This chapter shall be known as the "Bethlehem Township Campground Ordinance."
The provisions contained herein are intended to supplement and augment
the provisions of N.J.A.C. 8:22-1.1 through 8:22-1.47. In the event that a
provision of the New Jersey Administrative Code and the provisions of this
chapter address the same standards, in every event the more stringent standard
shall apply.
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Zoning Officer
of the Township of Bethlehem.
No campground shall be open to the public unless and until the owner
of the campground has applied for and received a permit from the Township
of Bethlehem as provided herein.
Application shall be made on such forms as may be established by the
Township. A completed application form, together with the appropriate fees,
shall be submitted to the Township Committee not later than March 1 of the
year for which the license is being applied. A duplicate copy of the application
shall also be filed with the Zoning Officer and the local Board of Health.
The Zoning Officer and the Board of Health shall report to the Township
Committee by April 1 their recommendations concerning approval or disapproval
of the application. A copy of their findings shall be forwarded directly to
the applicant. In the event that the Zoning Officer or the Board of Health
fails to file such report on a timely basis, such failure would be the equivalent
of a positive report to the Committee.
Upon receipt of the above-mentioned report, the Township Committee shall
schedule a hearing on the application for the license. Said hearing shall
take place no earlier than May 15 nor later than June 15. Failure of the Township
Committee to conduct such a hearing within the time provided shall be deemed
an approval of the application, provided that the application is submitted
on or prior to the March 1 deadline. Applications submitted after the March
1 deadline shall not be deemed to be approved if the hearing by the Township
Committee is not held by June 15.
An approved application shall entitle the campground owner to operate
a campground in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 8:22-1.1 et seq.
and the provisions of this chapter for a twelve-month period from July 1 to
June 30.
The owner of any campground in existence at the time of the adoption
of this chapter shall, within one week of final passage of this chapter, make
application to the Township Committee for a license. The Township Committee
shall hold a hearing within two weeks of receipt of said application.
The application fee shall be $350, and the annual fee for the operation
of a swimming pool shall be $50 if the application is submitted on or prior
to the March 1 deadline. Applications submitted after March 1 shall be subject
to a late fee of $5 per day in addition to the application fee.
For the period of November 1 through April 1, within the Township, no
camper shall occupy any campsite within any campground for a period to exceed
21 consecutive days during any thirty-day period.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall subject
the campground owner upon conviction to a penalty of $50 plus costs, for each
and every day the campground owner is in violation of the provisions of this
chapter.