Within the districts established by this chapter
or amendments thereto, there exist principal uses to which private
heliports constitute customary and incidental accessory uses. It is
the intent of this article to delineate such zone districts in which
private heliports are permitted accessory uses and to establish that
such uses are conditional uses subject to compliance with the requirements
set forth herein. This article also sets forth procedures for obtaining
the certificate of approval from the Township Council required for
the licensing of such facilities pursuant to N.J.A.C. 16:54-1.4(a)5.
Private restricted use helistops shall be treated
as conditional accessory uses in the following zone districts: ROL
Research, Office and Laboratory District; SED-10; and SED-5.
Private restricted use helistops shall be permitted
as a conditional accessory use, subject to the following:
A. Siting distances.
(1) The site location must be no less than five nautical
miles from any operational public airport, facilitated to fuel, service
and maintain helicopters.
(2) The site location must be no less than one nautical
mile from any school, place of worship, hospital, senior citizen complex
or library.
(3) The site location must be greater than one nautical
mile from any and all heliport/helistop sites.
(4) Only one site shall be permitted per lot.
B. Area and bulk requirements.
(1) Notwithstanding zone district minimum lot areas, any
tract upon which a heliport/helistop is proposed shall contain a minimum
of 20 acres of such larger areas required to comply with setback requirements.
(2) Minimum setbacks on landing pads from all property
lines shall be 500 feet.
(3) The site center shall be at least 350 feet from any
buildings or permanent structures.
(4) The minimum distance to any residential property line
shall be 2,500 feet.
(5) The heliport/helistop shall be located on the same
lot as the principal use.
C. Any use of a heliport/helistop for purposes which
are not incidental to the principal use of the lot is prohibited.
The operation of a commercial helicopter facility is expressly prohibited.
D. All heliports/helistops shall be ground-level sites.
Rooftop sites are prohibited.
E. Fuel storage, fuel transfer, hanger and repair facilities
are prohibited. Adequate tie-down facilities shall be provided.
F. Helicopters shall not exceed a gross weight of 3,500
pounds, and the landing pad shall be identified as to load-bearing
capacity.
G. Buffer materials exceeding the standing height of
aircraft must be permanently erected to conceal aircraft from any
adjoining roadways and residential areas.
H. Adequate safety and fire equipment, as determined
by the appropriate Township agencies, shall be provided.
I. An attendant qualified in aircraft safety measures
shall be present at each helicopter event. The site area shall be
secured 15 minutes prior to the event, and the attendant shall be
present until after each site event.
J. A public means for communication shall be provided
within 150 feet of the site during periods when the attendant is present.
K. The heliport/helistop must comply with all state and
federal requirements, including but not limited to the following Federal
Aviation Regulations (F.A.R.):
(1) F.A.R. Part 157, "Notice of Construction, Alteration,
Activation and Deactivation of Airports," published 01-75.
(2) F.A.R. Part 77, "Objects Affecting Navigable Air Space,"
published 01-75.
(3) FAA Advisory Circular Number 150/5020-2, dated 12-09-1983,
entitled "Noise Assessment Guidelines for New Heliports." Copies of
all maps and sketches required by N.J.A.C. 16:54-1.1 et seq., certified
by a New Jersey licensed engineer or surveyor, shall be supplied to
the Planning Board.
L. Flight events shall be limited to six per day, shall
be restricted to Monday through Friday during daylight hours (defined
as one hour after sunrise until one hour before sunset) and are expressly
prohibited on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
M. Heliport/helistop operating surfaces shall be level,
smooth and free of such dirt and debris as is capable of being picked
up and blown about by rotor downwash.
N. Landing and approach corridors shall not cross residentially
zoned property and shall not parallel the boundaries of such zones
unless they are more than 750 feet therefrom, measured horizontally
from the corridor center lines to said boundaries.
O. An environmental impact statement shall be submitted
for all sites located in an area designated as a wetlands area.
P. Minimum clear zone. The area immediately surrounding
the landing and take off site must be free of all moving or stationary
vehicles which contain volatile fuels (gasoline or diesel) for a distance
of no less than 100 feet from the pad center.