[Added 10-7-1996 by Ord. No. 11-1996; amended 6-4-2001 by Ord. No. 16-2001; 3-3-2003 by Ord. No. 1-2003]
A.
The purpose of the Adult Community Zone is to provide
for the special needs of people 55 or over by permitting the creation
of an adult community at a maximum gross density of four units per
acre. Recognizing that many elderly residents are on fixed incomes,
15% of the housing constructed in this zone shall be restricted and
affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
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:
(a)
Residential buildings.
(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.
A.
The following age and occupancy requirements shall
apply to all dwelling units in the adult community development:
(1)
Permanent residents must be at least 55 years of age,
except that a spouse under 55 may occupy a unit together with his
or her spouse who is at least 55 years of age.
(2)
Permanent residents are defined as persons who shall
live in the units more than 30 days in any twelve-month period or
more than five consecutive days at any time.
(3)
A maximum of one child age 18 or older may also reside
as a permanent resident with his or her parent or parents.
(4)
In no event shall there be more than three permanent
residents in any one unit.
(5)
Time shares are specifically excluded and shall not
be permitted in the adult community plan.
B.
Applicants for adult community development habitation
must present documentation providing and verifying that the proposed
development and its associated or accessory uses, facilities and services
meet the requirements of the applicable state and federal laws and
regulations governing housing for older persons which allow exemptions
from prohibitions against discrimination because of familial status.
Applicants shall, in addition thereto, disclose areas which will be
limited to habitation uses such as residences and shall include the
identification of all public uses as well as commercial uses.
A.
Principal permitted uses in the Adult Community District
on the land and in the buildings shall be limited to one or a combination
of the following:
[Amended 4-21-2003 by Ord. No. 10-2003]
(1)
Detached dwelling units.
(2)
Public utility uses as conditional uses under N.J.S.A.
50:55D-67 et seq.
(3)
Playgrounds, recreational areas, conservation areas,
park areas, public purpose uses, open space and environmentally sensitive
areas which may not be able to be used.
(4)
Assisted-living facility. Assisted-living facility
shall be defined as follows: A residential use which combines both
dwelling units and a licensed twenty-four-hour-a-day nursing care
facility for the benefit of residents. An assisted-living facility
may also include common dining facilities, recreations activities,
therapy facilities and other accessory uses for the exclusive benefit
of its residents. The structure shall be a single cohesive structure
which shall not be open to the public and for those outside of the
community, except for emergency. Nothing herein shall prevent the
accommodation of guests and visitors as they may relate to the assisted-living
facility. A minimum of 15% of the units/beds in any assisted living
facility shall be restricted and affordable to low- and moderate-income
households.
(5)
Duplex, provided the housing units are restricted
to low- and moderate-income households. A duplex is defined as a structure
containing two residential units separated from each other by an unpierced
wall extending from ground to roof, or an unpierced ceiling and floor
extending from exterior wall to exterior wall, except for common exterior
stairwells and/or interior or exterior stairwells to each dwelling
unit.
(6)
Triplex, provided the housing units are restricted
to low- and moderate-income households. A triplex is defined as three
dwelling units, each of which has direct access to the outside or
to a common hall.
(7)
Quadruplex, provided the housing units are restricted
to low- and moderate-income households. A quadruplex is defined as
a structure containing four residential units separated from each
other by an unpierced wall extending ground to roof, or an unpierced
ceiling and floor extending from exterior wall to exterior wall, except
for common exterior stairwells and/or interior or exterior stairwells
to each dwelling unit.
B.
Accessory uses permitted by right in the adult community
development district shall be limited to the following:
(1)
Private residential swimming pools in the rear yard
areas only. Swimming pools in other than the rear yards are specifically
prohibited.
(2)
Private residential utility sheds not to exceed eight
feet in height and located in rear yards only. A utility shed, however,
shall not be larger than a 10 by 12 foundation dimension.
(3)
No storage of boats, trailers or campers shall be
permitted on any individual dwelling lot. The plan submitted shall
provide a special area for the storage of boats, trailers and campers
on a separate lot specifically designated and buffered to minimize
impact from such use. The area shall be lit for security purposes.
(4)
Recreational, social, education, health and dining
facilities, swimming pool, tennis court, shuffleboard court, bicycling
trail, hiking trail, nature trail, sports or play area, community
building, garden plots, putting greens and horseshoe areas.
(5)
Off-street parking and private garages for residents
only.
(6)
Fences and walls not exceeding six feet in height
in the rear and side areas. No fences, however, shall be permitted
in front of any residential dwelling unit.
(7)
Signs limited by sign ordinances of the Township of
Harrison.
(8)
Home occupation.
C.
The applicant/developer of any project under this
article may apply for exemption from all, or a part, of the recreational
fee requirements. In the event the applicant establishes that the
total amount to be spent per unit on recreational and social facilities
(exclusive of land) equals or exceeds the applicable recreational
fee ordinance amount, the Combined Planning Board of the Township
of Harrison, whichever Board has jurisdiction, shall exempt the application
from the recreational fee. If the applicant establishes an amount
less than the recreational fee will be spent on recreational and social
facilities, then the Board with jurisdiction shall reduce the applicable
fee by that amount.
[Amended 3-5-2012 by Ord. No. 16-2012]
A.
The minimum tract size of an adult community shall
be 50 acres. The maximum number of dwelling units shall be four units
per gross acre. Fifteen percent of the units constructed on site shall
be restricted and affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
The Planning Board may, at its sole discretion, accept a monetary
contribution, in lieu of constructing low- and moderate-income units,
provided the contribution is consistent with the in-lieu provisions
of the Township's Development Fee Ordinance.[1] If an in-lieu fee is accepted, it is the intent that the
fee be commensurate to the fee required of a regional contribution
agreement. Low- and moderate-income units, if built on site, shall
be dispersed, to the greatest extent feasible, throughout the development
and shall be architecturally compatible in appearance with the market
rate units. The housing types permitted in the adult community shall
conform to the bulk requirements outlined below.
B.
C.
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).
[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.
