There is hereby ordained by the Township Council for the Township of Monroe, Gloucester County, New Jersey, pursuant to the provisions of New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.) and to implement the Pinelands Protection Act (N.J.S.A. 13:18A-1 to 18A-29) and the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan, a Comprehensive Land Management Ordinance for the purpose of and in order to effectuate the Master Plan, enacted to guide the appropriate development and redevelopment of land in a manner which will promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare; regulate the use of land within zoning districts; secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural and man-made disasters; provide adequate light, air and open space; limit and restrict buildings according to their type and the nature and extent of their use and regulate the nature and extent of the use of land for all purposes; regulate the bulk, height, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures; avoid a conflict with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities, the county and the state; establish appropriate population densities and concentrations contributing to the well-being of persons, neighborhoods, communities and regions and the preservation of the environment; provide sufficient space for residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses and open space; encourage the location and design of transportation routes which will promote the free flow of traffic while discouraging the location of such facilities and routes which result in congestion or blight; promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangement; promote the conservation of open space and valuable natural resources and prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land; encourage coordination of various public and private procedures and activities shaping land development with a view of lessening the cost of such development and to the more efficient use of land; encourage planned development which incorporate the best features of design and relate the type, design and layout of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational development to the particular site; encourage senior citizen community housing construction; promote the conservation of energy through the use of planning practices designed to reduce energy consumption and to provide for maximum utilization of renewable energy sources; and preserve and protect the significant and unique resources of the Pinelands.
[Amended 5-21-1990 by Ord. No. O-11-90]
A. 
A zoning permit issued by the Township Zoning Officer shall be required immediately after any commercial change of ownership, and prior to any tenant change, change of business name or change of a use or the erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, conversion or installation of a structure or building and which acknowledges that such use, structure or building complies with the provisions of the Municipal Zoning Ordinance or variance therefrom duly authorized by a municipal agency.
[Amended 7-28-2022 by Ord. No. O:14-2022; 7-24-2024 by Ord. No. O:35-2024]
(1) 
A permit application for all exterior work that extends outside of the principal structure will require to be accompanied by a sealed land survey by a NJ licensed land surveyor that shall contain the following:
(a) 
The land survey must be in the owner's name (except that a survey from a new construction home will be transferrable to the first owner only).
(b) 
Full original copy with title block and seal.
(c) 
Include all improvements on the property, scaled to the best of the applicant's ability, and ensure all permits have been obtained.
(d) 
Propose new work and state proposed setbacks from property line to proposed work, scaled to the best of the applicant's ability.
(e) 
Except that if a property owner is required to have an as-built land survey for any other project within the last 10 years as part of their permit approvals (i.e., additions, in-ground pools, storage buildings, etc., per § 175-117.1).
(2) 
Any proposed improvement 500 square feet or more will require Township Engineer Review per § 175-117.1 for lot grading review.
(3) 
Solar rooftop installations will not require a land survey for a zoning permit application.
B. 
Duration of permit. A zoning permit issued by the Zoning Officer shall be valid for a period of one year from its date of issuance. A one-year extension may be obtained in accordance with § 74-36.
[Added 2-26-2020 by Ord. No. O:05-2020[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B as Subsection C.
C. 
A certificate of compliance issued by the Township Zoning Officer shall be required prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy. This certificate of compliance shall indicate that any construction, reconstruction, erection, alteration, conversion or installation of a structure, building or on-site or off-site improvements have been accomplished in accordance with the plans, specifications, terms and conditions of any municipal, county or state approval or that sufficient guaranties have been issued to the Township to ensure their completion. Said guaranties shall equal not less than 120% of the total cost of completion as agreed to by the Township Engineer. The Zoning Officer may direct any Township official or employee to aid in said determination of compliance and may require the deposit of escrow fees up to the extent indicated for a project category in Article VIII of this chapter for final approval review.
In interpreting and applying the provisions of this chapter, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare. Where the provisions of this chapter impose greater restrictions than those of any statute, other ordinance or regulation, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling. Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance or regulation impose greater restrictions than this chapter, the provisions of such statute, other ordinance or regulations shall be controlling.
Any power expressly authorized by this chapter (N.J.S.A. 40:55D1 et seq.) to be exercised by the Planning Board and/or the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall not be exercised by any other body, except as otherwise provided herein.
Nothing herein shall be construed to contravene any other ordinance or state statute providing for procedures for governing bodies (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-9a).
The Mayor may appoint one or more persons as a citizens' advisory committee to assist or collaborate with the Planning Board in its duties. Such person or persons shall have no power to vote or take other action required of the Board. Such person or persons shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-27a).
There is hereby established the office of Zoning Officer who shall be appointed by the Township Council. The Zoning Officer shall, along with the Construction Code Official and his office, enforce the provisions of this chapter.
The Township Council may, upon adoption of a salary ordinance, adopt a manner of payment of a salary and/or the reimbursement of expenses for the members of the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Site Plan Review Advisory Board.