Adult community developments are encouraged
and required to use certain innovative design and planning in order
to encourage an environment which will reflect the character of a
hamlet or village so that it becomes an "individual community" in
the general style of the Victoria Age. The architectural styles and
themes should allow for a diversity of designs typical of older town
centers. The development should consist of harmonious groupings of
buildings and land uses, including the arrangements of circulation,
parking, open space and recreation which shall be contained within
the community and combined into an integrated cohesive plan reflecting
sensitivity to the community, natural resources available and the
particular needs of those persons 55 years of age or older. The designs
and conceptual review contemplated herein do not include residential
families with young children.
A. Designs must create a recognizable community center
with emphasis to encourage pedestrian traffic and circulation, attractive
civil areas and spaces designed for the use of those within the community,
including squares, greens and parks, with a special sense of neighborhood
identity. Environmentally sensitive open space and wildlife habitats
must be preserved and protected while allowing and encouraging residents
to appreciate these resources.
B. In order to insure the goals and objectives of the
adult community plan, developers shall participate in a preliminary
conceptual review process with the Planning Board of Harrison Township.
The meeting before the Planning Board shall require public notification
of all owners within 200 feet and a notice to be published as to the
application in the official newspapers of the Planning Board. The
following criteria shall be observed:
(1) Plans shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to
the meeting.
(2) The plans shall include a sketch or plan of lots,
streets and pedestrianways.
(3) The plans shall identify internal recreational facilities,
including open space and buildings which are identified for recreational
use.
(4) Environmentally sensitive areas such as wildlife habitat
and existing historic residences, if any, shall be identified and
located and, wherever possible, preserved.
(5) Preliminary architectural designs shall be submitted
for the buildings intended to be constructed as follows:
(b)
Community use buildings such as general stores,
consisting of retail and personal service.
(c)
Any store or other uses of a commercial nature
which are intended to be located for convenience within the community
not specifically identified in Subsection C(5)(b) identified as community
service type buildings.
(6) A fee is hereby established in the amount of $500.
Escrows of $2,000 shall be filed with the Secretary of the Harrison
Township Planning Board with the general intent that all plans and
documents shall be submitted to the engineer for the Planning Board
and planner for the Planning Board for the purposes of review and
recommendation and any legal services, if required.
(7) All areas must be barrier-free and accessible for
recreation, commercial, open space, service and retail uses.
(8) Public sewer and available water must be established
by applicant/developer for use in any adult community development
project.
(9) The applicant/developer shall give due consideration
to the legal, technical and construction requirements, where applicable,
to meet standards under the American Disabilities Act of the United
States of America and any New Jersey act applicable.
(10)
The plans shall include backlit street numbers
or other devices to readily identify each dwelling unit to facilitate
in the event of an emergency.
All dwelling houses and any other buildings
to be constructed under this article shall have a compatible architectural
theme with appropriate variations in design to provide attractiveness
to the development. Such variations in design shall result from the
use of landscaping and the orientation of buildings to the natural
features of the site and to other buildings as well as from varying
unit widths, using different exterior materials, changing rooflines
and roof designs, varying building heights and changing window types,
doors, shutters, porches and exterior colors.
The entire perimeter of an adult community development
shall be buffered either by existing natural vegetation or a landscaped
buffer area a minimum of 25 feet in width and in accordance with landscape
and buffer standards. The natural vegetation may be acceptable if
it meets or exceeds the requirements of the landscaped buffer. In
the event the adult community shall be proposed next to active farmland,
the landscape buffer area shall be 50 feet in width.
Minimum off-street parking shall be as required
by the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS).
The development shall be identified by a sign
or signs at the entranceway for the purpose of identification, and
temporary advertising signs may be erected during the course of construction
and sale. The signs, however, shall be approved by the Planning Board
of the Township of Harrison for the permanent identification signs.
The signs shall be of such size and configuration so as to readily
identify the project and its name.
Open space and recreational requirements shall
conform to the following specific requirements:
A. For each five acres of gross land area sought to be
developed, one acre of open space and recreation shall be provided.
No more than 1/2 of the area designated for recreation and open
space shall be wetlands or other lands which cannot be utilized under
the applicable laws of the State of New Jersey (defined as wetlands).
B. Recreational and open space shall be provided between the backyards of residential dwelling units which may include any of the recreational facilities which are described under §
225-50.
[Amended 3-5-2012 by Ord. No. 16-2012]
This article is intended to provide for the
development of a residential community to accommodate adults being
55 years or older. To accomplish this goal, the homeowners' association
shall be created subject to the approval of the Combined Planning
Board of the Township of Harrison, which association shall become
the owner of all lands to be dedicated to recreation and open space
and/or wetlands, and which homeowners' association shall be responsible
for the maintenance of all such areas.