an ECHO unit shall be 17%.

The maximum height of ECHO units shall be one story and 18 feet. ECHO units must have a pitched roof.

The maximum floor area of an ECHO unit is limited to 500 square feet.

ECHO units shall contain, at a minimum, a living/sleeping space, cooking facilities, a kitchen sink, and complete sanitary facilities for the exclusive use of its occupants ECHO units shall contain no less than two rooms, one of which shall be a full bathroom.

No parking is required for ECHO units.

Occupants of ECHO units must be income qualified affordable households. No more than two occupants are permitted to live within an ECHO unit.

ECHO units must remain affordable for 10 years. A deed restriction will be required to be recorded against the property.

A maximum of five ECHO units are permitted in the R-1 Zone.

Conditional uses (see § 50-309).

School.

Freestanding child-care center and preschool.

Church.

Flag lot subdivision.

Driftway subdivision.

Home occupation.

§ 50-402 R-2 Medium-Density Residential Zone.

Bed-and-breakfast inn.

Area and yard requirements: as specified in the Schedule of Lot Area, Yard and Building Requirements (§ 50-203). See also § 50-310, Steep slope development.

Uses prohibited in R-1 Zone: any use not specifically permitted.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district is created in recognition of the established character of Frenchtown's existing residential neighborhoods.

Permitted uses.

Each principal and accessory use permitted in the R-1 Zone.

One two-family dwelling per lot.

Municipal building, firehouse and other municipal public purpose uses.

§ 50-403 R-3 Multifamily Residential Zone.

Home office, as defined in Article I, in conjunction with a two-family dwelling.

Conditional uses (see § 50-309): all conditional uses allowed in the R-1 Zone, except that the conditional uses provided for in § 50-401C(4) through (7) shall only be permitted in conjunction with single-family detached dwellings.

Area and yard requirements: as specified in the Schedule of Lot Area, Yard and Building Requirements (§ 50-203).

Uses prohibited in R-2 Zone: any use not specifically permitted.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000; 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797; amended 3-4-2026 by Ord. No. 949]

Purpose.

To provide appropriate locations for multifamily dwellings according to specified design and development criteria as more fully set forth herein.

To provide an enhanced opportunity for higher-density residential development that will enable a developer to set aside and reserve a portion of the total number of new dwelling units constructed for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very low, low and moderate-income households. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as rental units, a set-aside of at least 15% of the total number of units constructed is required. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as for sale units, a set-aside of at least 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted uses.

Existing single-family detached dwellings and customary accessory uses as permitted and regulated in the R-1 Zone.

Multifamily dwellings consisting of apartment (flats).

In the context of the uses permitted in Subsection B(2) above, accessory recreation areas, such as swimming pools, sports courts, community buildings, playgrounds and picnic areas, provided such facilities are restricted for use by the residents of the development and their personal guests.

In the context of the uses permitted in Subsection B(2) above, accessory garages, sheds, maintenance buildings.

Conditional uses (see § 50-309). The conditional uses provided for in § 50-401C(4) through (7) shall be permitted in conjunction with existing single-family detached dwellings, as provided in Subsection B(1) above.

Tract development requirements for multifamily development.

Density. There shall be not more than 16 dwelling units per gross tract acre.

Tract area. There shall be a minimum tract area of 30,000 square feet, except that a smaller tract area may be permitted if the development is an expansion of an existing development and will share common driveways and facilities.

Tract frontage. The minimum tract frontage shall be 100 feet.

Tract setbacks and buffer strips.

Front yards. No building, structure or parking lot shall be located closer than 50 feet to the public right-of-way line of an existing street, except for permitted signs as regulated in § 50-302.

Side and rear yards. No building shall be located closer to any side or rear tract boundary than 25 feet.

Perimeter buffer strip. There shall be a landscaped buffer strip along the entire perimeter of the tract at least 10 feet in width as measured from the tract boundary, which buffer strip shall be suitably landscaped with trees, shrubs, and other ground cover as may be appropriate.

Access. All buildings shall front on an interior street system. Trenton Avenue shall be used to provide driveway or roadway access to the development as a whole but shall not be used to provide direct access to individual buildings or units within the development.

Impervious coverage. The area devoted to all buildings, accessory structures, parking areas, driveways, walkways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 55% of the tract area.

Common open space. The minimum common open space within the development shall be 30% of the tract area. The land in the perimeter buffer strip may be counted toward meeting this requirement.

Utility services and stormwater management. All development shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems. The design of the stormwater management plan shall incorporate water quality measures, such as rain gardens and other filtration systems. All on-site utility lines, including electric, cable and telephone service lines, shall be placed underground.

Building requirements.

Building height. No building or structure shall exceed 2.5 stories and 38 feet in height, exclusive of chimneys or cupolas, with such measurement taken at the front of the building. Accessory buildings and structures shall not exceed 15 feet in height.

Distances between principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 12 feet between the ends of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 25 feet between the ends of principal buildings where an access drive intervenes.

There shall be a distance of not less than 50 feet between front and/or rear walls of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 76 feet between principal buildings where a parking lot intervenes.

The distance between an end wall of one building and a front or rear wall of another shall be 50 feet.

Limitations on dwelling units.

There shall be not more than 16 multifamily dwelling units per building.

The maximum length of any individual building shall not exceed 180 feet.

No dwelling unit shall be confined exclusively to a basement or cellar nor to any floor above the second floor.

Exterior design standards.

The exterior of each building shall be presented as a single unified building with an articulated base and corners. Materials to be used on each building and throughout the development shall be subject to approval by the Board. The relative heights of various building elements compared to their widths shall, to the extent feasible, achieve a ratio of 1.618 vertical to 1.00 horizontal.

Each building shall have one or more roofed front porches with painted railings supported by painted turned wood or wood-like synthetic balusters. Each such porch shall be at least five feet deep. Porches shall occupy at least 60% of the front facade of the building to which it is attached. Porch floors shall be tongue and groove, may be made of wood or a synthetic smooth material, and shall be painted or stained.

Each building shall be clad in traditional painted wood clapboard or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material having the appearance of traditional clapboard and shall have articulated corners and base. Brick walls are also acceptable. All exposed foundations shall have a finished surface.

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs shall be prohibited. Roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs. Roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate shingles (which could include dimensional asphalt shingles) or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a slate grey color. If an alternative color is proposed, it shall be subject to a favorable recommendation from the Board's Historical Architect and approval by the Board.

If shutters are provided, they shall be of painted wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be proportioned and hung so that, if and when closed, they would completely cover the window. Shutters are not required. If shutters are not provided, windows shall be trimmed out in painted wood or painted smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material consistent with the architectural style of the building.

Windows shall be double-hung (except where casement windows are required for firesafety), and shall have simulated divided lights on both the interior and exterior faces with spacers between the panes of glass. The number of lights in each window shall be appropriate to the architectural style of the building.

Windows on each floor shall all be of similar size and type, unless an intervening smaller window serves an appropriate decorative function, and shall all be similarly trimmed. Window placement shall be such that there is balance and symmetry on all exterior facades. Blank walls are prohibited. Windows, doors, porches, pilasters, cornices and other horizontal and vertical building elements shall be used to achieve a human scale and avoid monotony. Side and rear walls of buildings shall have a composed pattern of windows appropriate to the architectural style of the front facade of the building.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code;[1] and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

No portion of the dish antenna may extend above the top of the surrounding railing, unless the unit owner can demonstrate that in the particular case of the unit in question, this requirement will unduly impair reception; and

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Editor's Note: See Ch. 12, Building and Housing.

The architectural design and materials used in the construction of garages, trash enclosures and other accessory structures shall conform to the design and materials used in the construction of the principal building(s).

Interior design standards.

Each dwelling unit shall contain complete kitchen facilities, toilets, bathing and washing facilities for exclusive use by the occupants as well as private living space. No portion of one dwelling unit shall be shared with another.

Where practicable, and to maximize privacy within each unit, bedrooms and living spaces in individual dwellings within the same building shall be separated by such spaces as bathrooms, kitchens, stairs or mechanical areas, and appropriate soundproofing shall also be provided between units.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

Garages, where provided, shall include sufficient room for the parking of at least one vehicle as well as bicycles, strollers, grills, sporting equipment and the like. Where a garage is not provided for a unit, that unit shall include an area for such storage that is accessible to the ground level and that is separate and apart from any clothing, linen, coat and cleaning closets provided.

Energy efficiency. Development are encouraged to incorporate energy efficient "green building" design to the extent practicable to reduce long-term maintenance and utility costs. Suggestions for energy efficient design may be found in the NJ Green Building Manual (greenmanual.rutgers.edu).

Parking standards.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to all dwelling units. All required parking spaces shall be provided on-site in designated garages and/or parking spaces accessed from interior streets or driveways.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Garbage disposal and recycling.

The owner or designated agent or the organization established to own and maintain the open space(s) and other common elements within the development shall provide and maintain in a neat and sanitary condition, either outside of or within each apartment building, appropriate containers for the orderly deposit, storage and removal of garbage and recyclables. Said owner or designated agent or the organization shall arrange and pay for the collection of garbage and recyclables on a regular basis.

All containers located outside of the building shall be situated and enclosed by masonry walls and landscaping so as to be obscured from view from buildings, parking areas, streets and adjacent properties.

Supervision and management of rental units. Developments that include rental dwelling units shall have a designated management agent, which agency may be located off-premises, provided that the name, address and twenty-four-hour telephone contact numbers of said agent are posted in several prominent locations within each building and registered with the Borough Clerk and Borough Police Department.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of this chapter.

No permanent development identification sign shall be permitted. During construction only, a temporary sign announcing the development and the names of the architect, builder, bank or other entity involved in the development shall be permitted, provided such sign does not exceed 32 square feet in area nor six feet in height and is placed outside of any right-of-way line.

Street furniture and lighting.

Appropriate site furnishings shall be incorporated into the site plan for the development, which shall include bicycle racks and may include flower boxes, arbors, planters, benches, fountains and decorative pavement materials, as approved by the Board.

Site furnishings as listed above and lighting fixtures shall be consistent in scale and architectural design with the buildings in the development and constructed of materials reflecting the style of the buildings on and adjacent to the property. Selection of site furnishings shall consider durability, aesthetics, and long-term maintenance costs.

Lighting shall be residential in character, subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage into buildings and onto adjoining properties and shall otherwise comply with the lighting requirements of the Land Use Ordinance.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. Freestanding lighting fixtures shall not exceed an overall height of 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences and walls adjacent to a street or interior common driveway or public sidewalk shall not exceed 2.5 feet in height. No interior fence or wall shall be higher than 4.5 feet in height.

Fences shall be of a decorative metal in a traditional cast-iron pattern or of decorative traditional wooden or simulated wood pickets. The type of fence shall be selected to complement the architectural style of the building(s). Fences shall be reinforced with larger posts at corners, entrances and gates and at forty-foot intervals. No chain-link fences shall be allowed.

Walls, if provided, shall be stucco, brick or local fieldstone or faced with local fieldstone or a similar material as approved by the Planning Board. If an alternative material is proposed, it shall be reviewed and favorably recommended by the Planning Board's Historical Architect and approved by the Planning Board.

Alternatively, hedges may be planted. Plant material used for hedges shall be native [see Subsection N(4) below for standards], shall be at least two feet high at the time of planting and allowed to grow no higher than four feet.

Affordable housing.

All affordable housing units shall be in full conformance with the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC), except as to the percentage of very low-income housing units required, and with all regulations contained in Article XVI, Affordable Housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Where one affordable unit is provided, that unit shall be a low-income unit. Where two affordable units are provided, one unit shall be a very-low-income unit and one unit may be a moderate-income unit. Where three affordable units are provided, one unit shall be a very-low-income unit, one unit shall be a low-income unit, and one unit may be a moderate-income unit.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

The landscaping plan shall be reviewed and shall receive a favorable recommendation from the Planning Board's Landscape Architect and shall be approved by the Planning Board. The landscaping plan shall consist of native plants, trees and shrubs. Invasive species as defined by the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team Do Not Plant List (https://www.fohvos.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Strike_Team_Do_Not_Plant_List_2020_04_24-1.pdf) shall be prohibited.

Pedestrian circulation, bicycle racks.

All buildings shall have entrances accessed by means of a walkway leading directly to the building from a common pedestrian walkway. Walkways shall be provided along all streets and/or all interior driveways and as needed to connect the buildings on the site to each other and to any common parking areas and amenities provided. Sidewalks shall also be provided as necessary both on- and off-site to facilitate pedestrian movement and connections to the existing public sidewalk system and to create opportunities for outdoor seating and gathering, placement of street furniture, etc.

Parking areas and pedestrian walkways shall be designed as attractive elements of the site in their own right with the use of trees, landscaping, and various building materials and textures. The use of pervious or partially pervious surfaces for walkways and parking areas is encouraged.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

Ownership and management of common areas, common elements and open space.

The areas, elements and/or open space in the development to be owned and used in common by the individual owners in the development or to be used in common by the occupants of the development but owned by an independent corporate property owner or management agent, shall have such common areas, common elements and/or common open space shown on the site plan, fully dimensioned, and designated as to the area of responsibility and the extent and type of ownership and such other conditions of usage or occupancy which shall be legally established and recorded therefor, and a description or plan of each such area shall be filed separately or as part of the descriptive maps of the development with the Tax Assessor. This requirement may be satisfied by the filing of a master deed in connection with a condominium form of ownership or by the filing of a declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions in connection with a homeowners' association, if applicable.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an entity for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas, common elements and open space for the benefit of residents of the development. Such entity shall not be dissolved and shall not dispose of any open space, by sale or otherwise (except to another entity conceived and established to own and maintain the open space for the benefit of such development), without first offering to dedicate same to the Borough of Frenchtown or other government agency.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b. and c. shall be applicable to the maintenance of any common open space.

As a condition of the approval of a proposed development, the Board shall require the adoption of certain binding rules and regulations or bylaws by the organization established to own and/or maintain common open space and other common areas, elements and/or structures located within the development. Such rules, regulations or bylaws shall not be changed without prior approval of the Borough Council, to ensure reasonable maintenance and adherence to any conditions of site plan approval.

§ 50-404 R-4A Central Commercial Zone.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district is established in recognition of the historic character and range of residential and nonresidential uses that already exist in the Borough's downtown area; to encourage a continued mix of uses which provides services and supplies to the immediate community while retaining the attractiveness of the downtown area to tourists; to retain and enhance the sense of place afforded by the Borough's downtown area; and to promote pedestrian movement and activity within and around the downtown. Standards for development are specifically designed to promote the appropriate adaptive reuse of existing buildings wherever possible and, when necessary, the construction of only complementary new buildings compatible in scale and design with the character of the historic district.

Permitted uses.

[Amended 8-3-2016 by Ord. No. 771; 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 819; 11-7-2018 by Ord. No. 820; 6-5-2019 by Ord. No. 834]

The following retail uses, provided no single establishment shall have a gross floor area exceeding 2,500 square feet or the area of the first floor of any building existing as of January 1, 2000, whichever is less:

Antique shops

Art/craft galleries and stores

Artisan food and beverage production

Bakery

Bicycle/sporting goods shop

Bookstore

Camera shop

Clothing store

Coffee shop

Computer supplies

Cooking school

Delicatessen

Electronics store

Fabric shop

Florist

Framing gallery

Garden supply shop

Gift shop/novelty store

Gourmet food shop

Grocery

Health foods

Hobby/craft supply shop

Home furnishings/linens/tableware store

Jewelry shop

Lighting shop

Liquor store

Luggage/leather goods shop

Music store

Pet store

Pharmacy

Restaurant

Secondhand store

Shoe store

Stationery store/office supply shop

Tasting room

Toy store

Video rental

The following service uses, provided no single establishment shall have a gross floor area exceeding 2,500 square feet or the area of the first floor of any building existing as of January 1, 2000, whichever is less:

Appliance repair

Bank, savings and loan

Barber/beautician

Caterer

Child-care center

Dance school or studio

Decorator

Exercise studio

Gymnastics school or studio

Indoor entertainment

Instructional use

Laundromat

Pet washing, self-service and full service, and pet grooming shall be permitted along with the associated retail sales in the R-4A Central Commercial Zone

Photographer

Printing/copy center

Real estate brokers

Shoe repair

Travel agency

Tattoo shop

The following additional uses, provided such uses occupy only buildings constructed prior to January 1, 2000:

Inn/hotel.

The following additional uses, provided such uses are located only above the ground level, unless expressly listed in Subsection B(1) or (2):

Artisan food and beverage production

Child-care center

Coffee shop

Digital makerspace

Incubator space

Instructional use

Insurance agency

Maker studio [see also Subsection C(3)]

Medical office

Office

One- and two-bedroom apartments

Restaurant

The following uses if and only if such uses existed on the premises as of January 1, 2000:

Dwellings (located wholly or partly on the ground level).

Permitted accessory uses.

One-story accessory buildings customarily incidental to the business uses, including parking lots, parking garages for up to four vehicles.

A cooking school may be an accessory use to an artisan food or beverage production facility or a gourmet food shop.

Accessory uses permitted in the R-1 and R-2 Zones in conjunction with any dwelling.

Municipal building, firehouse and other municipal public purpose uses.

Municipal parks and playgrounds.

Groundwater remediation structures and equipment.

Conditional uses.

[Amended 6-5-2019 by Ord. No. 834]

Outdoor displays: see § 50-309.

Wireless telecommunications towers and antennas: see § 50-309.

Maker studios on the ground floor, subject to the following conditions:

Said studio shall have an active window display.

Said studio shall offer an educational component, such as classes or a retail component in addition to the studio to create an active storefront.

Area, yard and bulk requirements.

Yards for existing buildings.

Front: existing setbacks shall be maintained, provided that no existing porch located along the front facade of a building shall be enclosed or removed. Accessory buildings shall be set back at least 20 feet from the front building line.

Side: zero or, where a side yard is provided, a minimum of 12 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

Rear: a minimum of 20 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

Yards for new buildings.

Front: a maximum setback of not more than one foot from the street line. An unenclosed porch may intervene between the street line and the front facade of the main building, provided that the front facade of the main building shall be not more than eight feet from the street line. Accessory buildings shall be set back at least 20 feet from the front building line.

Side: zero or, where a side yard is provided, a minimum of three feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

[Amended 6-5-2019 by Ord. No. 834]

Rear: a minimum of 20 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

Minimum lot requirements for new lots.

Minimum lot area: 15,000 square feet.

Minimum lot width: 80 feet.

Minimum lot depth: 150 feet.

Minimum required floor area for any new building: 2,500 square feet, at least half of which shall be located above the first floor.

Maximum permitted floor area for any new or expanded building: 10,000 square feet, at least 2/3 of which shall be located above the first floor. A lot may contain more than one principal building.

Maximum building height: three stories and 35 feet or, if erected prior to January 1, 2000, the existing building height, whichever is greater.

Minimum and maximum floor area ratios.

For lots of 5,000 square feet or less in area: a minimum sufficient to ensure compliance with Subsection D(4) and a maximum of 1.00.

For lots greater than 5,000 square feet and less than or equal to 10,000 square feet: a minimum sufficient to ensure compliance with Subsection D(4) and a maximum of 1.00 for the first 5,000 square feet of lot area and 0.70 for the balance of the lot area.

For lots greater than 10,000 square feet: a minimum sufficient to ensure compliance with Subsection D(4) and a maximum of 1.00 for the first 5,000 square feet of lot area, 0.70 for the second 5,000 square feet of lot area and 0.50 for the balance of the lot area.

The above provisions notwithstanding, where any existing building is proposed to be restored and reused and the Board finds that the restoration of the building will enhance the building's architectural contribution to the Frenchtown National Register Historic District, the existing floor area ratio on the lot, whether conforming or not, may be permitted to be increased up to another 0.10 to facilitate such restoration.

The above provisions notwithstanding, for any new or existing building for which the applicant will provide the required parking within an intra-block public or common parking lot to which a portion of the subject property will be dedicated, up to an additional 0.10 floor area ratio shall be permitted on the lot and such additional floor area shall be exempt from any parking requirements; provided, however, that sufficient off-street parking spaces shall be provided by the applicant to accommodate all of the rest of the floor area/uses within the building. Alternatively, where the applicant will not be constructing any additional floor area but nevertheless proposes to provide the required parking within an intra-block public or common parking lot to which a portion of the subject property will be dedicated, 20% of the nonresidential floor area of the existing building shall be exempted from any parking requirement.

The above provisions notwithstanding, the area of any accessory child-care center shall be exempted from the floor area ratio and parking requirements of this chapter.

Uses prohibited in R-4A Zone: any use not specifically permitted including drive-through and drive-up windows.

[Amended 6-5-2019 by Ord. No. 834]

Signs. Signs shall be permitted in accordance with § 50-302.

Parking.

All uses shall provide required off-street parking in the rear or side yard(s) in accordance with § 50-306, subject to the exemptions set forth in Subsection D(7)(e) and (f) above. No parking shall be provided in front of any building.

Adjoining parking areas shall be linked where possible.

The Board may consider granting variances from the parking requirements of § 50-306 where permitting such deviation would directly promote the retention of an existing structure of historic significance or the design of a new structure in accordance with all of the requirements of this section.

Special design standards. The special design standards set forth herein shall apply in addition to the standards set forth in Article VII, except that where there is a conflict between standards, the requirements of this section shall supersede. The standards presented herein recognize the unique heritage and historic character of development that has evolved in the Borough of Frenchtown. To preserve and enhance that character, the following guidelines for building design and facade treatment, lighting and street furniture shall be considered by the Board in its review of any proposed development or renovations within this district.

Building massing and scale.

Expansive blank walls and curtain walls are prohibited. Facades shall be broken down into segments through the use of fenestration, ornamentation and other design features.

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs are prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the traditional architectural style of buildings on the property and adjacent to it. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs.

A human scale shall be achieved at ground level through the use of design elements such as porches, windows, doors, columns, awnings and canopies.

For new buildings, the ratio of the height of various building elements to their widths shall be 1.618.

Side and rear elevations of buildings shall be given appropriate architectural treatment, which shall be comparable to that of the front façade if visible to the public.

Building materials.

Building materials shall be compatible with the predominant materials already used on structures on the site and adjacent to it. In the absence of such precedent, materials used shall be clapboard with wood trim.

Original materials shall be retained or recycled wherever possible.

Aluminum siding, vinyl or vinyl-coated siding, metal panels and mirrored glass exterior surfaces are prohibited.

Metal and vinyl awnings are prohibited. Awnings shall be of solid or striped canvas, extending no more than four feet from the building facade and located no less than eight feet above the ground.

Building details.

If several storefronts are located in one building, they shall be unified in design treatment (e.g., the design of windows and door openings; the use of materials and color).

All new storefronts shall include display windows with a sill height not more than two feet above grade.

Surface detailing shall be integral with the structure and functional rather than applied for decorative purposes. Original details shall be retained and repeated in new construction.

Exterior-mounted mechanical and electrical equipment shall be architecturally screened. Fire escapes shall be prohibited on the front or street-facing facades of buildings.

The rhythm of entrances, storefronts, windows, canopies and awnings of new or renovated facades shall be consistent with the prevailing rhythm of such elements along the block.

Signs.

Signs shall be of wood and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of this chapter.

The design of a sign shall be subservient to and consistent with the building it serves.

Where a building requires several different signs, they shall be thematically linked and shall be similar in materials, color and method of lighting.

Color. The painting of buildings in bold colors, patterns, trademark designs or other treatments of buildings as signs shall be prohibited except as artifacts of the building's past use or character if approved by the Board, subject to the requirements of § 50-302I.

Street furniture and lighting.

All street furniture (benches, newspaper boxes, phone booths, trash receptacles, etc.) and lighting fixtures shall be consistent in scale and architectural design and constructed of or enclosed with materials reflecting the style of the buildings on and adjacent to the property.

Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage onto adjoining properties unless specifically approved for that purpose by the Board.

§ 50-405 R-4B Transitional Commercial Zone.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. No lighting fixture, whether mounted on a freestanding pole or attached to the building, shall be placed above the soffit line of the principal building.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district encompasses lots that are peripheral to the Borough's downtown area and therefore provide a dual function. They both offer any appropriate location for somewhat larger buildings than contemplated for the R-4A Zone, which buildings need not necessarily accommodate retail uses on the ground floor, and, due to their role as transitional lots to abutting residential areas, require greater setbacks and buffering from residential zones. The purpose for the R-4A Zone with respect to the adaptive reuse of existing buildings applies in the R-4B Zone as well.

Permitted uses.

All of the permitted uses in the R-4A Zone subject to the requirements therefor at § 50-404B.

The following additional retail uses, provided no single establishment shall have a gross floor area exceeding 5,000 square feet or the area of any building existing as of January 1, 2000, whichever is less.

Appliance store.

Auto parts store.

Bed/mattress store.

Carpet and tile store.

Department store.

Electrical supplies store.

Furniture store.

Hardware store.

Paint/wallpaper store.

Plumbing supplies store.

The following additional service uses, provided no single establishment shall have a gross floor area exceeding 5,000 square feet or the area of any building existing as of January 1, 2000, whichever is less.

Funeral home.

Laundry/dry-cleaning establishment.

Carpet cleaning outlet, with off-site cleaning.

Office building with general or professional offices on all floors.

Conditional uses.

Gasoline station/repair garage.

Bed-and-breakfast inn in a preexisting single-family dwelling.

Freestanding child-care centers and preschools.

Churches.

Wireless telecommunications towers and antennas.

Area, yard and bulk requirements.

Yards for existing buildings shall be as provided at § 50-404D(1).

Yards for new buildings.

Front: a minimum setback of five feet from the street line and a maximum setback not exceeding the average setback of the closest building(s) on the same street. An unenclosed porch may intervene between the street line and the front facade of the main building within the minimum front yard setback.

Side: zero or, where a side yard is provided, a minimum of 12 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings; and a minimum of 10 feet for both principal and accessory buildings adjacent to a residential district.

Rear: a minimum of 20 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings, except adjacent to a residential district, where the minimum shall be 10 feet.

Buffer: a buffer at least 10 feet in width shall be provided adjacent to any residential district. Said buffer shall be fenced and/or planted with a landscaped screen as provided at § 50-707.

Minimum lot requirements for new lots shall be as provided at § 50-404D(3).

§ 50-406 R-4C Satellite Commercial Zone.

The requirements of § 50-404D(4) through (7) with respect to minimum and maximum floor areas for new buildings, maximum building height and minimum and maximum floor area ratios shall also be applicable in this district.

Uses prohibited in R-4B Zone: any use not specifically permitted.

Signs. Signs shall be permitted in accordance with Section § 50-302.

Parking. The requirements of § 50-404G shall also be applicable in this district.

Special design standards. The special design standards of § 50-404H shall also be applicable in this district.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district encompasses properties in a satellite commercial area located at the northern edge of the Borough of Frenchtown. In view of this district's proximity to residential areas in Frenchtown, the special design standards of the R-4A and R-4B Zones shall be applicable to this district, but the bulk requirements shall differ. It is expected that developments in the R-4C Zone will provide on-site off-street parking.

Permitted uses.

All of the permitted uses in the R-4A district subject to the requirements therefor at § 50-404B.

Funeral home.

Office building with general or professional offices on all floors.

Conditional uses.

Bed-and-breakfast inn in a preexisting single-family dwelling.

Freestanding child-care centers and preschools.

Schools.

Churches.

Area, yard and bulk requirements.

Yards.

For all new principal buildings or additions to existing principal buildings, the minimum front yard setback shall be 20 feet.

For all new principal buildings or additions to existing principal buildings, the minimum side yard setback shall be 12 feet on one side and 16 feet combined for both sides.

For all new principal buildings or additions to existing principal buildings, the minimum rear yard setback shall be 20 feet.

For all accessory buildings, the required setbacks shall be three feet from a side or rear lot line and a minimum of 20 feet behind the front building line.

For all existing principal and accessory buildings, the existing setbacks may be continued, provided there is no further encroachment into any of the required yards as set forth above.

Minimum lot requirements for new lots shall be as set forth at § 50-404D(3).

Minimum required floor area for any new building: 2,500 square feet, of which at least half shall be located above the first floor.

Maximum permitted floor area for any new or expanded building: 10,000 square feet, at least half of which shall be located above the first floor. A lot may contain more than one principal building.

Maximum building height: three stories and 35 feet, or, if erected prior to January 1, 2000, the existing building height, whichever is greater.

Minimum and maximum floor area ratios: the minimum floor area ratio shall be sufficient to ensure conformance with Subsection D(3) above and the maximum floor area ratio shall be 0.35, except that where an existing building causes the lot to deviate from the minimum or maximum, the floor area ratio as it existed on January 1, 2000, shall be permitted on the lot for as long as the existing building is retained.

Maximum impervious surface coverage: 70% of the lot area.

Uses prohibited in R-4C Zone: any use not specifically permitted.

Signs. Signs shall be permitted in accordance with § 50-302.

Parking.

All uses shall provide required off-street parking on-site in accordance with § 50-306, provided that, where off-street parking will be located such that it will be visible from a street, said parking shall be screened from direct view by a hedge at least four feet in height at time of planting.

§ 50-407 R-5 Low-Impact Industrial Zone.

Adjoining parking areas shall be linked where possible.

Special design standards. The special design standards of § 50-404H shall also be applicable in this district.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000; amended 6-7-2023 by Ord. No. 902]

Purpose. The purpose of this district is to acknowledge existing industrial sites and buildings in the Borough of Frenchtown which provide space for a number of small enterprises while regulating the reuse or redevelopment of these sites and buildings in a manner which will promote a more desirable visual environment, safeguard public health and safety, and include required off-street parking, loading, buffering and landscaping and low-level, nonintrusive lighting. Only uses considered to have a low impact relative to the performance standards set forth at § 50-308 shall be permitted in this district.

Permitted uses.

Machine or woodworking shop.

Fabricating of light metals.

Electronic assembly.

Mechanical assembly.

Storage of personal or local business inventory.

Packaging.

Research and development laboratories not using or producing any hazardous, toxic or noxious substances.

Medical laboratories.

Offices.

Electrical, painting and plumbing contractors.

Indoor commercial recreational uses.

Accessory uses and one-story accessory buildings customarily incidental to the permitted business uses, including parking lots, parking garages for up to four vehicles and child-care centers.

(13)

Municipal building, firehouse, public works garage and/or storage yard or other municipal public purpose uses.

(14)

Municipal parks and playgrounds.

(15)

Groundwater remediation structures and equipment.

(16)

Artisan food and beverage production, as defined in § 50-104 of this chapter.

Conditional uses.

Repair garage for automobiles (includes auto restoration), provided no gasoline or other motor fuels are sold on premises, subject to the regulations for gasoline stations/repair garages.

Wireless telecommunications towers and antennas.

Area, yard and bulk requirements. As specified in the Schedule of Area, Yard and Building Requirements (§ 50-203), in addition to the following:

One building may contain more than one use, provided that each use occupies a minimum gross floor area of 500 square feet. Moreover, the site may contain more than one principal building, provided that the maximum floor area ratio and impervious surface coverage limits for the zone are not exceeded.

The maximum floor area ratio on the site shall not exceed 0.50.

The maximum impervious surface coverage on the site shall not exceed 70%.

No principal building shall exceed 30 feet in height and two stories.

No principal building shall exceed 30,000 square feet in size.

Special design standards.

All requirements of § 50-301M, Outdoor storage and storage tanks, shall be met.

Off-street parking and loading areas shall be provided as set forth in § 50-306, which off-street parking and loading areas shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of § 50-706 and shall be fully screened from public view as set forth at §§ 50-706A and 50-707.

Loading docks shall be located to the rear of principal buildings.

A minimum of one and maximum of three loading docks shall be provided for each principal building.

Access to parking lots shall be separated from access to loading docks to the extent possible.

All portions of the property not utilized by buildings or paved surfaces shall be landscaped utilizing combinations such as fencing, shrubbery, lawn area, ground cover, contours, existing foliage and the planting of conifers and/or deciduous trees native to the area in order to either maintain or reestablish the tone of vegetation in the area and lessen the visual impact of the structures and paved areas. The final grades on the site shall be planned for both aesthetic and drainage purposes.

A buffer of 20 feet (minimum) shall be provided along any common lot line with a residential use or zone. Said buffer shall include screening in compliance with the requirements of § 50-707.

Buildings in this district shall be finished on all four sides with equivalent materials and shall be painted in a subdued color. Each building shall have one or more clearly demarcated public entrance(s) with pedestrian walkways leading between the parking lot and the entrance(s) and between the street and the entrance(s). Such pedestrian walkways shall be a minimum of four feet in width and shall be constructed of bituminous concrete or macadam unless a decorative paving alternative, acceptable to the Borough Engineer, is proposed.

If a fence in excess of six feet in height is erected within a front or side yard, evergreen shrubbery shall be planted between the fence and the street or adjoining property line to soften its impact.

Metal and vinyl awnings, aluminum, vinyl or vinyl-coated siding, metal panels and mirrored glass exterior surfaces shall be prohibited in this zone. Masonry construction is preferred.

Exterior mechanical and electrical equipment and utility structures shall be architecturally screened from public view.

Signs and lighting shall be as regulated at §§ 50-302 and 50-703, respectively.

§ 50-407.1 Overlay zones.

[Added 5-6-2009 by Ord. No. 663]

Applicability and purpose.

Applicability. These overlay zone regulations are applicable only to designated portions of the R-5 and R-2 Zones lying between Harrison Street and the Delaware River and shown as overlay zones on the Zoning Map for the Borough of Frenchtown.

Purpose.

The purpose of the overlay zone regulations is to allow the existing uses of the land to continue to operate consistent with the underlying R-2 or R-5 Zone regulations, as applicable, but to provide, as well, for redevelopment opportunities of the land in the overlay zones at such time as the sites in the overlay zones are no longer used or considered by their owners to be viable for their current purposes. To this end, the overlay zones will permit development/redevelopment that achieves two objectives:

To promote redevelopment along Harrison Street with residential uses, forms and densities that are consistent with and complementary to the residential uses, forms and densities already existing along Harrison Street; and

To create selective opportunities closer to the Delaware River and away from Harrison Street for adaptive reuse of existing industrial structures and/or construction of new structures comparable in size and scale to existing industrial structures found within the R-5 Zone that can house new residential uses at higher densities than exist or are proposed along Harrison Street.

To achieve these objectives, two separate overlay zones have been created. It is the express intention that all development and redevelopment that occurs in these overlay zones will occur in an organic and evolutionary manner so that new development will blend seamlessly with older development within the Borough of Frenchtown. To this end, developers and redevelopers are encouraged to subdivide parcels for piecemeal development by multiple builders, subject to an overarching design plan and architectural controls, rather than create a single integrated development package.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Within Overlay Zone A, each principal and accessory use allowed in the R-2 Zone, subject to the regulations of Subsection E below for such development.

Within Overlay Zone B:

Multifamily dwellings, townhouses and attached single-family dwellings, which may include, within the principal building, structured or garaged parking.

Parking lots, maintenance buildings and other common facilities customarily incidental to a multifamily, townhouse or attached single-family residential development.

Relocated existing wireless telecommunications "stealth" towers and rooftop antennas, subject to site plan approval.

Within Overlay Zone A, mixed-use live/work buildings, subject to the additional requirements of Subsection G below.

Conditional uses (see § 50-309).

Home occupations in Overlay Zone A only.

Development requirements for both overlay zones.

Tract area. The tract area for any development under the overlay zone requirements of this section shall encompass the entirety of the land within any tax block having any overlay zone designation and controlled by a single owner or developer.

Density.

In Overlay Zone A, the density of development shall not exceed 7.0 dwelling units per gross acre of land proposed to be developed in Overlay Zone A.

In Overlay Zone B, the density of development shall not exceed 24 dwelling units per gross acre of land proposed to be developed in Overlay Zone B.

Utility services. All development under the overlay zone requirements shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems.

Development requirements for Overlay Zone A.

Lot and yard requirements.

The minimum lot size for a single-family dwelling shall be 6,000 square feet and for each half of a two-family dwelling shall be 3,250 square feet.

The minimum lot width for a single-family dwelling shall be 55 feet and for each half of a two-family dwelling shall be 30 feet.

The minimum lot depth shall be 85 feet.

The minimum front yard setback shall be eight feet from the right-of-way of the abutting street and 12 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line along the abutting street. The maximum front yard setback shall be 15 feet from the right-of-way of the abutting street and 20 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line along the abutting street. Setbacks are encouraged to be varied slightly within these parameters. Porches shall be excluded from the measurement of the front yard setback.

The minimum side yard setback for a principal building shall be five feet where a setback is provided. The total of both side yards shall be a minimum of 10 feet for single-family homes and a minimum of five feet for each half of a two-family dwelling.

The minimum rear yard setback for a principal building shall be 35 feet.

Eaves, fireplaces, cantilevered structures and similar features shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 18 inches into the front, side and rear setbacks.

Building and impervious surface coverage.

The area devoted to all buildings and accessory structures shall not exceed 50% of the lot area.

The area devoted to all buildings, accessory structures, parking areas, driveways, walkways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 60% of the lot area.

Building height. No building shall exceed 2 1/2 stories and 38 feet in height, exclusive of chimneys or cupolas.

Development requirements for Overlay Zone B.

Building separations and setbacks.

There shall be a distance of not less than 20 feet between the short walls of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 50 feet between the long walls of principal buildings.

Where a short wall faces a long wall, the minimum distance between the buildings shall be 40 feet.

The above provisions notwithstanding, the minimum distance between buildings on either side of the extension of Ninth Street toward the Delaware River shall be 60 feet and the minimum building setback from any public street shall be 30 feet.

The minimum building setback from a parking area or internal street shall be 10 feet.

The minimum side or rear yard setback of any building from a property line that is not a street shall be five feet.

Building and impervious surface coverage.

The area devoted to all buildings and structures shall not exceed 35% of the tract area in Overlay Zone B.

The area devoted to all buildings, structures, parking lots, driveways, pathways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 60% of the tract area in Overlay Zone B.

Building height. No building shall exceed three residential stories, provided that the residential stories may be constructed over one level of structured parking, for a total of four stories, and further provided that the uppermost residential level shall not cover more than 75% of the roof surface of the level below. The maximum height of the residential floors of the building above the garage level shall be 40 feet measured from the finished floor elevation of the first residential level. Elevator shafts, roof-mounted mechanicals, cornices and parapets may be excluded from the calculation of building height. Separate buildings sharing a common elevator/service core may be separately measured.

Building sizes, scale and dimensions. The maximum width of any individual building shall not exceed 190 feet, and the maximum depth of any individual building shall not exceed 85 feet.

Locations of dwellings. No dwelling unit shall be confined exclusively to a basement or cellar.

Additional regulations for mixed-use live/work buildings in Overlay Zone A.

The permitted nonresidential use within the live/work building must occupy all or part of the ground floor level only and must face either Harrison Street or Eighth Street.

Permitted nonresidential uses within the live/work building shall be limited to the studio, workshop, office, showroom or gallery of a residential occupant of the building and the following uses, provided the business owner is also a residential occupant of the building:

Seamstress or tailor shop.

Computer services.

Sales of items made on the premises.

Dance school or studio.

Decorator.

Exercise studio.

Photographer.

Real estate broker.

Shoe repair shop.

Travel agent.

Barber/beautician.

At least one entrance shall be provided to the building that is exclusive to the residential use within the live/work building.

Parking need not be provided for the nonresidential use within the live-work building, as long as the residential parking requirement is met.

If the front of the building is designed to have a storefront appearance, the first floor facade shall have a large, clear, glass window or windows occupying 50% to 70% of the first floor wall area to display goods. Large blank walls are prohibited. Storefront windows may be either typical large, single-paned windows or may have multiple smaller panes separated by mullions. All multiple-paned windows shall have true divided lights.

A shop front should be separated from the second floor above by a horizontal architectural element such as a cornice, frieze, molding, etc. If awnings or canopies are provided, they shall be of canvas or a modern material that mimics canvas with traditionally dyed colors in solids or stripes. Metal and vinyl awnings are prohibited.

Architectural standards.

Dwellings within Overlay Zone A.

Each lot shall have a clearly defined front yard using hedges, walls or fencing.

Each building shall have a roofed front porch with balustrades. The porch shall be at least five feet deep and shall occupy at least 75% of the front facade of the building.

Each dwelling shall be of clapboard or clapboard-like material and shall have articulated corners and base. The ground floor of each dwelling shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet, and the exposed foundation shall have a finished surface.

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs are prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the traditional architectural style of the buildings already on the property or adjacent to it. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs. Roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a copper or bronze color.

If shutters are provided, they shall be of wood or wood-like cementitious or vinyl material and shall be proportioned and hung so that, when closed, they will completely cover the window. If shutters are not provided, windows shall be trimmed out in wood or wood-like cementitious or vinyl material consistent with the architectural style of the building.

Windows shall be double hung (except where casement windows are required for firesafety), and shall have true divided lights, with the number of lights in each window determined by the architectural style of the building.

Windows shall all be of similar size and type, unless an intervening smaller window serves an appropriate decorative function, and shall all be similarly trimmed. Window placement shall be such that there is balance and symmetry on all exterior facades.

Dwellings and buildings within Overlay Zone B.

Each dwelling unit shall have at least one exterior wall and at least two means of access to the out of doors, one of which may be an elevator plus a staircase from a common hallway, and one of which shall be an exterior door, window or balcony from the unit itself.

Where practicable, and to maximize privacy within each unit, individual dwellings shall be separated from one another by such spaces as bathrooms, kitchens, stairs or mechanical areas within the unit.

Clothes-washing and drying facilities shall be provided within each unit or, if not within each unit, on each floor.

Conveniently accessible, lockable individual storage areas for bulky personal items, such as but not limited to bicycles, strollers, grills, sporting equipment and the like, shall be provided on the garage or ground floor level of each building at the rate of one such storage area per unit within the building. Each individual storage area shall contain a minimum of 300 cubic feet, excluding any space required for the parking of vehicle(s), if located within a garage.

Except for existing buildings that are being adaptively reused, building materials shall be of local stone, brick, wood or wood-like cementitious or vinyl material. Aluminum siding, metal panels and mirrored glass exterior surfaces are prohibited. Samples of the materials to be used in construction shall be provided to the Board at the time of site plan review.

Exterior or roof-mounted mechanical, electrical and HVAC equipment, including elevator shafts, shall be architecturally screened from view with parapets or rooflines.

Each building shall be provided with a master television antenna cable or receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual television antennas or receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

Attachment of structure or equipment to exterior finished surfaces.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building other than: approved exterior or roof-mounted mechanical, electrical and HVAC equipment, including elevator shafts; approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural treatments such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code;[1] and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of a deck, balcony or patio attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

[a]

Such deck, balcony or patio must be surrounded by a railing not exceeding 36 inches in height or the minimum height required by the Uniform Construction Code, whichever is greater;

[b]

[c]

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Editor's Note: See Ch. 12, Building and Housing.

The provisions of this subsection shall not preclude the relocation of an existing wireless telecommunications tower to a "stealth" tower approved by the Planning/Zoning Board of Adjustment during site plan review nor shall it preclude the relocation of existing wireless communications antennas to the rooftop of any building in Overlay Zone B.

The exteriors of all buildings shall be collectively designed to provide a visual diversity that is nevertheless consistent with local architectural styles.

Each individual building shall have its own unified design and shall have quoined corners and an articulated base. The ground floor of each new building shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet, and the exposed foundation level shall be finished.

(l)

New buildings shall be designed to avoid unbroken lines. At least two offsets of at least four feet each shall be provided along all front and rear facades of new buildings, and such offsets shall have quoined corners. Blank walls are prohibited. Windows, doors, porches, pilasters, cornices and other horizontal and vertical building elements shall be used to achieve a human scale and avoid monotony. Side and rear walls of buildings shall be given appropriate architectural treatment comparable to that used on the front facade of the building. Window placement shall be such that there is balance and symmetry on all exterior facades.

(m)

If ground floor entrances are provided to any of the residential units, such entrances shall be clearly articulated with covered stoops or porches and defined front yard areas using hedges, walls or low fencing.

(n)

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs are prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the traditional architectural style of the buildings already on the property or adjacent to it, except that buildings in excess of three stories may have a flat roof. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs. Where flat roofs are provided, they are encouraged to be designed and used as "green" roofs available for use by all residents of the building as a passive or active recreational amenity. Permitted gabled or hip roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a copper or bronze color.

(o)

For existing buildings that are being adaptively reused, original building materials and trim shall be retained and recycled wherever possible. Additions shall be designed to blend as closely as possible with the architecture of the original building.

(p)

If shutters are provided, they shall be of wood or wood-like material and shall be proportioned and hung so that, when closed, they will completely cover the window. If shutters are not provided, windows shall be trimmed out in wood or wood-like material consistent with the architectural style of the building.

(q)

(r)

Windows on all sides of the buildings shall be sized and trimmed in a manner consistent with the architectural style of the building.

Parking standards.

Parking standards in Overlay Zone A.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to dwelling units in Overlay Zone A.

A garage may either be provided as a separate structure or attached to the principal structure, but in either case shall be located entirely behind the rear plane of the principal building.

Required parking shall not be provided in the front yard of a building. This shall not be construed to prohibit the use of a residential driveway not exceeding 20 feet in width for the parking of vehicles at any time.

Parking standards in Overlay Zone B.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to dwelling units in Overlay Zone B.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in common parking lots shall be prohibited in Overlay Zone B.

Accessory structures.

The architectural design and materials used in the construction of garages and other accessory buildings shall conform to the design and materials used in the construction of the principal buildings to which such structures relate.

Setbacks for accessory structures in Overlay Zone A shall be five feet from the rear lot line and two feet from the side lot line.

Setbacks for accessory structures in Overlay Zone B shall be the same as for the principal buildings, and accessory structures shall not be located closer to each other nor to any principal building in Overlay Zone B than 20 feet.

No accessory structure shall exceed 1 1/2 stories and 22 feet in height.

Garbage disposal and recycling (applicable to Overlay Zone B only).

The owner or designated agent or the organization established to own and maintain the open space(s) and other common elements within the Overlay Zone B portion of the development shall provide and maintain in a neat and sanitary condition, either outside of the buildings or within each building, appropriate containers for the orderly deposit, storage and removal of garbage and recyclables. Said owner or designated agent or the organization shall arrange and pay for the collection of garbage and recyclables on a regular basis.

Supervision and management of rental units (applicable to Overlay Zone B only).

Developments of rental dwelling units shall have a designated management agent, which agency may be located off-premises, provided that the name, address and twenty-four-hour telephone contact numbers of said agent are posted in several prominent locations within each building and registered with the Borough Clerk and Borough Police Department.

A condominium development in which an individual unit may be separately rented by its owner shall not be subject to this requirement.

Signage.

Permitted signs in Overlay Zone A shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or wood-like materials and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of this chapter.

In Overlay Zone B, no permanent development identification sign shall be permitted. During construction within Overlay Zone B, a temporary sign announcing the development and the names of the architect, builder, bank or other entity involved in the development shall be permitted, provided such sign does not exceed 32 square feet in area nor six feet in height and is placed outside of any right-of-way line.

Street furniture and lighting (applicable to Overlay Zone B only).

Appropriate street and site furnishings shall be incorporated into the site plan for the development including flower boxes, arbors, planters, benches, waste and recyclable receptacles and decorative pavement materials. All utility boxes and HVAC exterior equipment shall be screened by architectural elements or landscape plantings.

Street furniture (benches, trash receptacles, etc.) and lighting fixtures shall be consistent in scale and architectural design with the buildings in the development and constructed of materials reflecting the style of the buildings on and adjacent to the property. Selection of street furniture shall also consider durability, aesthetics, and long-term maintenance costs.

Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage into buildings and onto adjoining properties and shall otherwise comply with the lighting requirements of this Land Use Ordinance.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. No freestanding lighting fixture shall be higher than 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences or walls shall be used to delineate private front, side and rear yard areas whether on individual lots or in multifamily or townhouse buildings with ground floor entrances to the units. Fences and walls located in front of the front building line shall be a maximum of three feet high. No fence or wall shall be higher than five feet.

Fences shall be of a decorative metal in a traditional cast-iron pattern or a decorative wooden picket type. The type of fence shall be selected to complement the architectural style of the building(s). Fences shall be reinforced with larger posts at corners, entrances and gates and at forty-foot intervals. No chain-link fences shall be allowed.

Walls shall be faced with fieldstone. Alternatively, hedges may be planted. Plant material used for hedges shall be at least two feet high at the time of planting and allowed to grow no higher than four feet.

Affordable housing.

All new residential developments shall provide affordable housing on-site at the rate of 20% of the total proposed dwelling units, if the affordable units will be for sale, and at the rate of 15% of the total proposed dwelling units, if the affordable units will be for rent. All affordable housing units shall be in full conformance with the Rules of the Council On Affordable Housing (COAH) rules and Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC).

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer may either provide an additional whole affordable unit on site or make a proportional payment in lieu of the fractional obligation. The amount of the payment in lieu shall be determined using the presumptive payment in lieu for Region 3 in COAH's Rules as the multiplicand and the fraction of a unit due as the multiplier. The result shall be the payment in lieu.

Any required payment in lieu shall be made prior to the issuance of the first construction permit for the development.

Frenchtown Borough shall deposit all payments in lieu of fractional obligations into the Borough's dedicated Affordable Housing Trust Fund and shall hold such payments in the trust fund until approval of a spending plan is granted by COAH. Thereafter, such funds shall be used for any purpose permitted by COAH in furtherance of the provision of affordable housing within the Borough.

Open space, buffering and landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of this chapter.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with street trees of medium height such as Amur maple (Acer ginnala), Japanese Scholar tree (Sophora japonica), Green ash (Fraxinus caroliniana), etc., at an average spacing of 25 feet to 30 feet.

Views. Views from other properties through the site to the river or to other open space adjacent to the overlay zones shall be maintained and enhanced whenever possible through the arrangement of lots, streets and buildings. Eighth and Ninth Streets shall be constructed where not completed and shall be extended, where applicable, to facilitate views and access; required setbacks shall be measured from the street lines of such streets or extensions thereof.

Pedestrian circulation.

All buildings are required to have entrances accessed by means of a walkway leading directly to the building from a public or semipublic pedestrian walkway. Within Overlay Zone B, pedestrian walkways shall also be provided between all buildings and along all streets and/or all interior driveways and as needed to connect the buildings on the site to the surrounding neighborhood(s).

Existing sidewalks shall be connected wherever there are gaps and missing links. Within Overlay Zone B, sidewalks shall extend from the building facade or interior alleys or mews to the curb for the purposes of facilitating pedestrian movement and creating opportunities for outdoor seating and gathering, placement of street furniture, etc.

Ownership and management of common areas, common elements and open space (applicable to Overlay Zone B only).

The areas, elements and/or open space in the development to be owned and used in common by the individual owners in the development or to be used in common by the occupants of the development but owned by an independent corporate property owner or management agent, shall have such common areas, common elements and/or common open space shown on the site plan, fully dimensioned, and designated as to the area of responsibility and the extent and type of ownership and such other conditions of usage or occupancy which shall be legally established and recorded therefor, and a description or plan of each such area shall be filed separately or as part of the descriptive maps of the development with the Tax Assessor. This requirement may be satisfied by a master deed filed in connection with establishing a condominium form of ownership for the development in question.

The Borough of Frenchtown may, at any time and from time to time, accept the dedication of land, or any interest therein, for public use and maintenance, but no land proposed to be set aside for common open space shall be required to be dedicated or made available to public use as a condition of the approval of a site plan.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an organization for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas, common elements and open space for the benefit of residents of the development. Such organization shall not be dissolved and shall not dispose of any open space, by sale or otherwise (except to an organization conceived and established to own and maintain the open space for the benefit of such development), without first offering to dedicate same to the Borough of Frenchtown or other government agency.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of any common open space.

§ 50-408 R-6 Planned Retirement Village Zone.

As a condition of the approval of a proposed development, the Board may require that the organization established to own and/or maintain common open space and other common areas or elements or the structures located within the development adopt certain binding rules and regulations or bylaws, not subject to change without prior Borough approval, to ensure reasonable maintenance and adherence to any conditions of site plan approval.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district encompasses a large tract of environmentally sensitive land located in the southeast quadrant of the Borough. Development on this tract is intended to be tightly clustered on the more readily developable portions of the tract with most of the land remaining undeveloped and undisturbed. The preservation of natural features, such as steep slopes, mature woodlands, wetlands and floodplains, which lend this tract its natural beauty, are ensured by the low-density, low-impact development contemplated. Additionally, Frenchtown's evolution as an area that is attractive to tourists and its proximity to the recreational opportunities afforded by the Delaware River and the rural areas surrounding it, consistent with the Borough's planning area designation in the State Plan, suggest the appropriateness of developing this unique tract of land as a planned retirement village for active adults.

Permitted uses.

Single-family detached dwellings, patio homes, side-by-side attached two-family dwellings, townhouses, and/or flats (apartments or condominiums) within the context of a planned retirement village as regulated herein.

Municipal parks and playgrounds.

Public or private golf course, which may include an accessory clubhouse and maintenance and storage building(s), as regulated at Subsections I and J hereinbelow.

Private recreational facilities for the exclusive use of the residents of a planned retirement village and their personal guests, which facilities may include sports courts, swimming pool(s), a community building, bocce and horseshoe courts, a putting green, picnic areas, bicycle and pedestrian paths and indoor and outdoor exercise facilities. Equipment storage, maintenance and utility structures shall also be permitted as part of a planned retirement village.

Community residence for the developmentally disabled, community shelter for victims of domestic violence, community residence for the terminally ill and community residence for persons with head injuries, on a lot meeting all of the requirements for the R-1 Zone.

Accessory uses and structures customarily incidental to the principal permitted uses in the R-6 Zone.

Groundwater remediation structures and equipment.

Tract development requirements for a planned retirement village.

The minimum gross tract area for a planned retirement village shall be 100 acres.

The maximum permitted residential density of a planned retirement village shall be one dwelling unit per acre of developable tract area (see § 50-310).

[Amended 12-30-2003 by Ord. No. 606]

A minimum of 70% of the site shall be left as open space. This open space shall be configured so as to leave a buffer of at least 100 feet between the proposed development and adjacent properties and to leave a substantial "greenbelt" to the southeast of the development area.

Development shall be prohibited in floodplains and in minimum riparian corridors and on wetlands and wetlands transition areas, except as may be permitted by NJDEP, and on slopes over 20%. Development on steep slopes shall be subject to the regulations of § 50-310. To the extent possible, areas of unique and mature vegetation shall be preserved from development. The foregoing critical areas and natural features shall be included in the required open space except as may be necessary to gain access to the development area of the site.

[Amended 12-30-2003 by Ord. No. 606; 10-3-2012 by Ord. No. 718]

A minimum of one acre of the required open space shall be located in the center of the planned retirement village and shall be designed for use as a village green, surrounded by roadways on all four sides. The landscaping plan for the village green shall permit unobstructed views to and through the green. The green may contain a gazebo, band shell, patio and play areas, walkways and other similar improvements, but not buildings and parking areas, provided such improvements do not cover more than 25% of the village green area.

At least three different types of dwelling units shall be constructed within the planned retirement village, with a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 40% in any one unit type, except that single-family detached dwellings shall not comprise more than 30% of the units constructed. For each unit type, a range of unit sizes appropriate to an age-restricted community shall be provided as well, such that at least two different unit sizes are provided for each unit type.

The minimum net density in the development area shall be five dwelling units per acre, and the maximum net density shall be 10 dwelling units per acre, with at least 80% of the dwelling units located within one quarter mile of the village green.

All of the dwelling units within the planned retirement village shall be designed for occupancy by adult households having at least one member aged 55 years or older, except as otherwise provided herein, and with no children under the age of 19 years. An array of facilities and services specifically designed to meet the physical and social needs of adult households shall be provided as part of the development as further set forth herein.

Through its corporation, association or owners, the land and buildings within the planned retirement village shall be restricted, by bylaws, rules, regulations and restrictions of record, to use, ownership and occupancy by persons of 55 years of age or older, subject to the following exceptions, consistent with the requirements of the Federal Fair Housing Act, as amended:

A member of a couple under the age of 55 years who is residing with his/her partner, which partner is 55 years of age or over, may reside in the planned retirement village.

Twenty percent of the units in the planned retirement village may be occupied by households whose oldest member is aged 45 to 55 years, provided all other requirements of this section are met.

An adult under 55 years of age may reside in the planned retirement village if it is established that the presence of such person is essential to the physical care of one or more of the adult occupants of the same unit, which adult occupant(s) shall be 55 years of age or older.

Children under the age of 19 shall not be permitted to reside in any unit in the planned retirement village regardless of the age(s) of the parent(s) with whom they reside.

One unit in any such development may be occupied by a resident manager and family not meeting any of the above criteria.

The planned retirement village shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Fair Housing Act and all amendments thereto and all applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding such use, ownership and occupancy and shall further comply with all applicable HUD rules and regulations for self-certification of compliance with the Act and with HUD's rules and regulations. The residency restrictions applicable to the development shall be reviewed by the Board Attorney for compliance with this section.

A planned retirement village development shall be served by a public water system and by a public or NJDEP-approved on-site sewage collection and treatment system. Where adequate sewage treatment capacity is not available in the existing public system, the developer shall have the option of either installing a separate sewage treatment facility to serve the development which shall meet all NJDEP requirements and all requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:21, the Residential Site Improvement Standards, or may elect to upgrade the Borough's existing sewage treatment plant and sewerage facilities to accommodate the effluent from the development.

Special design requirements for a planned retirement village.

Garages.

Garages shall not be located on the same front plane as the street facade of the house, and shall either be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the front facade or shall be located in the rear yard area of the lot and connected to the street with a driveway set back a minimum of two feet from side property lines.

Garages located in the rear yard shall be set back a minimum of five feet from a rear lot line and two feet from a side lot line. Windows are encouraged on garage facades facing rear and side yards. Garage doors shall be partially screened from view from the street with vegetation or latticework or a fence which is at least 50% visually impervious, or by the placement of the garage doors.

Garages shall be architecturally complementary to the principal buildings.

Fences.

Fencing shall be used to delineate private front, side and rear yard areas on individual lots. Fences located in front of the front building line shall be a maximum of three feet high. No fence shall be higher than five feet high.

Fences used on individual lots shall be of a decorative metal in a traditional cast-iron pattern or a decorative wooden picket type using pressure-treated wood. Fences shall be reinforced with larger posts at corners, entrances and gates and at forty-foot intervals. No chain-link fences shall be allowed.

Alternatively, hedges or a series of bushes creating a hedgerow may be permitted. Such vegetation shall be at least two feet high at the time of planting and allowed to grow no higher than four feet. The fences or hedges or both shall be designed to complement the architectural style of the building(s).

Other fences used throughout the development may be of the types specified above or may be solid or board-on-board fences, provided that the style selected is compatible with the architecture of the building(s) to which the fencing is related.

Decks and porches.

Decks may be provided at the rear of individual dwelling units other than flats. For townhouses, patio homes and side-by-side attached two-family dwellings, the area of each individual deck shall not exceed 100 square feet, which shall intrude not more than 10 feet into the required rear yard. For single-family detached dwellings, the area of each individual deck shall not exceed 200 square feet, which may intrude not more than 12 feet into the required rear yard.

Porches are encouraged and may intrude up to six feet into required front yards.

Trash and recycling.

All units shall include provision for the enclosed storage of household trash and recyclables. Such facilities shall be of adequate size to meet the projected volume of solid waste and to provide for ease of separation of recyclables.

For buildings containing flats, solid waste disposal and recycling of household materials shall be the exclusive responsibility of the property owner or the condominium association. In such cases, at least one solid waste pickup location shall be provided for each 20 units, which location shall be totally enclosed by a seven-foot-high masonry wall compatible with the architectural styling of the building(s), landscaped and with a gate or entry on one side. Such enclosure(s) shall provide suitably sized containers approved by the Borough for the collection of solid waste and recyclables.

The individual property owners within the development, or the organization established to maintain the common elements, shall be responsible for arranging for the removal of all solid waste and recyclables.

Recreation vehicle and boat storage. A separate area shall be created in the development for the at-grade parking and storage of recreation vehicles and boats belonging to residents of the development. Such area shall be completely screened from view from roadways and from the residential uses within and adjacent to the development. Such storage area may be located within a portion of the required open space on the tract.

Open space, buffering and landscaping.

All portions of the open space which will not be utilized for active recreational purposes shall be deed restricted against future development with a conservation easement and held in common ownership by the owners of the planned retirement village.

A minimum buffer of 100 feet shall be provided between the development on the site and any adjacent properties. The buffer shall include existing vegetation, new plantings, or both, sufficient to create a 75% visually impervious year round screen. To the extent that the 75% visually impervious screen criterion cannot be met, the width of the buffer shall be increased as follows:

% Visually Impervious	Width of Buffer (feet)
65%	150
50%	200
Other	By interpolation

The visually impervious screening requirement may be waived by the Board where the entire 100-foot buffer will consist of existing mature woodlands.

Buffering and screening requirements shall otherwise and also be as specified at §§ 50-307 and 50-707 of this chapter.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of this chapter.

Pathways. The design of the development shall include provisions for bicycle paths and pedestrian pathways, in addition to the sidewalks required by N.J.A.C. 5:21, the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS), as part of the recreational amenities of the development. The sidewalk system in the vicinity of all of the units and around the village green shall be completely barrier-free.

Street furniture.

Street furniture such as trash receptacles, benches and the like, shall be located and sized in accordance with their anticipated use.

Street furniture elements shall be compatible in form, material and finish. Style shall be coordinated with that of the site architecture and decorative streetlighting.

Selection of street furniture shall also consider durability, aesthetics, and long-term maintenance costs.

Access.

Access to the site shall be created by means of a new roadway connecting Routes 12 and 29, to be constructed as part of the development.

Driveways shall not be permitted to have direct access onto the new roadway but shall instead access lower-order streets within the development.

All streets shall meet the standards set forth at N.J.A.C. 5:21, the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS), and § 50-711 of this chapter.

Building materials and design.

A consistent architectural theme shall be used throughout the development. The Design Vocabulary, which consists of the style, materials and colors to be used throughout the planned retirement village, shall be presented to the Board for review prior to the preparation of detailed architectural drawings, as part of an informal review.

Building mass and spatial relationships shall emulate the existing historic character of the Borough of Frenchtown through the layout of streets, building scale, building spacing, materials used, colors, facade modulations, and fencing and landscaping of private yards.

The following principles shall be used in the arrangement of dwelling units on the tract:

Dwellings adjacent to and across the street from each other shall differ, at least as to their style, facade treatment, colors and/or materials used, to insure variation in the streetscape.

The smallest dwelling units and highest net densities shall be located in the center of the community, around the village green, with lower densities reached at the periphery of the development.

All buildings shall have similar pitched roofs. The roof pitches shall have a minimum 9 on 12 pitch when a pitched roof is integral to the design and style of the building. Flatter roofs shall have articulated cornices.

All windows shall be of vertical rectangular configuration with muntins and be constructed of wood, aluminum and/or vinyl clad.

The exterior building surface materials shall be of wood, brick or local stone. Vinyl or aluminum siding shall be avoided.

Roof material shall be slate or wood or shall emulate the look of these materials.

Facades shall be consistent with the historic character of Frenchtown in their style and detailing. Front porches or covered entranceways shall be encouraged and may intrude up to six feet into required front yards.

Parking.

Parking shall be provided as required at N.J.A.C. 5:21, the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS) and §§ 50-306 and 50-706 of this chapter.

On-street parking to accommodate visitors may be permitted on all streets except for the new access road connecting Routes 12 and 29.

All design requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:21, the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS), and Article VII of this chapter shall be complied with, in addition to the special design requirements contained in this section.

Bulk requirements for permitted dwelling unit types.

Buildings on individual lots:

	Single-Family Detached	Patio Homes	Attached Side-by-Side Two-Family	Townhouses	Building Containing Flats
Area (square feet)	8,800	5,500	5,000 per unit	2,000	20,000
Width (feet)	80 feet	55	45 per unit	22 (interior unit) 40 (end unit)	200
Depth (feet)	110	100	110	90	150
Front yard¹ (feet)	20	20	20	15	30
Side yard² (feet)	20 feet each	5 (one side) 25 (both sides)	20 (one side only)	20 (end unit only)	25 each
Rear yard (feet)	50	50	50	35	50
Height³ (feet)	35	35	35	35	35

NOTES:
¹	The area in front of the front building line shall be enclosed by a wood picket or decorative metal fence, hedge or stone wall. No parking shall be permitted in any front yard. Porches may extend into required front yards by up to six feet.
²	There shall be a minimum of two feet between any driveway and the nearest property line.
³	The height shall not include chimneys or cupolas.

Condominium ownership. Buildings of the above types which will be held in condominium rather than fee simple ownership shall be designed such that the building separations would accommodate the subdivision of individual lots meeting the above requirements.

Additional parameters for each dwelling unit type.

Single-family detached dwelling.

Each lot shall have clearly defined front and rear yards using a hedge, wall or fencing.

Each dwelling shall have an unenclosed front porch at least five feet deep along at least 75% of the front of the house.

The ground floor of each dwelling shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet.

Each dwelling shall have articulated corners and base.

A garage shall either be provided as a separate structure in the rear yard or attached to the principal structure, with an additional front yard setback from the street of 10 feet.

Patio home.

Each patio home lot shall have clearly defined front and rear yards using a hedge, wall or fencing.

Each dwelling shall have a separate entrance articulated with a covered stoop or porch.

The ground floor of each dwelling shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet.

Each dwelling shall have articulated corners and base.

A garage shall either be provided as a separate structure in the rear yard or attached to the principal structure, with an additional front yard setback from the street of 10 feet.

Attached side-by-side two-family dwelling.

Each lot shall have clearly defined front and rear yards using a hedge, wall or fencing.

Each dwelling shall have a separate entrance articulated with a covered stoop or porch, which porch may be shared by both units if it covers 75% of the entire width of the structure.

The ground floor of the building shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet.

Each building shall have articulated corners and base.

A garage shall either be provided as a separate structure in the rear yard or attached to the principal structure, with an additional front yard setback from the street of 10 feet.

Townhouse.

There shall not be more than six townhouses in a single building.

Each townhouse unit shall have clearly defined front and rear yards using a hedge, wall or fencing.

Each townhouse unit shall have a separate entrance articulated with a covered stoop or porch.

The ground floor of each townhouse building shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet.

No more than two units shall be on a single plane. A minimum four-foot front facade setback shall be provided between each pair of units.

The exterior of the townhouse building shall be of unified design articulated as a single building and shall be constructed of wood, brick, or local stone with quoined corners and an articulated base.

Parking for townhouses may be provided in a common off-street parking area or in garages accessed from a rear alley.

Flats (apartments or condominiums).

A maximum of 12 units shall be located in each building.

Entrances to each of the units shall be clearly articulated with covered stoops or porches and defined front yard areas using a hedge, wall or fencing.

No more than four units (two first floor and two second floor) shall be on a single plane. Minimum four-foot front facade setbacks shall be provided between each set of four units.

The ground floor of each building shall be raised off the ground plane a minimum of two feet.

The exterior of the building shall be of unified design articulated as a single building and shall be constructed of wood, brick or local stone with quoined corners and articulated base.

Parking for these units shall be provided in a common off-street parking area which shall not be located closer to the front street line than the front building line and may be accessed by a rear alley.

All buildings containing flats shall face the village green.

Coverage by buildings and impervious surfaces. The maximum tract coverage by all buildings shall not exceed 8%. The maximum tract coverage by all impervious surfaces, inclusive of buildings but exclusive of drainage and stormwater detention or retention features, shall not exceed 25%.

Amenities and recreation requirements.

A planned retirement village shall provide common recreational and community facilities for the exclusive use of its adult residents.

Areas set aside for recreational purposes shall provide facilities for active and passive recreation particularly suitable for adults aged 55 years or older. Such recreation shall include, as a minimum, a swimming pool and a multipurpose clubhouse building containing a minimum of 20 square feet per dwelling unit as well as two or more of the following: outdoor sitting areas; walking and bicycling paths; exercise trails; tennis, bocce, shuffleboard or horseshoe courts; chipping and putting greens; and similar appropriate active and passive recreational areas and facilities.

The clubhouse building shall be designed and equipped to meet the social and recreational needs of the anticipated residents. This may include hobby and craft rooms, lounge areas, meeting rooms, card rooms, exercise rooms, rooms providing support facilities for outdoor recreational facilities or other similar facilities, all as required to meet the needs of persons 55 years of age and older.

The development plan for the site, its developed facilities and the interior of residential units in a planned retirement village shall be specifically designed to meet the potential physical and social needs of the residents, specifically addressing the visual, auditory, ambulatory and other impairments that may affect older persons as residents age in place.

Each dwelling unit shall be equipped with central heating and air-conditioning systems with independent controls for each.

Each dwelling unit shall contain its own clothes washer and dryer.

Fire alarms shall be installed in each dwelling unit in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.).[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 12, Building and Housing.

On-site security and maintenance service systems may be provided, which may include an entrance gatehouse, fences, walls and support services buildings.

Ownership and management of common areas, elements and open space.

The areas, elements and/or open space in the development to be owned and used in common by the individual owners in the development or to be used in common by the occupants of the development but owned by an independent corporate property owner or management agent, shall have such areas, elements and/or open space shown on the site plan, fully dimensioned, and designated as to the area of responsibility and the extent and type of ownership and such other conditions of usage or occupancy which shall be legally established and recorded therefor, and a description or plan of each such area shall be filed separately or as part of the descriptive maps of the development with the Tax Assessor. This requirement may be satisfied by a master deed filed in connection with establishing a condominium form of ownership for the development in question.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an organization for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas, elements and open space for the benefit of residents of the development. Such organization shall not be dissolved and shall not dispose of any open space, by sale or otherwise (except to an organization conceived and established to own and maintain the open spaces for the benefit of such development), without first offering to dedicate the same to the Borough of Frenchtown or other government agency.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of the open space.

If any open space, wetlands or common areas on the tract are dedicated to and accepted by the Borough, the area of such portions of the tract shall nonetheless be included in calculating the permitted density of the development.

As a condition of the approval of a proposed development, the Board shall require of the organization established or to be established to own and/or maintain common open space and other common areas or elements or the structures located within the development that it adopt certain binding rules and regulations or bylaws, not subject to change without prior Borough approval, with respect to ensuring the objectives and purposes of reasonable maintenances. Said requirements of the Board may vary as to particular applications and the buildings, structures, and uses proposed therein; provided, however, that any such variation of requirements shall not be inconsistent with each other.

Conditions of preliminary approval.

As a condition of preliminary approval of the development, the Board may provide for final approval of the plan and construction of the project in whole or in one or more sections or stages. If the development will occur in stages, such stages shall be:

Substantially and functionally self-contained and self-sustaining with regard to access, parking, utilities, open spaces and similar physical features and capable of substantial occupancy, operation and maintenance upon completion of construction and development, and no section shall exceed the overall maximum density permitted for the entire plan unless such density is offset by a smaller concentration of density in any completed prior stage or by an appropriate reservation of common open space on the remaining land by a grant of easement or by a covenant approved by the Board and running in favor of the Borough. Such reservation, shall, as far as practicable, defer the precise location of such common open space until an application for final approval is filed so that maximum flexibility will be maintained.

Properly related to other services within the development as a whole and to those facilities and services yet to be provided in the full execution and implementation of the development.

Provided with such temporary or permanent transitional features, buffers or protective areas as the Board may require with appropriate conditions of ownership and maintenance so as to prevent damage or detriment to any completed sections or stages and to adjoining properties during construction of subsequent sections or stages.

Plans and specifications showing each section or stage shall be filed with the Board and shall be of sufficient detail and at such scale as to fully demonstrate the arrangement and locations of all proposed structures, uses, parking, driveways, roadways, landscaping, public and private utilities and service facilities and the proposed forms of ownership of all areas on the site.

The Board shall make the specific findings of fact set forth at N.J.S.A. 40:55D-45 in its resolution approving the development.

Tract development requirements for a golf course.

The tract on which the golf course is to be constructed shall comprise at least 125 acres.

The length of the golf course shall not be less than 6,500 yards per 18 holes.

The golf course shall be the sole principal use on the tract. In particular, there shall be no residential uses developed on the tract, whether in conjunction with the golf course or otherwise.

No portion of any golf tee, fairway or green shall be located closer than 100 feet to any tract boundary or public road right-of-way, except that cart paths may be located no closer than 50 feet to such boundaries or roads.

There shall be a direct driveway access to the golf course, over the tract, from a state road.

A vegetated buffer at least 100 feet wide, consisting of native trees, shrubs and ground cover, shall be provided and maintained between any turf area which will be treated with fertilizers or pesticides and the closest point of any 100-year floodplain; or if there is no floodplain, the top of bank of any permanent, nonseasonal stream or open water body, on or off site; except that up to 35% of such stream or pond frontage shall be exempt from this requirement, upon a showing of good cause by the applicant.

Gasoline-powered golf carts shall be prohibited on any golf course.

The golf course may include principal and accessory structures for the enjoyment of members and guests and for the maintenance of the golf course and golf-related facilities. The clubhouse may include a dining or grill room not exceeding 100 seats and a bar with a club license.

Area, yard and bulk regulations for the golf course shall be as follows:

Minimum:

Lot area: 200 acres.

Lot width: 3,000 feet.

Front yard: 300 feet.

Side yard: 200 feet.

Rear yard: 200 feet.

Distance between buildings: 25 feet.

Maximum:

Floor area of all buildings: 40,000 square feet.

Impervious surface coverage: 5%.

Assurances shall be provided to the Board that all necessary utilities and services are available and adequate for the proposed development, including wastewater treatment, potable water and irrigation water.

Special design requirements for a golf course.

The golf course shall be designed and situated to minimize conflicts with existing and future land uses, and the layout of the course shall provide safe locations for tees, fairways, greens and practice areas in relation to adjacent land uses and roadways, both on- and off-site.

The golf course shall be designed to minimize the opportunity for golf balls to be hit beyond the tract boundaries.

No more than 50% of the wooded area (as shown on the most recent aerial photographs available) shall be cleared, and any clearing beyond 35% of the wooded acreage of the tract shall be mitigated by replacement with native trees and shrubs elsewhere on the tract. Priority for such replacement shall be given to locations where stream corridors are not shaded by vegetation at the time of development.

No clearing, grading or site improvements related to the golf course shall be conducted in areas of 20% slope or greater, except that areas of play (tees, greens, bunkers, fairways and practice facilities) created as part of the golf course which result in new areas of steep slope shall not be deemed to violate this requirement.

An Integrated Turf Management Plan and Integrated Pesticide and Pest Management Plan shall be provided, which are specific to the operation and maintenance of the proposed golf course. These plans shall be prepared in accordance with guidelines established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and shall take into account guidelines promulgated by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Golf Course Superintendents' Association of America (GCSAA). These plans shall use best management practices (BMPs) to prevent and/or minimize adverse impacts of the golf course on groundwater and surface water resources.

Assurances shall be provided that the owner/operator will take all steps to avoid any adverse impacts on surface water and groundwater which result from the operation of the golf course. Should any adverse impact result, the owner/operator shall correct the problem and mitigate the impacts. Monitoring of surface water and groundwater quality and quantity shall be provided by the owner(s) according to a plan prepared specifically for the proposed golf course and approved by the Board in consultation with the Borough Board of Health and in consultation with the Pesticide Control Program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Such monitoring program shall detail the type, timing and frequency of testing, as well as identify the specific chemical parameters to be tested, and shall be established at the time the Integrated Turf Management Plan and the Integrated Pesticide and Pest Management Plans are approved by the Board. A continuing monitoring program shall be established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The results of such water quality monitoring shall be submitted by the owner(s) to the Borough Board of Health and the Board within 30 days of receipt of such results by the owner(s). Also, continuous water table monitoring equipment (data log) shall be installed and maintained as specified by the Borough Board of Health. Test results of such water quality monitoring shall be submitted by the owner(s) to the Board of Health within 30 days of receipt of such results by the owner(s).

A water use budget and water recycling plan shall be prepared and submitted to the approving authority, which budget and plan shall be specific to the proposed golf course. The water use budget and water recycling plan shall detail the source(s) of potable and irrigation water, the projected amounts which will be required and the water supply capacity of any aquifer from which such water will be withdrawn, as outlined in "Water for the 21st Century: The Vital Resource - New Jersey Statewide Water Supply Plan," prepared by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Environmental Planning (August 1996). The aquifer test plan shall be submitted to the Borough Planning/Zoning Board of Adjustment and Borough Board of Health at the same time it is submitted to the regulatory authority.

Following the installation of any well intended to serve as a water supply source for the golf course, and prior to the issuance of a construction permit, a pump test shall be conducted at the maximum projected pumping rate, according to Borough Board of Health standards, to assess the impact(s) on other well users in the vicinity, both within and outside of the Borough of Frenchtown. If significant well interference is demonstrated during interference tests on an existing well (observation well), the new well shall not be certified for use. In such instances, the applicant may be required to demonstrate why the documented well interference is not significant. If a significant adverse impact of interference cannot be remedied, certification of the new well may be denied by the Board of Health.

Wherever a waterway crossing is proposed, such crossing shall be designed to minimize the removal of trees and other shading vegetation; and all crossings shall be bridged, and not designed with culverts, except for access driveways.

Clearing, grading and other disturbances shall be designed to avoid the nesting, breeding and feeding areas of endangered and threatened animal species, and to avoid the locations of endangered and threatened plant species.

Construction of runoff collection ponds is encouraged for use as stormwater management devices and as sources of irrigation water.

§ 50-409 R-7 Open Space/Conservation Zone.

Grasses selected for use on a golf course shall be drought and pest and disease resistant to minimize the use of chemicals and irrigation.

(13)

Soil erosion and sedimentation shall be minimized through golf course design which minimizes the need for mass grading for greens, tees and fairways; coordinated soil erosion and sediment control measures; and construction phasing which limits the extent of clearing and soil exposure, prior to revegetation.

(14)

Exterior site lighting shall be limited to safety and security needs and there shall be no spillover of lighting beyond the tract boundaries. The site lighting shall otherwise conform to the lighting requirements of this chapter.

(15)

Sufficient on-site parking shall be provided to satisfy the Board that the demand for parking can be met at the facility, and all areas designated for parking shall be located at least 200 feet from any tract boundary.

(16)

Best management practices shall be employed to maximize recharge of surface runoff where appropriate.

(17)

The golf course shall be designed to preserve the character of the viewshed and to minimize the visual impact of the golf course on the landscape.

(18)

Site plan approval shall be required for the golf course.

[Ord. No. 564, 9-6-2000]

Purpose. This district is established in recognition of land that is already owned by a public entity (Borough, county, state or federal) and is intended to continue in public ownership.

Permitted uses.

Parks and playgrounds which may contain active recreational facilities.

Public parking areas, as either an accessory or a principal use.

Conservation lands and areas.

Agricultural activities and gardens authorized by the public entity owning the land.

Boat-launching ramps.

Concessions authorized by the public entity owning the land.

Gazebos, band shells, bicycle paths, benches, picnic areas, pedestrian trails, water fountains, trash receptacles, public rest rooms, lighting fixtures and similar improvements specifically designed to enhance the public enjoyment of such lands.

Public uses and buildings, including but not limited to sewage treatment plants and public works facilities, operated by or for the Borough of Frenchtown.

[Added 10-6-2010 by Ord. No. 690]

Any privately owned lot existing as of June 1, 2011 in the R-7 Zone, may be used in accordance with the requirements for the R-2 Zone, and such lot may be further developed in accordance with the requirements for the R-2 Zone, subject to a demonstration pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-35 and 36 as to the adequacy of the access provided in the case of a landlocked lot and further subject to compliance with all applicable environmental protection regulations of the State of New Jersey and the Borough of Frenchtown, including but not by way of limitation, steep slopes, wetlands and wetlands transition areas, floodplains and C-1 stream buffers.

[Added 8-3-2011 by Ord. No. 701]

Area and yard requirements. There shall be no minimum or maximum requirements applicable to this zone.

[Added 10-6-2010 by Ord. No. 690]

Uses prohibited in R-7 Zone: any use not specifically permitted.

§ 50-410 (Reserved) [1]

§ 50-411 R-8A Inclusionary Residential Zone.

Editor's Note: Former Section 410, Flood hazard areas, of Ord. No. 564, adopted 9-6-2000, was superseded. See now Ch. 23, Flood Damage Prevention.

[Added 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797]

Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to allow the former ceramics plant site and two adjacent properties to be redeveloped by the private sector to achieve the following objectives:

To promote private sector redevelopment of a former industrial site located along Harrison Street for mixed residential purposes, using forms and densities that are consistent with and complementary to the residential uses, forms and densities already existing along Harrison Street and Eight Street; and

To provide an opportunity for higher-density residential development on a substantial portion of the site that will enable a developer to set aside and reserve a portion of the total number of units constructed for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very-low-, low- and moderate-income households. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as rental units, a set-aside of at least 15% of the total number of units constructed is required. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as for sale units, a set-aside of at least 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Multifamily dwellings in apartment buildings containing up to three residential stories erected over an enclosed parking garage, provided that no such building shall be erected within 200 feet of the right-of-way of Harrison Street nor within 150 feet of the right-of-way of Eighth Street for a distance of 250 feet west of its intersection with Harrison Street.

Small lot detached single-family dwellings in the portions of the site lying within at least the first 85 feet adjacent to the right-of-way of Harrison and Eighth Streets for a distance of 250 feet west of its intersection with Harrison Street.

Attached single-family dwellings in buildings containing not more than two dwellings each lying within at least the first 85 feet adjacent to the right-of-way of Harrison and Eighth Streets for a distance of 250 feet west of its intersection with Harrison Street.

Mixed-use live/work buildings, in the portions of the site lying within at least the first 85 feet adjacent to the right-of-way of Harrison and Eighth Streets for a distance of 250 feet west of its intersection with Harrison Street, subject to the additional requirements of Subsection F below.

Individual detached garages serving the uses set forth in Subsection B(2) and (3) above, provided such garages are located behind the front building line of the principal building served.

Parking lots, private roads, maintenance buildings, open space and passive or active recreational facilities, and other common facilities customarily incidental to a multifamily development, provided such facilities are located beyond the area that is required to be developed with the uses set forth in Subsection B(2) and (3) above.

The existing water tower shall be maintained on the site, although it may be relocated within the site to facilitate the overall design plan. The wireless telecommunications antennas and equipment located on and near the water tower, respectively, may also be retained.

Tract development requirements.

Minimum tract area. The minimum tract area shall be six acres, exclusive of any portions of the Eighth Street right-of-way not vacated as of September 1, 2017. Lots of less than six acres that are not merged with a tract having the required minimum acreage shall be developed in accordance with the R-2 Zone requirements.

Overall density and maximum number of units. The density of development for this zone shall not exceed 16.25 dwelling units per gross acre of land excluding any portions of the Eighth Street right-of-way not vacated as of September 1, 2017, nor more than 111 total units. Lots in this zone of less than the required minimum acreage shall be developed in accordance with the R-2 Zone requirements. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the merger of lots within this zone to create a larger tract area.

Utility services and stormwater management. All development shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems. Regardless of whether water quantity attenuation is required for the development, the design of the stormwater management plan shall incorporate water quality measures, such as rain gardens and other filtration systems. All on-site utility lines, including electric, cable and telephone service lines, shall be placed underground.

Lot, yard, height and building and impervious coverage requirements for single-family detached and single-family attached dwellings.

Lot and yard requirements.

The minimum lot size for a single-family dwelling shall be 6,000 square feet and for each half of a two-family dwelling shall be 3,250 square feet.

The minimum lot width for a single-family dwelling shall be 55 feet and for each half of a two-family dwelling shall be 30 feet.

The minimum lot depth shall be 85 feet.

The minimum rear yard setback for a principal building shall be 35 feet.

Eaves, fireplaces, cantilevered structures and similar features shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 18 inches into the front, side and rear setbacks.

Building height. No building shall exceed 2 1/2 stories and 38 feet in height, exclusive of chimneys or cupolas.

Building coverage. The area devoted to all buildings and accessory structures shall not exceed 50% of the lot area.

Impervious surface coverage. The area devoted to all buildings, accessory structures, parking areas, driveways, walkways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 60% of the lot area.

Yard, height and building and impervious coverage requirements for multifamily apartment buildings.

Building separations and setbacks.

There shall be a distance of not less than 20 feet between the short walls of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 50 feet between the long walls of principal buildings.

Where a short wall faces a long wall, the minimum distance between the buildings shall be 40 feet.

The minimum building setback from a parking area or internal street shall be 10 feet.

The minimum side or rear yard setback of any building from a property line that is not a street shall be five feet.

Building coverage. The area devoted to all buildings and structures shall not exceed 35% of the area remaining to the site after deducting the portion of the site to be devoted to single-family detached and single-family attached dwellings.

Impervious surface coverage. The area devoted to all buildings, structures, parking lots, driveways, pathways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 60% of the area remaining to the site after deducting the portion of the site to be devoted to single-family detached and single-family attached dwellings.

Building sizes, scale and dimensions. The maximum width of any individual building shall not exceed 190 feet, and the maximum depth of any individual building shall not exceed 85 feet.

Additional regulations for mixed-use live/work buildings.

The permitted nonresidential use within the live/work building must occupy all or part of the ground floor level only and must face either Harrison Street or Eighth Street.

Seamstress or tailor.

Computer services.

Dance school or studio.

Decorator.

Artist's studio/gallery.

Photographer's studio/gallery.

Real estate broker.

Shoe repair.

Travel agent.

Barber/beautician.

Massage therapist.

At least one entrance shall be provided to the building that is exclusive to the residential use within the live/work building.

Parking need not be provided for the nonresidential use within the live-work building, as long as the residential parking requirement is met.

The building shall retain its residential appearance.

Design standards.

Exterior design.

Buildings shall be designed to be compatible with nearby architectural styles. The exterior of each building shall be presented as a single unified building with an articulated base and corners. Individual units within the building shall be delineated with entrances, porches and fenestration. Materials to be used on each building and throughout the development shall be subject to approval by the Board. The relative heights of various building elements compared to their widths shall, to the extent, feasible, achieve a ratio of 1.618 vertical to 1.00 horizontal.

Yard spaces for single-family detached and attached dwellings shall be clearly defined using hedges, walls or fencing.

Each single-family detached or attached dwelling shall have a roofed front porch with painted railings supported by painted turned wood or wood-like synthetic balusters. The porch shall be at least five feet deep and shall occupy at least 75% of the front facade of the unit or building to which it is attached. Porch floors shall be tongue and groove, may be made of wood or a synthetic smooth material, and shall be painted or stained.

Each single-family detached or attached building shall be clad in traditional painted wood clapboard or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material having the appearance of traditional clapboard and shall have articulated corners and base. All exposed foundations shall have a finished surface.

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs shall be prohibited on buildings containing single-family detached or attached dwellings and shall be prohibited on all other buildings unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the traditional architectural style of the buildings already on the property or adjacent to it. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs. Roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate shingles (which could include dimensional asphalt shingles) or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a slate grey color. If an alternative color is proposed, it shall be subject to a favorable recommendation from the Board's Historical Architect and approval by the Board.

Windows shall be double hung (except where casement windows are required for firesafety), and shall have simulated divided lights on both the interior and exterior faces with spacers between the panes of glass. The number of lights in each window shall be appropriate to the architectural style of the building.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code; and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Interior design.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

Energy efficiency. Developments are encouraged to incorporate energy efficient "green building" design to the extent practicable to reduce long-term maintenance and utility costs. Suggestions for energy efficient design may be found in the NJ Green Building Manual (greenmanual.rutgers.edu).

Parking standards.

For single-family detached or attached dwellings, a garage may either be provided as a separate structure or within or attached to the principal structure, but in any case shall be located entirely behind the rear plane of the principal building. No garage doors shall be permitted to face Harrison Street, Eighth Street or the extension of Ninth Street.

Parking for single-family detached or attached dwellings may be provided in residential driveways not exceeding 20 feet in width and having a length of at least 18 feet clear of any roadway, interior common driveway or sidewalk area.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Accessory structures.

The architectural design and materials used in the construction of garages, trash enclosures and other accessory buildings shall conform to the design and materials used in the construction of the principal building(s) to which such structures relate.

Minimum required setbacks for accessory structures shall be the same as those for principal structures.

No accessory structure shall exceed 1 1/2 stories and 22 feet in height. The existing water tower shall not be subject to this limitation.

Garbage disposal and recycling.

Garbage and recycling containers for single-family detached and attached dwellings shall be able to be stored and shall be stored within garages (where provided) or within enclosed storage closets and shall be put out at the curb on collection days.

For multifamily dwellings in apartment buildings, the owner or designated agent or the organization established to own and maintain the open space(s) and other common elements within the development shall provide and maintain in a neat and sanitary condition, either outside of or within each apartment building, appropriate containers for the orderly deposit, storage and removal of garbage and recyclables. Said owner or designated agent or the organization shall arrange and pay for the collection of garbage and recyclables on a regular basis.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Street furniture and lighting.

Appropriate street and site furnishings shall be incorporated into the site plan for the development, which shall include bicycle racks, and may include flower boxes, arbors, planters, benches, fountains and decorative pavement materials as approved by the Planning Board.

Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage into buildings and onto adjoining properties and shall otherwise comply with the lighting requirements of the Land Use Ordinance.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. No on-site freestanding lighting fixture shall be higher than 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences or walls shall be used to delineate private front, side and rear yard areas whether on individual lots or in multifamily buildings with ground floor entrances to the units. Fences and walls adjacent to a street or interior common driveway or public sidewalk shall not exceed 2.5 feet in height. No interior fence or wall shall be higher than 4.5 feet in height.

Walls, if provided, shall be of brick or stucco or local fieldstone or faced with local fieldstone or a similar material as approved by the Planning Board. If an alternative material is proposed, it shall be reviewed and favorably recommended by the Planning Board's Historical Architect and approved by the Planning Board.

Alternatively, hedges may be planted. Plant material used for hedges shall be native [see Subsection P(4) below for standards], shall be at least two feet high at the time of planting and allowed to grow no higher than four feet.

Affordable housing.

All affordable housing units shall be in full conformance with the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC), except as to the percentage of very-low-income housing units required, and with all regulations contained in the Borough's adopted Affordable Housing Ordinance.[1]

Editor's Note: See Art. XVI, Affordable Housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and as approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

Views. Views from other properties through the site to the Delaware River or to other open space adjacent to the tract shall be maintained and enhanced whenever possible through the arrangement of lots, alleys, streets and buildings. Eighth and Ninth Streets shall be constructed where not completed and shall be extended, where applicable, to facilitate views and access; required setbacks shall be measured from the street lines of such streets or extensions thereof.

Pedestrian and bicycle circulation.

All buildings shall have entrances accessed by means of a walkway leading directly to the building from a public or semipublic pedestrian walkway. Walkways shall be provided along all streets and/or all interior driveways and as needed to connect the buildings on the site to the surrounding neighborhood(s). Existing sidewalks shall be connected wherever there are gaps and missing links. Sidewalks shall also be provided as necessary to facilitate pedestrian movement and create opportunities for outdoor seating and gathering, placement of street furniture, etc.

If the developer intends to seek the Borough Council's approval of the vacation of a portion of Eighth Street, and such vacation is approved by the Borough Council, it will result in an impediment to the existing public access to the towpath along the Delaware River. Consequently, to ensure continued public access to the towpath, bike accessways and pedestrian accessways shall be provided through the development to the towpath via the extensions of Eighth, Ninth and Tenths Streets or as approved by the Board and shall be protected by permanent public access easement(s). Ramps shall be constructed as needed to facilitate such public access over the bike accessways and pedestrian accessways.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

One or more crosswalks shall be provided between the development and the elementary school on the opposite side of Harrison Street. The placement of the crosswalk(s) shall be determined by the Borough Council in consultation with the Police Department and the Board of Education.

Ownership and management of common areas, common elements and open space.

The Borough Council may, at any time and from time to time, accept the dedication of land, or any interest therein, for public use and maintenance, but no land proposed to be set aside for common open space shall be required to be dedicated or made available to public use as a condition of the approval of a site plan, except that public bicycle and pedestrian access shall be provided through the development to the towpath over existing streets and extensions of existing streets.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of any common open space.

§ 50-412 R-8B Inclusionary Residential Zone.

[Added 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797; amended 3-4-2026 by Ord. No. 949]

Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to allow lots fronting on lower Sixth and lower Seventh Streets to be redeveloped and/or adaptively reused by the private sector to achieve the following objectives:

To promote private sector redevelopment/adaptive reuse of former industrial sites for multifamily residential purposes at densities high enough to enable the developer to reserve a portion of the total number of residential units created for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very-low-, low- and moderate-income households. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as rental units, a set-aside of at least 15% of the total number of units constructed is required. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as for sale units, a set-aside of at least 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Multifamily dwellings in apartment buildings containing up to three residential stories that may be erected over an enclosed parking garage (for a total of four stories) or that may be served by surface parking.

Parking lots, private roads, maintenance buildings, open space and passive or active recreational facilities, and other common facilities customarily incidental to a multifamily development.

Tract development requirements.

Minimum tract area. The minimum tract area shall be 24,000 square feet.

Overall density. The density of development for this zone shall not exceed 20 dwelling units per gross acre of land.

Utility services and stormwater management. All development shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems. Regardless of whether water quantity attenuation is required for the development, the design of the stormwater management plan shall incorporate water quality measures, such as rain gardens and other filtration systems. All on site utility lines, including electric, cable and telephone service lines shall be placed underground.

Yard, height and building and impervious coverage requirements.

Building separations and setbacks. These standards apply to new construction only and shall not apply to existing buildings that are adapted for residential development, which buildings may retain their existing setbacks and distances between buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 20 feet between the short walls of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 50 feet between the long walls of principal buildings.

Where a short wall faces a long wall, the minimum distance between the buildings shall be 40 feet.

The minimum building setback from a parking area or internal street shall be 10 feet.

The minimum side or rear yard setback of any building from a property line that is not a street shall be five feet.

Building coverage. The area devoted to all buildings and structures shall not exceed 50% of the area of the site, except that, where existing buildings already cover a larger area and are being retained and adaptively reused, the existing building coverage may be continued.

Impervious surface coverage. The area devoted to all buildings, structures, parking lots, driveways, pathways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 75% of the area of the site, except that, on a site where the existing buildings are being retained and adaptively reused, any existing impervious surface coverage that already exceeds the 75% limit may be continued.

Building sizes, scale and dimensions. The maximum width of any individual building shall not exceed 190 feet, and the maximum depth of any individual building shall not exceed 85 feet, except that, where an existing building is being adaptively reused for residential purposes and has dimension(s) in excess of these maximums, these maximum dimensions shall not apply.

Design standards.

Exterior design of new or substantially altered buildings.

Buildings shall be designed to be compatible with prevailing architectural styles within Frenchtown and/or the style of the existing building(s) located on the site. The exterior of each building shall be presented as a single unified building with an articulated base and corners. Materials to be used on the building(s) shall be subject to approval by the Board. On new or substantially altered buildings, the relative heights of various building elements compared to their widths shall, to the extent, feasible, achieve a ratio of 1.618 vertical to 1.00 horizontal.

Flat, shed, gambrel and mansard roofs shall be prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the architectural style of the buildings already on the property or adjacent to it. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs. Pitched roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate shingles (which could include dimensional asphalt shingles) or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a slate grey color. If an alternative color is proposed, it shall be subject to a favorable recommendation from the Board's Historical Architect and approval by the Board.

Windows shall be trimmed out in painted wood or painted smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material consistent with the architectural style of the building. Shutters are not required, but, if provided, they shall be of painted wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be proportioned and hung so that, if and when closed, they would completely cover the window.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code; and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Interior design.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

Garages, where provided, shall include sufficient room for the parking of at least one vehicle as well as bicycles, strollers, grills, sporting equipment and the like. Where a garage is not provided for a unit, that unit shall include an area for such storage that is accessible to the ground level and separate and apart from any clothing, linen, coat and cleaning closets provided.

Parking standards.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Accessory structures.

Minimum required setbacks for accessory structures shall be the same as those for principal structures.

No accessory structure shall exceed 1 1/2 stories and 22 feet in height.

Garbage disposal and recycling.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Street furniture and lighting.

Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage into buildings and onto adjoining properties and shall otherwise comply with the lighting requirements of the Land Use Ordinance.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. No on-site freestanding lighting fixture shall be higher than 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences and walls adjacent to a street or interior common driveway or public sidewalk shall not exceed 2.5 feet in height. No interior fence or wall shall be higher than 4.5 feet in height.

Fences shall be of a decorative metal in a traditional cast iron pattern or of decorative traditional wooden or simulated wood pickets. The type of fence shall be selected to complement the architectural style of the building(s). Fences shall be reinforced with larger posts at corners, entrances and gates and at forty-foot intervals. No chain-link fences shall be allowed.

Walls, if provided, shall be of brick or stucco or local fieldstone or faced with local fieldstone or a similar material as approved by the Board. If an alternative material is proposed, it shall be reviewed and favorably recommended by the Board's Historical Architect and approved by the Board.

Affordable housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Where one affordable unit is provided, that unit shall be a low-income unit. Where two affordable units are provided, one unit shall be a very-low-income unit and one unit may be a moderate-income unit. Where three affordable units are provided, one unit shall be a very low-income unit, one unit shall be a low-income unit, and one unit may be a moderate-income unit.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and as approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

The landscaping plan shall be reviewed and shall receive a favorable recommendation from the Planning Board's landscape architect and shall be approved by the Planning Board. The landscaping plan shall consist of native plants, trees and shrubs. Invasive species as defined by the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team Do Not Plant List (https://www.fohvos.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Strike_Team_Do_Not_Plant_List_2020_04_24-1.pdf) shall be prohibited.

Pedestrian and bicycle circulation.

If the developer intends to seek the Borough Council's approval of the vacation of a street, and such vacation is approved by the Borough Council, it will result in an impediment to the existing public access to the towpath along the Delaware River. Consequently, to ensure continued public access to the towpath, bike accessways and pedestrian accessways shall be provided through the development to the towpath as approved by the Board and shall be protected by permanent public access easement(s). Ramps shall be constructed as needed to facilitate such public access over the bike accessways and pedestrian accessways.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

Ownership and management of common areas and common elements.

The areas and elements in the development to be owned and used in common by the individual owners in the development or to be used in common by the occupants of the development but owned by an independent corporate property owner or management agent, shall have such common areas and common elements shown on the site plan, fully dimensioned, and designated as to the area of responsibility and the extent and type of ownership and such other conditions of usage or occupancy which shall be legally established and recorded therefor, and a description or plan of each such area shall be filed separately or as part of the descriptive maps of the development with the Tax Assessor. This requirement may be satisfied by the filing of a master deed in connection with a condominium form of ownership or by the filing of a declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions in connection with a homeowners' association, if applicable.

The Borough Council may, at any time and from time to time, accept the dedication of land, or any interest therein, for public use and maintenance, but no land proposed to be set aside for open space or other purposes shall be required to be dedicated or made available to public use as a condition of the approval of a site plan, except that public bicycle and pedestrian access shall be provided through the development to the towpath over existing streets and extensions of existing streets.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an entity for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas and common elements for the benefit of residents of the development. Such entity shall not be dissolved, by sale or otherwise except to another entity conceived and established to own and maintain such common elements for the benefit of such development.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of common open space, if provided.

§ 50-413 R-8C Inclusionary Residential Zone.

As a condition of the approval of a proposed development, the Board shall require the adoption of certain binding rules and regulations or bylaws by the organization established to own and/or maintain common areas and common elements and/or structures located within the development. Such rules, regulations or bylaws shall not be changed without prior approval of the Borough Council, to ensure reasonable maintenance and adherence to any conditions of site plan approval.

[Added 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797]

Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to allow a partially developed/partially vacant site located along a residential street to be redeveloped by the private sector to achieve the following objectives: to promote private sector development of the site for two-family residential purposes, using forms and densities that are consistent with and complementary to the residential uses, forms and densities already existing along Eighth Street, but at a higher density so as to enable a developer to set aside and reserve a portion of the total number of units constructed for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very-low-, low- and moderate-income households. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as rental units, a set-aside of at least 15% of the total number of units constructed is required. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as for sale units, a set-aside of at least 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Attached single-family dwellings in buildings containing not more than two dwellings each.

Individual attached or detached garages serving the uses set forth in Subsection B(1) above, provided such garages are located behind the front building line of the principal building served and further provided that detached garages shall be accessed from the alley rather than from Eighth Street.

Tract development requirements.

Minimum tract area. The minimum tract area shall be 20,000 square feet, exclusive of land in the public right-of-way.

Overall density and maximum number of units. The density of development for this zone shall not exceed 12 dwelling units per gross acre of land, excluding land in the public right-of-way, nor more than six total units.

Yard, setback, height and building and impervious coverage requirements for single-family attached dwellings.

Yard and setback requirements.

The minimum front yard setback from Eighth Street shall be eight feet from the public right-of-way and 12 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line along the abutting street. The maximum front yard setback shall be 15 feet from the right-of-way of the abutting street and 20 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line along the abutting street. The minimum front yard setback from Milford Road shall be 25 feet from the public right-of-way. Setbacks are encouraged to be varied slightly within these parameters. Porches shall be excluded from the measurement of the front yard setback.

The minimum side yard setback for a principal building shall be 10 feet.

The minimum rear yard setback for a principal building shall be 25 feet.

The minimum setback for a detached garage shall be 10 feet from a side lot line and 18 feet from a rear lot line.

The minimum distance between the sides of any two buildings shall be 12 feet.

The minimum distance between the rear of one building and the side of another shall be 40 feet.

Eaves, fireplaces, cantilevered structures and similar features shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 18 inches into the front, side and rear setbacks.

Building height.

The maximum building height of a principal building shall be 2 1/2 stories and 35 feet in height, exclusive of chimneys or cupolas. Such measurements shall be taken between the ground at the front of the building and the highest point of the roof.

The maximum building height of a detached garage shall not exceed 15 feet.

Design standards.

Exterior design.

Yard spaces for single-family attached dwellings shall be clearly defined using hedges, walls or fencing.

Each single-family attached dwelling shall have a roofed front porch with painted railings supported by painted turned wood or wood-like synthetic balusters. The porch shall be at least five feet deep and shall occupy at least 75% of the front facade of the unit or building to which it is attached. Porch floors shall be tongue and groove, may be made of wood or a synthetic smooth material, and shall be painted or stained.

Each single-family attached building shall be clad in traditional painted wood clapboard or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material having the appearance of traditional clapboard and shall have articulated corners and base. All exposed foundations shall have a finished surface.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code; and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

(l)

The architectural design and materials used in the construction of garages and other accessory buildings and structures shall conform to the design and materials used in the construction of the principal building(s) to which such buildings and structures relate.

Interior design.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

Parking standards.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to all dwelling units.

Garages may either be provided as a separate structure or within or attached to the principal structure, but in any case shall be located entirely behind the rear plane of the principal building. No garage doors shall be permitted to face Eighth Street or Milford Road.

Parking may be provided in residential driveways not exceeding 12 feet in width and having a length of at least 18 feet clear of any alley, roadway, interior common driveway or sidewalk area.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Garbage disposal and recycling. Garbage and recycling containers shall be able to be stored and shall be stored within garages or within enclosed storage closets and shall be put out at the curb on collection days.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Street furniture and lighting.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. Freestanding lighting fixtures are discouraged in this zone, but, if deemed necessary by the Board, shall not exceed an overall height of 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences or walls shall be used to delineate private front, side and rear yard areas. Fences and walls adjacent to a street or interior common driveway or public sidewalk shall not exceed 2.5 feet in height. No interior fence or wall shall be higher than 4.5 feet in height.

Alternatively, hedges may be planted. Plant material used for hedges shall be native [see Subsection M(4) below for standards], shall be at least two feet high at the time of planting and allowed to grow no higher than four feet.

Affordable housing.

Editor's Note: See Ch. XVI, Affordable Housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and as approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

Pedestrian circulation; bike racks.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

Ownership and management of common areas and common elements.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an entity for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas, common elements and common open space for the benefit of residents of the development. Such entity shall not be dissolved, by sale or otherwise, except to another entity conceived and established to own and maintain such common areas, elements and open space for the benefit of such development.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of common open space, if any.

§ 50-414 R-8D Inclusionary Residential Zone.

[Added 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797; amended 3-4-2026 by Ord. No. 949]

Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to provide an opportunity for the adaptive reuse of an historic church that is no longer being used for religious purposes, and the adaptive reuse and/or redevelopment of the dwelling located on the same lot, by permitting the conversion of such buildings and/or demolition of the dwelling for multifamily residential purposes at a density residential units created for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very-low-, low- and moderate-income households. A minimum affordable housing set-aside of 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Multifamily dwellings.

A parking lot, open space and passive or active recreational facilities, as appropriate to a multifamily development.

Site development requirements.

Minimum site area. The minimum site area shall be 22,000 square feet of land.

Overall density and maximum number of units. The density of development permitted for this zone shall be 28 dwelling units per gross acre of land.

Utility services and stormwater management. All development shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems.

Yard, height and building and impervious coverage requirements. The following standards apply to new construction only and shall not apply to sites with existing buildings that are adapted for residential development:

Building separation requirements.

There shall be a distance of not less than 20 feet between the short walls of principal buildings.

There shall be a distance of not less than 50 feet between the long walls of principal buildings.

Where a short wall faces a long wall, the minimum distance between the buildings shall be 40 feet.

The minimum building setback from a parking area or internal street shall be 10 feet.

The minimum front building setback shall be at least 10 feet but not more than 15 feet from the house side of the abutting sidewalk.

The minimum side or rear yard setback of any building from a property line that is not a street shall be 10 feet.

The minimum parking setback from an adjacent lot line shall be eight feet.

Building height. No new building shall exceed three residential stories. The maximum height of a principal building shall not exceed 40 feet from the ground level at the front of the building to the highest point of the roof. Elevator shafts, roof-mounted mechanicals, cornices and parapets may be excluded from the calculation of building height. Separate buildings sharing a common elevator/service core may be separately measured.

Building coverage. The area devoted to all buildings and accessory structures shall not exceed 40% of the area of the site.

Building sizes, scale and dimensions. The maximum dimensions of any individual new building shall not exceed 160 feet by 40 feet.

Design standards.

Exterior design of new or substantially altered buildings.

Buildings shall be designed to be compatible with local architectural styles and/or the existing building(s) located on the site. The exterior of each building shall be presented as a single unified building with an articulated base and comers. Materials to be used on the building(s) shall be subject to approval by the Board. On new or substantially altered buildings, the relative heights of various building elements compared to their widths shall, to the extent, feasible, achieve a ratio of 1.618 vertical to 1.00 horizontal.

Shed, gambrel and mansard roofs shall be prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the architectural style of the buildings already on the property or adjacent to it. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs or may be flat roofs with architectural treatment of cornice lines around the entire perimeter of the building. Pitched roofs shall be constructed of materials designed to resemble slate shingles (which could include dimensional asphalt shingles) or wood shingles or may be of standing seam metal construction in a slate grey color. If an alternative color is proposed, it shall be subject to a favorable recommendation from the Board's Historical Architect and approval by the Board.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code; and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Interior design.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

An area shall be provided for each unit for the storage of bicycles, strollers, grills, sporting equipment and the like. Such storage area shall be accessible to the ground floor and shall be separate and apart from any clothing, linen, coat and cleaning closets provided.

Energy efficiency. Developments are encouraged to incorporate energy-efficient "green building" design to the extent practicable to reduce long-term maintenance and utility costs. Suggestions for energy-efficient design may be found in the NJ Green Building Manual (greenmanual.rutgers.edu).

Parking standards.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to all dwelling units. All required parking spaces shall be provided on-site in designated parking spaces accessed from interior driveways, except that tandem parking is permitted in connection with the adaptive reuse of the existing buildings on the site.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Accessory structures.

The architectural design and materials used in the construction of trash enclosures and other accessory buildings, if any, shall conform to the design and materials used in the construction of the principal building(s) to which such structures relate.

Minimum required setbacks for accessory structures shall be the same as those for principal structures.

No accessory structure shall exceed one story and 15 feet in height.

Garbage disposal and recycling.

The owner or designated agent or the organization established to own and maintain the open space(s) and other common elements within the development shall provide and maintain in a neat and sanitary condition, either outside of or within each building, appropriate containers for the orderly deposit, storage and removal of garbage and recyclables. Said owner or designated agent or the organization shall arrange and pay for the collection of garbage and recyclables on a regular basis.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Land Use Ordinance. Historic signs on existing buildings shall be permitted to remain.

Street furniture and lighting.

Street and site furnishings shall be incorporated into the site plan for the development, as appropriate, which site furnishings shall include bicycle racks and may include flower boxes, arbors, planters, benches, fountains and decorative pavement materials as approved by the Planning Board.

Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage into buildings and onto adjoining properties and shall otherwise comply with the lighting requirements of the Land Use Ordinance.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. No on-site freestanding lighting fixture shall be higher than 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Fences or walls shall be used to delineate yard areas. Fences and walls adjacent to a street or interior common driveway or public sidewalk shall not exceed 2.5 feet in height. No interior fence or wall shall be higher than 4.5 feet in height.

Walls, if provided, shall be of brick or stucco or local fieldstone or faced with local fieldstone or a similar material as approved by the Planning Board. If an alternative material is proposed, it shall be reviewed and favorably recommended by the Board's Historical Architect and approved by the Planning Board.

Affordable housing.

All new residential developments shall provide affordable housing on-site at the rate of 20%, regardless of tenure.

Editor's Note: See Art. XVI, Affordable Housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and as approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

Pedestrian circulation, bicycle racks.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

Ownership and management of common areas and common elements.

The landowner shall provide for and establish an entity for the ownership and maintenance or, if held under a condominium form of ownership, for the maintenance alone, of all common areas and common elements for the benefit of residents of the development. Such entity shall not be dissolved by sale or otherwise except to another entity conceived and established to own and maintain the common elements for the benefit of such development.

§ 50-415 R-8E Inclusionary Residential Zone.

As a condition of the approval of a proposed development, the Board shall require the adoption of certain binding rules and regulations or bylaws by the organization established to own and/or maintain common areas, elements and/or structures located within the development. Such rules, regulations or bylaws shall not be changed without prior approval of the Borough Council, to ensure reasonable maintenance and adherence to any conditions of site plan approval.

[Added 9-12-2017 by Ord. No. 797]

Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to allow a vacant site having access from Kingwood Avenue and lying within the Borough's sewer service area to be developed in a manner that will achieve the following objectives; to promote development of the site for single-family attached (townhouse-type) dwellings, using forms and densities that are compatible with and complementary to the residential uses, forms and densities already existing in Frenchtown, but at a higher density so as to enable a developer to set aside and reserve a portion of the total number of units constructed for occupancy by and affordability to qualified very-low-, low- and moderate-income households. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as rental units, a set-aside of at least 15% of the total number of units constructed is required. Should the developer choose to market the affordable units as for-sale units, a set-aside of at least 20% of the total number of units constructed is required.

Permitted principal and accessory uses.

Attached single-family dwellings in buildings containing two to eight dwellings each.

Apartment (flats) units for low-, very-low- and moderate-income households created within the types of structures permitted in Subsection B(1) above such that, from the exterior of the building, such units will be indistinguishable from the market-priced units. The low- and moderate-income units may be in addition to the maximum of eight units otherwise permitted in the building.

Individual attached or detached garages serving the uses set forth in Subsection B(1) and (2) above. Low-, very-low- and moderate-income units need not have individual garages provided.

Tract development requirements.

Minimum tract area. The minimum tract area shall be two acres.

Density. The density of development for this zone shall not exceed eight dwelling units per gross acre of land and a maximum of 18 units.

Utility services and stormwater management. All development shall be connected to public water and sanitary sewerage systems. The design of the stormwater management plan shall incorporate water quality measures such as rain gardens and other nonstructural filtration systems. All on-site utility lines, including electric, cable and telephone service lines, shall be placed underground.

Access. All buildings shall front on an interior street system. Kingwood Avenue shall be used to provide driveway or roadway access to the development as a whole but shall not be used to provide direct access to individual units within the development.

Perimeter buffer. A twenty-foot perimeter setback for landscaping and buffering purposes shall be provided along all tract boundaries, which may be pierced along Kingwood Avenue for purposes of creating access. This perimeter setback shall be in addition to the required setbacks from any individual lot lines created within the development.

Common open space. The minimum common open space within the development shall be 30% of the tract area. The land in the perimeter buffer may be counted toward meeting this requirement.

Lot, yard, height and building and impervious coverage requirements.

Lot and yard requirements. Lots are not required to be created, but, where created, such lots shall meet the following requirements:

The minimum lot size shall be 1,600 square feet.

The minimum lot width shall be 22 feet.

The minimum lot depth shall be 65 feet.

Yards, setbacks and impervious coverage on individual lots (if applicable); distances between buildings.

The minimum front yard setback shall be 15 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line in front of the building. The maximum front yard setback shall be 20 feet from the house edge of the sidewalk line in front of the building. Setbacks may be varied slightly within these parameters. Porches shall be excluded from the measurement of the front yard setback.

The minimum side to side distance between any two buildings shall be 12 feet, except where there is an intervening street or driveway, in which case, the minimum side-to-side distance shall be 25 feet.

The minimum rear yard setback for a principal building on its own lot shall be 15 feet.

Eaves, fireplaces, cantilevered structures and similar features shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 18 inches into the front, side and rear setbacks.

On individual lots, where provided, the area devoted to all buildings, accessory structures, parking areas, driveways, walkways and other compacted surfaces, whether paved or unpaved, shall not exceed 65% of the lot area.

Building height.

No principal building shall exceed 2 1/2 stories and 38 feet in height, exclusive of chimneys or cupolas.

The maximum building height of a detached garage shall not exceed 15 feet.

Design standards.

Exterior design.

The exterior of each building shall be presented as a single unified building with an articulated base and corners. Individual units within the building shall be delineated with entrances, porches and fenestration. Materials to be used on each building and throughout the development shall be subject to approval by the Board. The relative heights of various building elements compared to their widths shall, to the extent, feasible, achieve a ratio of 1.618 vertical to 1.00 horizontal.

Yard spaces shall be clearly defined using hedges, walls or fencing.

Each townhouse unit shall have a roofed front porch with painted railings supported by painted turned wood or wood-like synthetic balusters. The porch shall be at least five feet deep and shall occupy at least 75% of the front facade of the unit or building to which it is attached. Porch floors shall be tongue and groove, may be made of wood or a synthetic smooth material, and shall be painted or stained.

Each building shall be clad in traditional painted wood clapboard or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material having the appearance of traditional clapboard and shall have articulated corners and base. All exposed foundations shall have a finished surface.

Exterior utility boxes, mechanical and electrical equipment, and HVAC equipment shall be screened from view by architectural elements and/or landscape plantings.

Each building shall be provided with a master cable or satellite dish receiver system to avoid the necessity of individual receivers being erected on the exterior of the building.

No structure or equipment of any kind shall be attached to the finished exterior surface of the roof, walls or other portions of any building unless specifically approved by the Board, except for approved residential-style lighting fixtures; gutters and downspouts; approved architectural features such as shutters and trim; structures, fixtures or equipment required for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code; and/or a maximum of one satellite dish antenna per dwelling unit, not exceeding one meter in diameter, located wholly within the perimeter of an upper balcony or deck attached to and intended for the exclusive use of the unit served by the dish antenna, and meeting the following additional requirements:

The satellite dish and all of its appurtenances must be painted to blend with the background color of the area against which it is mounted.

Interior design.

Space to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer and the hookups for such facilities shall be provided within each dwelling unit.

Parking standards.

The parking requirements set forth in the Residential Site Improvement Standards shall be applicable to all dwelling units.

Garages may either be provided as a separate structure or within or attached to the principal structure, but in any case shall be stepped back behind the front plane of the principal building.

Parking may be provided in residential driveways not exceeding 12 feet in width and having a length of at least 18 feet clear of any alley, roadway, interior common driveway or sidewalk area.

The parking of recreational vehicles and boats in driveways and common parking lots shall be prohibited.

Signage.

Permitted signs shall be the same as for the R-1 and R-2 Zones.

All directional and nameplate signs shall be of wood or painted, smooth-surfaced wood-like synthetic material and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Street furniture and lighting.

Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height. Freestanding lighting fixtures shall not exceed an overall height of 12 feet.

Fences, walls and hedges.

Affordable housing.

Editor's Note: See Art. XVI, Affordable Housing.

In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of an affordable unit being required, the developer shall round up to the next whole number.

Landscaping.

Landscaping, including the provision of street trees, shall be in conformance with § 50-707 of the Land Use Ordinance.

Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edges of buildings.

Street frontages shall be planted with shade trees as recommended on the Tree-Species-Planting-List.pdf and as approved by the Borough's Shade Tree Commission.

Pedestrian circulation, bicycle racks.

All buildings shall have entrances accessed by means of a walkway leading directly to the building from a common pedestrian walkway. Walkways shall be provided along all streets and/or all interior driveways and as needed to connect the buildings on the site to each other and to any common parking areas and amenities provided. Sidewalks shall also be provided as necessary to facilitate pedestrian movement and create opportunities for outdoor seating and gathering, placement of street furniture, etc.

A sidewalk connection shall be provided from the development to Kingwood Avenue and thence west to the intersection of Kingwood Avenue and Ridge Road.

Bike racks shall be provided on the site to facilitate bicycle use.

Ownership and management of common areas, common elements and open space.

The regulations of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-43b and c shall be applicable to the maintenance of any common open space.

§ 50-416 Frenchtown Village Center Plan

[Adopted by the Frenchtown Borough Council: December 29, 2004; Amendment #1: June 15, 2006; Amendment #2: June 28, 2006; Amendment #3: July 1, 2009; Amendment #4: September 5, 2018; Amendment #5: November 7, 2018; Amendment #6: June 5, 2019 by Ord. No. 835. Amended 8-4-2021 by Ord. No. 867. Additional amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 50-416.1 Introduction.

This Rehabilitation Plan is based on the designation of Frenchtown Borough's historic Central Business District and a portion of its Transitional Business District as an "Area in need of Rehabilitation" pursuant to the Local Housing and Redevelopment Law (LRHL). The purpose of the Frenchtown Village Center Plan is to set forth design standards that will support and maintain the historic nature of the Borough's Central Business District and serve as the basis for new zoning in the Borough. This plan will also provide the foundation for the Borough to enter into Redeveloper Agreements for the redevelopment and/or rehabilitation of certain parcels without needing to designate officially the targeted parcels as "Areas in Need of Redevelopment".

§ 50-416.1.1 Statutory Basis for the Rehabilitation Area Redevelopment Plan.

The Borough Council adopted a Resolution on November 10, 2004 declaring Census Tract 115, Block Group 1 an "Area in need of Rehabilitation". This Census Block Group includes the core Central Business District of the Borough and a portion of the Borough's Transitional Business District. Within this "Area in Need of Rehabilitation" are several properties that require a substantially greater level of improvement than rehabilitation can provide and may be prime targets for actual redevelopment.

The Frenchtown Borough Village Center Plan has been prepared to guide the revitalization of properties described below, as designated by resolution of the Frenchtown Borough Council. This plan has been developed to meet the requirements of Section 7 and Section 14 of the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.

§ 50-416.1.2 Description of the Rehabilitation Area.

Frenchtown Borough is located in Hunterdon County along the Delaware River. The Borough is 1.2 square miles in size with a population of approximately 1,500 people. This small town was founded in the late 1700's, and obtained its status as a Borough in 1867. Originally an isolated ferry landing, Frenchtown began its transformation into a village when Thomas Lowrey built a gristmill and sawmill in 1785. Over time, the ferries were replaced with bridges which made crossing between New Jersey and Pennsylvania much easier. Following the opening of a wooden covered bridge in 1844, Frenchtown's growth was boosted and continued to expand rapidly in the 1840's and 1850's. Another factor that impacted the Borough's growth significantly was the expansion of the Belvidere and Delaware Railroad through Frenchtown. Over time, the mills ceased to exist, and the town is now known as a specialized shopping town. Visitors from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania travel to Frenchtown to shop at its antique stores, art galleries, and craft shops, to dine at its restaurants and cafes, and to walk along the towpath to enjoy the beauty of the Delaware River.

Although quite a picturesque town, the Borough's transformation has left some unexplored opportunities for fully productive economic use of its land. The purpose of this plan is to identify the areas of the Borough that will benefit from rehabilitation and redevelopment and return unproductive sites to productive use.

The borders of the Rehabilitation Area encompass the Borough's Central Business District and a portion of the Borough's Transitional Business District. These boundaries are generally Third and Second Streets to the north, the Delaware River and the towpath to the west, the southern boundary of the R-4A Zone to the south, and Trenton Avenue/Race Street and the eastern boundary of the R-4B zone to the east.

This Village Center Plan applies potentially to all sits within the designated Rehabilitation Area. Within the Rehabilitation Area, there are certain sites that are particularly ripe for rehabilitation or redevelopment and that have been so identified on the Zoning Map. There are 13 sites within the Rehabilitation Area, each a separate tax lot. (See Table 1). Although each of these 13 lots is separately identified in this document, the plan applies equally to all lots in the Rehabilitation Area. Some of the 13 identified redevelopment lots are contiguous to one another, while others are scattered about within the Rehabilitation Area. The lots that are contiguous to one another will facilitate assemblages of land into larger parcels, making their rehabilitation/redevelopment easier.

Five of the lots are currently vacant, seven contain commercial uses, and one contains an apartment building. Review of historic data, including Sanborn maps and aerial photos as well as local resources, indicate that until the mid-1900's there had been commercial uses on the lots that are currently vacant. However, by 1970, the businesses that had once occupied those lots were no longer there and have remained vacant since then. These conditions suggest that these areas could qualify as Redevelopment Areas, subject to further studies in the future. Photographs of these vacant lots can be found in Appendix C.

Editor's Note: Appendix C, Vacant Lots, may be found as Attachment 8 to this chapter.

Table 1, Redevelopment Properties.

Table 1 Redevelopment Properties
Redevelopment Properties	Block	Lot	Address
1	34	1	53rd Street
2	35	1	73rd Street
3	36	1	72nd Street
4	38	1	5 Bridge Street
5	38	2	11 Bridge Street
6	52	1	26 Race Street
7	52	2	22-24 Race Street
8	55	14	7 Lott Street
9	55	15	7 Front Street
10	55	16	12 Front Street
11	57	1	13 Front Street
12	52	9	Kingwood Avenue
13	17	5	Kingwood Avenue

The general location of the parcels is illustrated in the Frenchtown Rehabilitation Area Map.

Editor's Note: The Frenchtown Rehabilitation Area Map may be found as Attachment 5 to this chapter.

Table 2, Land Use. Table 2 below provides a description of the current use of each parcel and adjoining land uses, which is also shown on the Frenchtown Rehabilitation Area Map.

Table 2 Land Use
Parcel	Existing Use	Adjoining Uses
1*	Vacant lot	Towpath and Vacant lot
2*	Vacant lot	Vacant lot and Residential
3*	Vacant lot	Vacant lot and Residential
4	Commercial	Towpath and Vacant lot
5	Vacant lot	Commercial (on both sides)
6**	Commercial	Commercial
7**	Commercial	Commercial
8***	Commercial	Commercial and Vacant lot
9***	Vacant	Commercial and Apartment
10***	Apartment	Vacant lot and Commercial
11***	Commercial	Residential and Commercial
12	Commercial	Residential and Commercial
13	Commercial	Residential and Public

*	=	Adjoining lots on 3rd and 2nd Streets
**	=	Adjoining lots on Race Street
***	=	Adjoining lots on Lott and Front Streets

§ 50-416.2 The Public Purpose.

It is important to understand that although this is a Rehabilitation Area, this plan is referred to as a Redevelopment Plan, according to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL). The limits of a municipality's powers within a designated Rehabilitation Area are explained in further detail in § 50-416.5 of this report. However, the types of activities that are allowed by the LRHL and often occur within Rehabilitation Areas are often the same as those in Redevelopment Areas. The activities envisioned for the Frenchtown Rehabilitation Area are described below.

§ 50-416.2.1 Redevelopment Goals and Objectives.

The redevelopment plan is based on the following smart growth planning principles:

Revitalizing the commercial district;

Preservation of existing historic buildings and historic character of the downtown district;

Strengthening neighborhoods;

Providing economic development opportunities;

Providing a broader range of housing and business opportunities;

Providing a mixture of land uses;

Providing a pedestrian oriented environment; and

Utilizing high quality design standards.

The goal of the redevelopment plan is to return vacant, non-productive properties to full productivity by creating new development opportunities for private and public-private investment. The plan will provide a range of quality commercial and residential uses that will capitalize on each property's strategic location.

The objectives of the redevelopment plan are to:

Assemble parcels of land of sufficient size and dimension to enable an orderly arrangement of new land uses.

Ensure appropriate rehabilitation of existing historic buildings as well as new infill development through design standards.

Provide opportunities for new neighborhood retail services.

Provide new housing opportunities, including affordable housing.

Develop land use and building requirements specific to the redevelopment parcels that are sensitive to the adjoining neighborhoods.

Undertake infrastructure improvements involving streets, curbs, sidewalks, and parking.

§ 50-416.2.2 Relationship to Local Objectives.

Ensure a long-term productive reuse of each of the redevelopment parcels.

[Amended 3-4-2026 by Ord. No. 949]

Frenchtown Master Plan. The Frenchtown Master Plan Land Use Element was reexamined most recently in July, 2000, with several subsequent amendments to the 2000 Reexamination Report. The redevelopment plan supports at least the following goals and objectives in the Master Plan Reexamination Report:

Promote an expanded retail economy by creating locations for new or improved commercial opportunities.

Create opportunities for new residential and commercial space, and additional public and private parking areas.

Replace or reuse obsolete industrial buildings with other uses.

Identify ownership of the vacant parcels and the most appropriate uses for these sites.

Based on the above, the goals and objectives of the Frenchtown Village Center Plan are substantially consistent with the Frenchtown Master Plan.

Frenchtown Land Use Ordinance.

The "R-4A Central Commercial District" covers all but two of the 13 targeted parcels (See Table 3). The R-4A District permits a variety of retail, service, residential, food, and professional establishments with residences above the first floor. The R-4B Transitional Commercial District is similar to the R-4A District, but permits retail uses having a larger floor area.

The Village Center Plan envisions similar uses on the redevelopment parcels and its parameters are, therefore substantially consistent with the Frenchtown Land Use Ordinance.

Table 3 Existing Zone Districts
Parcel	Address	Zone District
1	53rd Street	R-4A
2	73rd Street	R-4A
3	72nd Street	R-4A
4	5 Bridge Street	R-4A
5	11 Bridge Street	R-4A
6	26 Race Street	R-4A
7	22-24 Race Street	R-4A
8	7 Lott Street	R-4A
9	7 Front Street	R-4A
10	12 Front Street	R-4A
11	13 Front Street	R-4A
12	Kingwood Avenue	R-4B
13	Kingwood Avenue	R-4B

Amended 2025 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ("Amended 2025 HEFSP"). Frenchtown adopted its Amended 2025 HEFSP for the period between 2025 and 2035, also known as the Fourth Round, on January 28, 2026. The redevelopment plan supports the Borough's Goal stated in the document, which is as follows:

It is the overall goal of the HEFSP, in combination with the Land Use Plan, to provide the planning context in which access to low- and moderate-income housing can be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Amended Fair Housing Act and the laws of the State of New Jersey, while respecting the character, scale, density, and utility constraints of the Borough of Frenchtown.

Additionally, the redevelopment plan reflects the recommendations provided in the Amended 2025 HEFSP for the Frenchtown Village Center Plan, which is a proposed mechanism to address a portion of the Borough's Fourth Round Unmet Need.

§ 50-416.3 The Redevelopment Plan.

§ 50-416.3.1 Land Use.

Each parcel is to be redeveloped in a manner that is complementary to the surrounding environment. To that end, the proposed land uses will contain an appropriate mixture of commercial and residential uses designed in accordance with the standards contained in this redevelopment plan.

§ 50-416.3.2 Redevelopment Activities.

The major activities planned for the redevelopment parcels include:

Rehabilitation of commercial and residential uses.

§ 50-416.3.3 Land Use and Development Requirements.

Utility and infrastructure upgrades necessary to support the redevelopment plan.

[Amended 8-4-2021 by Ord. No. 867; 3-4-2026 by Ord. No. 949]

General. The Frenchtown Village Center Plan is intended to be construed as an overlay zone to sites in the existing R-4A and the R-4B Districts. This means that existing uses in existing buildings in these districts may be continued, and if they are already conforming to the zoning requirements for the R-4A or R-4B Zones, as applicable, they will continue to be so even if they do not conform to the overlay requirements of the Village Center Plan. Any alteration, repair, or change of use that does not require site plan approval may proceed in conformance with the existing R-4A and R-4B requirements. Where site plan approval is required, however, for any exterior change to an existing building or for any new construction, conformance with the standards in the Frenchtown Village Center Plan will be mandatory and will supersede the requirements for the R-4A and R-4B Districts (unless specified to the contrary within the Village Center Plan itself). Any developer in the Rehabilitation Area, whether or not he/she has a Redeveloper Agreement with the Borough, may submit an application for development to the Frenchtown Borough Planning Board, Construction Official or other approval entity under this Village Center Plan.

Definitions. All terms used herein shall have the same meaning as defined in the Frenchtown Zoning Ordinance, the Municipal Land Use Law and the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (NJSA 40A:12A-3) unless otherwise specified in this redevelopment plan (see also Appendix B).

Editor's Note: Appendix B, Architectural Definitions, may be found as Attachment 7 to this chapter.

Waivers.

Variation from the requirements set forth in this redevelopment plan may be necessary in certain unusual circumstances or to meet state or federal permit requirements.

A designated redeveloper may seek a waiver from the design standards, and the Planning Board may waive compliance with certain bulk, parking and/or design requirements if the designated redeveloper demonstrates that such waiver will not substantially impair the intent of the redevelopment plan, and will not present a substantial detriment to the public health, safety and welfare.

Use Requirements Applicable in the Village Center Plan.

Permitted Uses in the Village Center Rehabilitation Area:

Antique shops.

Art/craft galleries and stores.

Artisan food and beverage production.

Bakery.

Bicycle/sporting goods shop.

Bookstore.

Camera shop.

Clothing store.

Coffee shop.

Computer supplies.

Cooking school.

Delicatessen/coffee shop.

Electronics store.

Fabric shop.

Florist.

Framing gallery.

Garden supply shop.

Gift shop/novelty store.

Gourmet food shop.

Grocery.

Health foods.

Hobby/craft supply shop.

[23]

Home furnishings/linens/tableware store.

Jewelry shop.

Lighting shop.

Liquor store.

Luggage/leather goods shop.

Music store.

Pet Store.

Pharmacy.

Restaurant.

Second-hand store/consignment shop.

[33]

Shoe store.

[34]

Stationery store/office supply shop.

Tasting room.

Toy store.

Video rental.

The following services uses, provided no single establishment shall have a gross floor area exceeding 2,500 square feet or the area of the first floor of any building existing as of January 1, 2000, whichever is less:

Appliance repair.

Bank, savings and loan.

Barber/beautician.

Caterer.

Child care center.

Dance school or studio.

Decorator.

[8]

Exercise studio.

[9]

Gymnastics school or studio.

[10]

Indoor entertainment.

[11]

Instructional use.

[12]

Laundromat.

[13]

Pet washing, self-service and full service, and pet grooming shall be permitted along with the associated retail sales in the Frenchtown Village Center Plan.

[14]

Photographer.

[15]

Printing/copy center.

Real estate brokers.

Shoe repair.

Travel agency.

Tattoo shops.

The following additional uses, provided such uses occupy only buildings constructed prior to January 1, 2000, or are part of a mixed use redevelopment of a Potential Redevelopment Parcel identified in this Village Center Plan and on the Borough's Zoning Map:

Inn/hotel.

The following additional uses, provided such uses are located only above the ground level (unless expressly listed in paragraphs D(1)(a) or D(1)(b) above), except that newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated buildings not directly fronting on Bridge Street, Race Street, Lott Street, Trenton Avenue, or Kingwood Avenue may contain residential uses on the ground floor level if developed as part of a larger project that includes other buildings with ground floor level retail space on such streets, subject to the Planning Board's approval of the orientation of the building(s) containing ground floor residential uses:

Artisan food and beverage production.

Child care center.

Coffee shop.

Digital makerspace.

Dwellings, consisting of apartments, townhouses or rowhouses containing up to three bedrooms each; and detached dwellings containing up to four bedrooms each. At least 20% of all affordable housing units provided, regardless of housing type, shall have three bedrooms.

Incubator space.

Instructional use.

Insurance agency.

Maker studio.

Medical office.

Office.

Real estate broker.

Restaurant.

The following uses are permitted to be continued only if such uses existed on the premises as of January 1, 2000:

Dwellings (located wholly or partly on the ground level in locations other than set forth in paragraph (d) above).

Permitted accessory uses.

One-story accessory buildings customarily incidental to the business uses, including parking lots, parking garages for up to four vehicles and child care centers.

A cooking school may be an accessory use to an artisan food or beverage production facility or a gourmet food shop.

Accessory uses permitted in the R-1 and R-2 zones in conjunction with any dwelling.

Municipal building, firehouse and other municipal public purpose uses.

Municipal parks and playgrounds.

Groundwater remediation structures and equipment.

In the R-4B zone only, the additional retail and services business uses permitted under § 50-405B are also permitted in addition to the uses set forth in paragraphs (a) - (i) above.

Exercise studio/gymnasium occupying more than 2,500 square feet, but not exceeding 3,500 square feet, in the R-4B zone only.

(l)

Multifamily dwellings.

Conditional Uses. (See Section 50-309).

Conditional uses permitted in the R-4A zone, in R-4A zoned portions of the Rehabilitation Area.

Conditional uses permitted in the R-4B zone, in the R-4B zoned portions of the Rehabilitation Area.

Uses prohibited in the R-4A zone. Any use not specifically permitted including drive-through and drive-up windows.

Area, Yard and Bulk Requirements.

Yards for existing buildings:

Front - existing setbacks shall be maintained provided that no existing porch located along the front facade of a building shall be enclosed or removed. Accessory buildings shall be set back at least 20 feet from the front building line.

Side - zero or, where a side yard is provided, a minimum of 12 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

Rear - a minimum of 20 feet for principal buildings; a minimum of three feet for accessory buildings.

Yards for new buildings: See Table 6.

Maximum residential density: 20 dwelling units per gross acre of land.

Uses Prohibited in the Village Center Plan:

All classes of cannabis businesses as said terms are defined in Section 3 of P.L. 2021, c. 16, but not the delivery of cannabis items and related supplies by a delivery service.

Design Standards. The following design standards shall govern appropriate infill development of vacant land and the innovative adaptive reuse of the vacant buildings in the Rehabilitation Area. Rehabilitation and redevelopment activities should mirror the style and building context of the neighboring buildings and those on the site in the past, to the greatest extent possible. Any activities or elements not covered by these standards shall be subject to other appropriate provisions of this Plan and/or the Frenchtown Land Use Ordinance. All redevelopment activities are also subject to applicable state and federal requirements.

General.

There are many buildings in Frenchtown's Central Business District that date back to the 19th and early 20th century. The standards presented herein recognize the unique heritage and historic character of development that has evolved in Frenchtown and seek to preserve the Borough's character and charm.

Notwithstanding the height and floor area ratio standards set forth in this Village Center Plan, no building found by the Planning Board to be a contributing or eligible structure in the Frenchtown National Historic District shall be demolished nor shall any such building be expanded or modified in a manner that is inappropriate to the building's architectural style and historic context. The objective of this Village Center Plan is to enhance the existing historic character of the Borough, and any development or redevelopment permitted under its terms shall be conditioned on the satisfaction of this objective.

All new buildings shall conform to the scale and architectural character of the surrounding neighborhood. Any portion of a parcel that is not necessary for building or parking purposes shall be appropriately landscaped. The existing views of neighboring properties should be considered in the planning and design of new infill development sites.

Any change of use or interior modifications of buildings within the Village Center Rehabilitation Area shall conform with the applicable requirements of the underlying zoning district (R-4A or R-4B), provided that no exterior changes requiring site plan review are proposed. Rehabilitation of existing buildings and new in-fill construction requiring site plan review within the Rehabilitation Area shall be subject to the area, yard and bulk requirements specified by the Borough Zoning Ordinance which are applicable to buildings situated in the R-4A Central Commercial Zone and R-4B Transitional Commercial Zone as set forth in Article IV of the Frenchtown Borough Land Use Ordinance, except as modified by Table 6.

Table 6 Schedule of Supplementary Bulk Regulations
Requirement	Required
Min. lot size*	15,000 square feet
Min. lot width*	80 feet
Min. lot depth*	150 feet
Min front yard*	1 foot from the street line. 20 feet for accessory buildings
Min. side yard*	0 or 3 feet where a side yard is provided for principal buildings; 3 feet for accessory buildings
Min. rear yard*	20 feet for principal buildings; 3 feet for accessory buildings
Max. building height (measured from the average grade of the abutting walkway or street used for the main pedestrian entrance to the building to the highest point of the roof, excluding cornices an parapets.)	35 feet and 3 stories, except that where the first habitable floor is elevated above the regulatory base flood elevation, the permitted building height may be increased to 38 feet and 3 stories, and 1 or more buildings that exceed this limit may be permitted at the discretion of the Frenchtown Planning Board to promote the historic character of the Village Center by encouraging the heights of newly constructed buildings to be varied within the Village Center Rehabilitation Area
Max. FAR//***	For lots of 5,000 square feet or less in area - 1.0;
Max. FAR//***	For lots of 5,0001-10,000 square feet - 1.0 for first 5,000 square feet and 0.70 for the second 5,000 square feet. For lots of 10,000+ square feet - 1.0 for first 5,000 square feet, 0.70 for the second 5,000 square feet, and 0.50 for the balance of the lot area.
Max. residential density	20 dwelling units per gross acre of land

*	The minimum lot area, dimensional, and setback requirements for single-family detached dwellings proposed as part of a redevelopment project may be modified at the discretion of the Frenchtown Planning Board if the Board determines that such modification will promote the historic character of the Village Center.
**	On all lots or tracts, the maximum FAR shall be permitted to be increased by an additional 10% of the base allowable FAR in recognition of the requirement to provide affordable housing within the development at the rate of 20% of the total proposed dwelling units, if any of the affordable units are for sale, or at a rate of 15% of the total proposed dwelling units, if all the affordable units are for rent.
	On lots or tracts of 35,000 square feet or more, the Planning Board, at its discretion, may approve additional increases in the base allowable FAR based on a finding that the additional FAR will promote a better design, affordable housing in excess of 20% of the total proposed dwelling units, if any the affordable units are for sale, or affordable housing in excess of 15% of the total proposed dwelling units, if all of the affordable units are for rent, creation of public parking opportunities (whether on tract or off tract), other public amenities or public open space, but the FAR shall not, in such cases, exceed 0.80, calculated as provided herein.
***	Areas of garages and structured parking and of garage level storage areas, if such storage areas are below the design flood elevation, shall be excluded in the calculation of the FAR. In any development receiving preliminary approval after January 1, 2009, where the developer will be providing more than 15% of the total proposed dwelling units as rental affordable units, or more than 20% of the total proposed dwelling units as affordable units for sale, the Planning Board may permit attics (see definition in Appendix B) to be excluded in the calculation of the FAR. The FAR calculation shall be based on the entire area of the tract being redeveloped within the R-4A or R-4B zone, as applicable. If lots are to be subdivided from the tract, the deed to each lot shall state the calculated share of the permitted FAR allowed on that lot.
****	By way of explanation, assuming a 35,000 square foot lot, the base allowable FAR is 0.60. Each additional permitted 10% increase over the base allowable FAR would bring the total FAR up another 0.06, to a total of 0.72.

Parking Standards.

All uses shall provide required off-street parking in accordance with all of the provisions set forth in § 50-306 of the Borough Zoning Ordinance. No parking shall be permitted in the front yard area (between the principal building and the street line).

In all cases, redevelopers are required to submit a parking plan for approval by the Frenchtown Planning Board during the course of the site plan review process. The parking plan shall address the required number of parking spaces and how the proposed parking plan will accommodate the required parking.

Redevelopment of lots of 35,000 square feet or more in area shall require that at least 80% of the required parking be provided in enclosed structures and in a form that blends with the character of the historic district and with the architecture of the principal buildings and is hidden from view from public ways and adjacent properties.

Facades.

The rhythm of entrances, store fronts, windows, canopies, and awnings of new or renovated facades shall be consistent with the prevailing rhythm of such elements along the block. Building materials shall be compatible with the predominant materials already used on structures on and adjacent to the site. In the absence of such precedent, the exterior walls of buildings shall be made of traditional building materials such as stone, brick, wood, or stucco. Aluminum siding, vinyl, or vinyl coated siding, metal panels, and mirrored glass exterior surfaces are prohibited. Pole barns or prefabricated metal buildings are prohibited.

All exterior walls of buildings shall be designed to provide a visual diversity that is consistent with the architecture found throughout the Borough. Exterior walls shall include windows, doors, porches, pilasters, horizontal/vertical building elements and/or other similar architectural features to relieve the monotony of a blank wall and to achieve a human scale. Side and rear elevations of buildings shall be given appropriate architectural treatment which shall be comparable to that of the front facade, if visible to the public, and shall be otherwise compatible with the front facade, if not visible to the public.

Awnings/canopies should be made of canvas or modern materials that mimic canvas with traditionally dyed colors in solids or stripes. Metal and vinyl awnings are prohibited. For new buildings, the ratio of the height of various building elements to their widths shall be 1.618.

First floor facades intended for retail use must have large, clear storefront glass areas (50% to 70% of the area) to display the nature of the business and produce an interesting streetscape. Large blank walls are prohibited along any street. Storefront windows may be either typical large, single pane or multiple smaller panes separated by mullions. All multiple paned windows shall have true divided lights.

Each street-level shop shall have its own shop front. If several shop fronts are located in one building, they shall be unified in design treatment (e.g. the design of windows and door openings, the use of materials and colors). A shop front should be separated from the roofline or a second floor by a horizontal architectural element such as a cornice, frieze, molding, etc.

Upper floor uses are to be provided with separate exterior entrances unless a large common lobby or atrium is provided.

Flat, shed, gambrel, and mansard roofs are prohibited unless preexisting or demonstrated to be consistent with the traditional architectural style of buildings on and adjacent to the property. Otherwise, new roofs shall be gabled or hip roofs.

Street Furniture and Lighting.

All street furniture (benches, newspaper boxes, phone booths, trash receptacles, etc.) shall be consistent in scale and architectural design and constructed of or enclosed with materials reflecting the style of the buildings on and adjacent to the property. Lighting shall be subdued and shielded so as to prevent spillage onto adjoining properties unless specifically approved for that purpose by the Board. Lighting fixtures shall be mounted at the lowest appropriate height.

Street and site furnishings shall be incorporated into the development including flower boxes, arbors, planters, benches, and waste receptacles. All utility boxes and HVAC exterior equipment shall be screened by architectural elements or landscape plantings.

Signage. Signs shall be of wood or wood-like materials and shall be sized and placed in accordance with § 50-302 of the Frenchtown Ordinance. Where a building requires several different signs, they shall be thematically linked and shall be similar in materials, color, and method of lighting. The area surrounding ground signs shall be landscaped and shall be kept clean and neat.

Landscaping and Street Trees.

Landscaped buffers between non-residential and residential uses shall be provided. Landscaping shall be used to soften the corners and edge of the buildings.

All street frontages should be planted with street trees of medium height such as Amur Maple (Acer ginala), Japanese Scholar Tree (Sophora japonica), Green Ash (Fraxinus caroliniana), etc. at an average spacing of 25 to 30 feet. Light foliaged trees such as honey locust, ash and ginko are encouraged in front of commercial uses to increase visibility of signage.

Views. Views from other properties through a redevelopment site to the River or to other open space on or adjacent to the tract shall be maintained and enhanced whenever possible.

Vehicular/Pedestrian Circulation. All buildings are required to have entrances accessed directly from a public or semi-public pedestrian walkway. Pedestrian walkways shall be provided between all commercial buildings and along all streets and/or all interior driveways and as needed to connect the site to the surrounding neighborhood(s). Parking lots and pedestrian walkways shall be designed as attractive elements of the site by their own right with the use of trees, landscaping, and various building materials and textures. Sidewalks shall be connected where there are gaps and missing links. Sidewalks shall extend from the building facade or interior alleys or mews to the curb for the purpose of facilitating pedestrian movement and creating opportunities for outdoor eating and shopping areas, placement of street furniture, etc.

Affordable Housing Component.

New residential and mixed-use development that includes dwelling units shall provide affordable housing at the rate of 20% of the total proposed dwelling units, regardless of tenure. In the event that the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction of 0.5 or more, the developer shall round up and provide the additional unit. If the applicable set-aside ratio results in a fraction less than 0.5, the developer may round up and provide the extra affordable housing unit or shall make a payment in lieu of set-aside to cover such fraction in the following manner.

The payment in lieu of set-aside shall be $247,200 for 2026. The payment in lieu shall increase by 3% each year. For example, a fraction of 0.4 triggered in 2026 would require a payment of $98,880. The payment shall be made to the Borough's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

No payment in lieu shall be permitted to be made for any whole units the developer is required to provide. All whole affordable units required to be provided shall be constructed on-site as part of the development/redevelopment, or they may be constructed or created off-site but within the Borough of Frenchtown, as long as such off-site affordable unit(s) comply with al requirements of COAH's Rules (N.J.A.C. 5:97-1, et seq.) UHAC (N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, et seq.), including the phasing requirements, and the Borough's Affordable Housing Ordinance and Land Use Ordinance. All proposals for off-site affordable housing units shall be approved by the Frenchtown Planning/Zoning Board as part of site plan approval of the development/redevelopment proposal.

New non-residential development within the Borough, including new non-residential development within a mixed use development, shall be subject to the terms of the Bourgh's Development Fee Ordinance.

Any required Payment in Lieu shall be made prior to the issuance of the first Construction Permit required under the Uniform Construction Code Act.

Frenchtown Borough shall deposit all Payments in Lieus in the Borough's Affordable Housing Trust Fund to be used only for affordable housing activities identified in the Borough's adopted Spending Plan.

All costs to the Borough, including professional fees associated with assisting the Borough in addressing the impact of a development/redevelopment or rehabilitation project on the Borough's affordable housing obligation, shall be paid by the developer.

All affordable housing units shall comply with the Borough's affordable housing regulations in its Affordable Housing Ordinance (Article XVI "Affordable Housing" of the Land Use Ordinance) as well as the New Jersey Fair Housing Act (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-30 et seq.) and the Uniform Housing Affordability Control Rules ("UHAC") (N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq.) in effect at the time of the Board application. This shall include, but is not limited to:

The requirement that at least 13% of the affordable units within each bedroom distribution shall be required to be for very-low-income households earning 30% or less of median income.

Appropriate bedroom distribution of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.

Recording of appropriate affordability controls of not less than 40 years for rental units and not less than 30 years for for-sale units.

Minimum unit sizes by square footage for affordable units.

The affordable units shall be affirmatively marketed in accordance with UHAC and applicable law. The affirmative marketing shall include the community and regional organizations identified by the Borough, and it shall also include posting of all affordable units on the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website in accordance with applicable law.

The affordable units shall be integrated with the market-rate units, and the affordable units shall not be concentrated in separate building(s) or in separate area(s) or floor(s) from the market-rate units. In buildings with multiple dwelling units of similar tenure, this shall mean that the affordable units shall be generally distributed within each building with market units. The residents of the affordable units shall have full and equal access to all of the amenities, common areas, and recreation areas and facilities as the residents of the market-rate units. The affordable units shall be the same type of housing unit as the market rate units, meaning that a market rate building available to families shall not be developed to provide age-restricted housing units.

Construction of the affordable units in the inclusionary developments shall be phased in compliance with N.J.A.C. 5:93-5.6(d).

Regulations for Flood Hazard Areas.

All redevelopment and rehabilitation uses shall comply with the regulations for Flood Hazard Areas as set forth in § 410 of the Borough Zoning Ordinance, with the following exception:

§ 50-416.3.4 Provisions Related to Off-Site Improvements.

Notwithstanding § 410.D.2.a which requires the lowest floor to be built at least one foot above base flood elevation, a garage may be built below the base flood elevation, provided that the finished floor elevation of all living space shall be at least one foot above base flood elevation and further provided the garage shall comply with the flood proofing requirements for nonresidential construction as set forth in § 410.D.2.b.1 through 3 of the Borough Zoning Ordinance.

Editor's Note: Flood Hazard Areas, previously contained in § 410 of the Zoning Ordinance are now codified in Chapter 23, Flood Damage Prevention, of the Borough Code.

The designated redeveloper of a redevelopment parcel covered by this redevelopment plan shall be responsible for his/her fair share of any installation or upgrade of infrastructure related to the project whether on-site, off-site, on tract, or off-tract, in accordance with the executed Redeveloper Agreement between the designated redeveloper and the Borough. Infrastructure items include, but are not limited to, gas, electric, water, sanitary and storm sewers, telecommunications, streets, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting and street trees.

For developers not subject to a Redeveloper Agreement, off-tract improvement responsibilities will be determined during site plan review in accordance with the off-tract improvement provisions of § 50-603 of Frenchtown's Land Use Ordinance and N.J.S.A. 40:55D-42 and shall be consistent with the Utility Services Plan Element of the Borough's Master Plan. All other improvements, whether on-site, off-site or on-tract, shall be provided as required by applicable provisions of the Borough's Land Use Ordinance.

All infrastructure improvements shall comply with applicable local, state and federal codes including the Americans With Disabilities Act. All utilities shall be placed underground.

§ 50-416.3.5 Provisions Related to State and Federal Regulations.

Certain redevelopment activities proposed in this plan may be subject to state and federal standards, regulations and permit requirements. The redeveloper is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable standards and obtaining necessary state and federal permits.

§ 50-416.4 Relationship to Zoning Ordinance.

This redevelopment plan shall constitute an overlay zoning district for the entire Rehabilitation Area. All construction, reconstruction, alteration, rehabilitation or other activities requiring site plan review shall be done in conformance with the standards contained herein. In the case where a particular land use or site standard is not covered in this redevelopment plan, compliance with the Frenchtown Zoning Ordinance or other applicable Frenchtown Code or ordinance will be required.

§ 50-416.5 Acquisition and Relocation.

§ 50-416.5.1 Identification of Real Property to Be Acquired.

The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law does not allow a municipality to acquire private property through eminent domain/condemnation under a Rehabilitation Plan unless it is for a conventional public purpose such as for a road, park, or community facility.

All development requiring site plan review within the Village Center Rehabilitation Area shall be in accordance with this Plan and any development requiring specific action by the Borough shall be developed through the execution of a Redeveloper Agreement that effectuates this Plan. However, should parcels targeted for rehabilitation remain vacant, the Borough Council may recommend to the Planning Board that these parcels be investigated to determine if they meet the criteria for Redevelopment. If they do, then this Village Center plan may be amended at a later date to identify these parcels for acquisition by a designated Redeveloper.

§ 50-416.5.2 Relocation Proposal.

At the time this plan was prepared, parcels 1-3, 5, 7, and 9 were vacant lots. There are buildings on Parcels 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 12, and 13.

No relocation will be required by the implementation of this Plan, as eminent domain cannot be exercised in a Rehabilitation Area.

§ 50-416.5.3 Redeveloper Agreement.

A redeveloper of a Potential Redevelopment Parcel shall execute a Redeveloper Agreement with the Borough of Frenchtown. The Redeveloper Agreement may be executed at any time following the designation of the redeveloper and shall cover all aspects of the proposed redevelopment, but shall not preclude the imposition of additional conditions or modifications to the Plan consistent with the Redeveloper Agreement arising from the Planning Board's review and approval of the site plan.

§ 50-416.6 Relationship to Other Plans.

§ 50-416.6.1 Plans of Adjacent Municipalities.

The Borough of Frenchtown is located in Hunterdon County and is bordered by the Delaware River, and the Townships of Kingwood and Alexandria. As the redevelopment parcels are relatively small in scale, the Village Center Plan is unlikely to have a notable impact on either of the adjacent municipalities.

§ 50-416.6.2 Hunterdon County Master Plan.

Hunterdon County last adopted their Master Plan in 1986. The County is currently going through the cross-acceptance planning process and will use the results to update their County Master Plan. Since the 1986 plan is the most recently adopted plan, this plan was used to compare consistency between the County's and Frenchtown's plans. The Master Plan's Land Use Element includes goals and objectives for guiding development in the County. This Village Center Rehabilitation Plan is consistent with the following goal statements:

Develop land management techniques to accommodate local and regional commercial growth that discourage strip commercial development.

Promote infill in areas where appropriate infrastructure is available.

Encourage preservation and revitalization of historic and existing housing.

Maintain and enhance a business climate supportive of local village enterprises.

§ 50-416.6.3 New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan.

Encourage new development to be sensitive to and harmonious with the historic assets of the County.

The State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP) places the Borough of Frenchtown within the Rural/Environmentally Sensitive Planning Area (PA-4B) and as an Identified Village Center. Villages are defined by the SDRP as compact, primarily residential communities that offer basic consumer services for residents of the Village and its environs. A Village Center must offer a compact Core of mixed-uses, such as commercial, resource-based industrial, office, and cultural, offering employment, basic personal and shopping services, and community activities. If the Borough chooses to undertake the process to become a Designated Village Center, Frenchtown would be eligible to receive priority assistance from state agencies for funding and permitting along with technical assistance. In the Borough's 2000 Reexamination Report, it is recommended that the Borough undertake a Strategic Master Plan for Development and Redevelopment, an outcome of which would be to seek Village Center designation. This Village Center plan will help to develop further Frenchtown Borough's core.

This plan also furthers the following State Plan policy objectives:

Land Use. Utilize creative land use and design techniques to ensure that development and redevelopment do not exceed the capacity of natural and infrastructure systems.

Housing. Provide a full range of housing choices primarily in Centers at appropriate densities to accommodate projected growth.

Economic Development. Locate economic development opportunities in Centers that are responsive to the needs of the surrounding region and the travel and tourism industry in Centers.