Township of Bridgewater, NJ Design Details and Criteria

Bank parking areas. A banked parking area for unnecessary stalls is required and shall be implemented upon the direction of the Township Engineer, if the use is changed requiring greater parking or if it was found that the parking was inadequate based upon the conclusion of the Township Engineer. The banked parking area must include the entire lot with all parking stalls (existing and banked) to meet all applicable parking standards. Disagreements between the Township Engineer and the owner shall be returned to the appropriate Land Use Board for a determination.

Structured parking (i.e:, parking garages). Structured parking levels of all parking garages shall be required to have screening in order to hide vehicles within them from view. Appropriate screening shall be provided through architectural elements or other methods deemed satisfactory by the Township Planner and Township Engineer.

§ 126-171.1 Setbacks on buildings in nonresidential zones fronting on Route 202 (west of Somerville Traffic Circle) and/or Route 22.

Parking standards. Publications by the Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE) may be utilized for those unique parking circumstances and for uses not otherwise addressed in this section, provided the data therefrom is deemed acceptable by the Township Engineer.

§ 126-170 Off-street parking requirements for combination of uses.

The parking requirement for each use shall be computed separately and then such requirements shall be added together to compute the total number of required parking spaces. In all questionable or doubtful cases or for uses not enumerated, the Planning Board shall determine the required number of spaces, utilizing as a standard the requirements for the uses which are specifically enumerated.

§ 126-171 Parking area design standards.

Access. There shall be adequate provision for ingress and egress to all parking spaces. The width of access drives or driveways shall be determined as part of site plan review, depending on use, topography and similar consideration. They shall meet the requirements of this article.

Site of aisles. The width of all aisles providing direct access to individual parking stalls shall be in accordance with the requirements set forth below. Only one-way traffic shall be permitted in aisles serving single row parking spaces placed at an angle other than 90°. Parking spaces placed at a ninety-degree angle shall have an aisle width of 24 feet.

	Parking Angle (degrees)	Aisle Width (feet)
	0 (parallel parking)	12
	30	12
	45	13
	60	13
	90 (perpendicular parking)	24

General location. No off-street parking or loading area shall be located in a minimum required front yard, with the exception of the HIC Zone where parking is allowed within 100 feet of the right-of-way. All parking shall be located in bays generally perpendicular to driveways or roads.

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

Location in different zones. No access drive, driveway or other means of ingress and egress shall be located in any residential zone to provide access to uses other than those permitted in such residential zone.

Sidewalk and curbing. Sidewalks between parking areas and principal structures along aisles and driveways and wherever pedestrian traffic shall occur shall be provided with a minimum width of four feet of passable area and shall be raised six inches or more above the parking area except when crossing streets or driveways. Guardrails and wheel stops permanently anchored to the ground shall be provided in appropriate locations. Parked vehicles shall not overhang or extend over sidewalk areas unless an additional sidewalk width of 2 1/2 feet is provided to accommodate such overhang.

The state statutes and regulations dealing with handicapped parking are incorporated by reference as if the same were fully set forth herein.

[Added 6-6-1983 by Ord. No. 83-12]

[Added 10-4-2010 by Ord. No. 10-36]

All principal buildings fronting on Route 22 and/or Route 202 (west of the Somerville Traffic Circle) shall be set back 200 feet from such highway. Parking, with respect to these properties, shall be located no closer than one hundred foot setback from such highways.

§ 126-172 Landscaping and drainage of parking areas.

Parking areas shall be suitably landscaped to minimize noise, glare and other nuisance characteristics as well as to enhance the environment and ecology of the site and surrounding area. Large parking lots shall be broken down into sections of not more than 300 spaces, separated from other sections by landscaping, berms and similar elements. Said parking areas shall have suitable drainage facilities as required by the Township Engineer.

Off-tract drainage facilities and structures requiring enlargement, modification or reconstruction due in part to, or totally as the result of, the proposed development shall be subject to off-tract improvement requirements and standards as established in this chapter.

§ 126-173 Lighting of parking areas.

All parking areas shall be lighted to provide a minimum of three footcandles at intersections and a total average illumination of 1 1/2 footcandles throughout the parking area as required in § 126-190. Such lighting shall be shielded in such a manner as not to create a hazard or nuisance to the adjoining properties or the traveling public.

§ 126-174 Marking and delineation of parking areas.

Parking stalls, driveways and aisles shall be clearly marked and delineated. The Planning Board may require that certain areas be maintained for fire-fighting or other emergency purposes, and such areas shall be appropriately designated.

§ 126-175 Circulation systems for high-density residential developments.

High-density (four dwelling units per acre) residential developments should be serviced by a complete loop street system of at least 30 feet in width affording at least two means of ingress and egress to the site. Crossovers between the legs of the loop should be provided. When a complete loop system is not practical, a thirty-four- to forty-foot-wide street with a divided roadway as the entrance should be provided, or some other means of ensuring access for emergency vehicles.

§ 126-175.1 Traffic reduction strategies.

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

Developments which are located in areas designated as a Transportation Development District (TDD) or serviced by a Transportation Management Association (TMA) are expected to participate in the traffic reduction strategies which are established for these areas.

§ 126-176 General circulation and parking design principles.

Parking space allocations should be oriented to specific buildings.

Parking areas should be designed to focus on major walkways, which should be fenced or marked.

Where pedestrians must cross service roads or access roads to reach parking areas, crosswalks should be clearly designated by pavement markings or signs and lighted. Crosswalk surfaces should be raised slightly to designate them to drivers, unless drainage problems would result. A one-way car movement (to the left or counterclockwise) should be encouraged. A major loop road should be developed around the parking areas, and parking bays should run perpendicular off the road.

Driveways should approach from the right to permit passengers to alight to or from the sidewalk.

Whenever possible, one-way traffic should be established at building entrances.

Where buses are a factor, bus shelters and bus indentation slots off the roadway should be provided.

Roads and driveways from main roads should be located at grade and not below the crest of vertical curves.

§ 126-177 Off-street loading requirements.

[Amended 9-18-1978 by Ord. No. 78-22]

In any zone, in connection with every building or building group or part thereof hereafter erected which is to be occupied by industrial, office and laboratory or commercial uses or distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained on the same lot with such building off-street loading berths in accordance with the requirements set forth below.

Each loading space shall be no less than 12 feet in width, 50 feet in length and 14 feet in height; and no loading space may occupy any part of any required front, side or rear yard; provided, however, that on-lots on which the rear or side yard abuts a limited access highway or a railroad, such loading space may occupy the rear or side yard up to the rear property line.

MINIMUM OFF-STREET LOADING REQUIREMENTS
Uses	Gross Floor Area (square feet)	Required Berths
Schools	15,000 or more	1
Hospitals and nursing homes (in addition to space for ambulances)	10,000 - 30,000	1
	Each additional 30,000 or fraction thereof	1 additional
Undertakers and funeral parlors	5,000	1
	Each additional 5,000 or fraction thereof	1 additional
Hotels and offices	10,000 or more	1
Retail, commercial, planned commercial and industrial groups; wholesaling, manufacturing and industrial uses	5,000 - 15,000	1
	15,000 - 30,000	2
	30,000 - 50,000	3
	50,000 - 75,000	4

§ 126-178 Joint facilities for parking or loading.

Off-street parking and loading facilities for separate uses may be provided jointly if the total number of spaces so provided is not less than the sum of the separate requirements for each fuse, provided that all regulations governing the location of accessory spaces in relation to the use served are adhered to. Further, no accessory space or portion thereof shall serve as a required space for more than one use unless otherwise approved by the Planning Board as provided herein in accordance with the purposes and procedures set forth herein.

§ 126-179 Maintenance of parking and loading areas.

Every parcel of land hereafter used as a public or private off-street parking or loading area shall be maintained in good condition, free of hazards and deterioration. All pavement areas, sidewalks, curbing, drainage facilities, lighting, bumpers, guardrails, markings, signs, landscaping and other improvements shall be maintained in workable, safe and good condition.

The governing body may authorize repairs for such improvements if, after proper notice, the owner fails to maintain such improvements and such conditions constitute a hazard to health and safety or where such improvements are governed by a development or other similar agreement.

§ 126-180 Waiver of parking or loading requirements.

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

If any applicant can clearly demonstrate to the Planning Board that, because of the nature of his operation or use, the parking and/or loading and unloading requirements of this section are excessive, the Planning Board shall have the power to approve a site plan showing less paved parking or loading area than is required by this section; provided, however, that a landscaped area of sufficient size to meet the deficiency shall be set aside and reserved for the purpose of meeting future parking and/or loading requirements, in the event that a change of use or increased activity shall make such additional off-street facilities necessary. However, if the total area devoted for any proposed parking and/or loading facility, either improved or unimproved, does not meet the requirements set forth in this Part 8, the applicant shall be required to obtain a variance from such requirement, as described in § 126-136 of this chapter.

§ 126-181 Driveway location and design.

All entrance and exit driveways shall be located to afford maximum safety to traffic, provide for safe and convenient ingress and egress to and from the site and to minimize conflict with the flow of traffic.

Any exit driveway or driveway lane shall be so designed in profile and grading and so located as to provide the following minimum sight distance measured in each direction. The measurements shall be from the driver's seat of a vehicle standing on that portion of the exit driveway with the front of the vehicle a minimum of 10 feet behind the curbline or edge of shoulder, with the height of the eye 3.75 feet to the top of an object 4.5 feet above the pavement.

	Allowable Speed (miles per hour)	Required Sight Distance (feet)
	25	150
	30	200
	35	250
	40	300
	45	350
	50	400

Where a site occupies a corner of two intersecting roads, no driveway entrance or exit shall be located within 50 feet of the point of tangency of the existing or proposed curb radius of that site.

No part of any driveway or parking lot shall be located within 10 feet of a side or rear property line. However, the Planning Board may permit a driveway serving two or more adjacent sites to be located on or within 10 feet of a side property line between the adjacent sites.

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

No entrance or exit driveway shall be located on a rotary, ramp of an interchange or within 20 feet of the beginning of any ramp or other portion of an interchange.

Where two or more two-way driveways connect a single site to any one road, a minimum clear distance of 100 feet measured along the right-of-way line shall separate the closest edges of any two such driveways. If one driveway is two-way and one is a one-way driveway, the minimum distance shall be 75 feet.

§ 126-182 Driveway angles.

Two-way operation. Driveways used for two-way operation shall intersect the road at an angle of as near 90º as site conditions will permit and in no case less than 60º.

One-way operation. Driveways used by vehicles in one direction of travel (right turn only) shall not form an angle smaller than 45º with a road unless acceleration and deceleration lanes are provided.

§ 126-183 Driveway dimensions.

The dimensions of driveways shall be designed to adequately accommodate the volume and character of vehicles anticipated to be attracted daily onto the land development for which a site plan is prepared. The required maximum and minimum dimensions for driveways are indicated below. Driveways serving large volumes of dally traffic or traffic of over 15% truck traffic shall be required to utilize high-to-maximum dimensions.

	*One-Way Operation Driveways Width (feet)**	*Two-Way Operation Driveways Width (feet)**
3- to 10-family residence	10 — 15	15 — 25
10-family or over	15 — 25	20 — 35
Commercial and industrial	15 — 30	25 — 35
* All driveways shall be five feet wider at the curbline, and this additional width shall be maintained for a distance of 20 feet into the site.

§ 126-184 Driveway surfacing.

The surface of any driveway shall be constructed with a permanent pavement of a type specified and approved by the Township Engineer. Such pavement shall extend to the paved portion of the road and shall extend throughout the area defined by the required driveway dimensions specified above.

§ 126-185 Driveway profile.

Any vertical curve on a driveway shall be flat enough to prevent the dragging of any vehicle undercarriage. Should the sidewalk be so close to the curb at a depressed curb driveway as to cause the ramp to be too steep and be likely to cause undercarriage drag, the sidewalk shall be appropriately lowered to provide a suitable ramp gradient.

§ 126-186 Driveway grades.

Driveways shall not have a grade in excess of 15% over the entire length. On arterials the grade shall not be more than 5% for the first 25 feet from the road unless otherwise approved by the Planning Board. Driveways shall not be located where visibility is limited because of curves or topography.

§ 126-187 Acceleration lanes.

Where a driveway serves right-turning traffic from a parking area providing 200 or more parking spaces and the road has a peak-hour traffic volume exceeding 7,500 vehicles per hour, an acceleration lane shall be provided which is at least 200 feet long and at least 10 feet wide measured from the road curbline. A minimum thirty-five foot curb return radius shall be used from the driveway to the acceleration lane.

§ 126-188 Deceleration lanes.

Where a driveway serves as an entrance to a land development, a deceleration lane shall be provided for traffic turning right into the driveway from the road. The deceleration lane shall be at least 200 feet long and at least 10 feet wide measured from the road curbline. A minimum thirty-five-foot curb return radius shall be used from the deceleration lane into the driveway.

§ 126-189 Design and building layout for high-density residential development.

In reviewing site plans for high-density (four dwelling units per acre) multifamily residential development, the following design and building layout principles should be followed:

Minimum spacing between buildings.

Between similar structures. In development groups (more than one building or structure on tract), the following distances should be maintained between similar use structures:

End wall (no openings) to end wall: 1/2 the height of highest wall, 12 feet minimum.

Any building face to street curb: height of building face for first 25 feet, two times building height for 25 feet and over, 20 feet minimum.

Any building face to parking area: 1/2 the height of highest building face, 12 feet minimum.

End wall to window wall: 1 1/2 times the height of highest wall, 30 feet minimum.

Window wall to window wall: three times the height of highest wall, 75 feet minimum.

Between buildings of different types.

Where buildings of different types will be developed as a single development group, such as single-family dwellings and townhouses, an appropriate buffer shall be used. This may include fencing, facing similar uses toward each other, natural areas, parks or recreation facilities or uses providing gradual density changes between the two dissimilar uses.

Actual building spacing between the two types of uses should be equal to the height of the lower density use times the difference in the net density of the two uses. Where a development abuts existing single-family detached housing, the requirements for buffers as set forth in the Zoning Ordinance[1] shall be applied.

Editor's Note: See Part 12, Zoning.

The Planning Board may reduce the building separation distances under Subsection A(1) and (2) above by not more than 1/3 if there is an angle of 20º or more between buildings and/or if buildings are separated by land form or natural landscaped buffers.

[Added 9-19-1985 by Ord. No. 85-28]

Townhouses.

A maximum of eight units in a single row. An offset of four feet between every four units.

[Amended 9-19-1985 by Ord. No. 85-28]

Townhouses should be grouped in clusters, with a maximum of 30 per cluster. Private parking areas should be located near the entrances and outdoor living areas or patios adjoining open space or paths leading to open space. Units should not front on a through street.

The maximum density of townhouses should be as required by the Zoning Ordinance. Each unit should have two means of ingress and/or egress. End units should have at least a ten-foot side yard. Units should be at least 40 feet from all tract boundary lines unless abutting the same or higher density area, in which case 30 feet is permitted, exclusive of required buffers.

[Amended 9-19-1985 by Ord. No. 85-28]

Townhouses in each cluster should be consistent in terms of architectural style and major design elements such as materials, windows, roof lines, roof designs, etc. Design approval shall rest with the Planning Board.

Condominiums/garden apartments.

[Amended 9-19-1985 by Ord. No. 85-28]

Maximum of 24 units in any structure, and maximum length of structures, 180 feet. Maximum density shall be as permitted in the Zoning Ordinance.

Garden apartment structures should be grouped in clusters, with architectural design consistent in each cluster. Each unit should have two means of access, one directly from the unit to the outside and the other as required by the Planning Board. A four-foot building offset should be required every 60 feet.

§ 126-190 Lighting.

In connection with every site plan, the applicant shall submit plans for all proposed exterior lighting. These plans shall include the location, type of light, radius of light, manufacturer's specification sheet and the intensity in footcandles. The following design standards shall be followed:

The style of the light and light standard shall be consistent with the architectural style of the principal building.

The maximum height of freestanding lights shall be the same as the principal building but not exceeding 25 feet.

All lights shall be shielded to restrict the maximum apex angle of the cone of illumination to 150º.

Where lights along property lines will be visible to adjacent residents, the lights should be appropriately shielded.

Spotlight-type fixtures attached to buildings should be avoided.

Freestanding lights shall be so located and protected as to avoid being easily damaged by vehicles.

Lighting should be located along streets, parking areas, at intersections and crosswalks and where various types of circulation systems merge, intersect or split.

Pathways, sidewalks and trails should be lighted with low or mushroom-type standards.

Stairways and sloping or rising paths, building entrances and exits require illumination.

Lighting should be provided where buildings are set back or offset.

The following intensity in footcandles should be provided:

Parking lots: an average of 1.5 footcandles throughout.

Intersections: three footcandles.

Maximum at property lines: 1.0 footcandle.

In residential areas: average of 0.6 footcandle.

Display lighting shall be shielded and shall be so located and maintained as not to constitute a hazard or nuisance to the traveling public or to neighbors. In particular, so-called "string lights" shall not be permitted.

§ 126-191 Landscaping.

Landscaping plan.

[Amended 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-10]

A landscaping plan shall be submitted with each site plan or subdivision application. The plan shall identify existing and proposed trees, shrubs, bushes, plant material, groundcover and natural features such as boulders and rock outcroppings. It should show where they all are or will be located and the planting details. When existing natural growth is proposed to remain, the applicant shall include, in the plans, proposed methods to protect the existing trees and growth during and after construction. These shall include fences, berms, curbing, tree walls and similar devices.

The landscaping plan shall be incorporated into a site map showing the following:

Scale and North arrow.

Location of all existing and proposed buildings and improvements.

Proposed grading changes.

Location of all existing mature trees on the site, and the size and species of each. The site map must also show mature trees on adjacent lots, if those trees are within 10 feet of the property line between the two lots.

Which trees will be removed; where replacement trees will be planted and the size and species of each.

The following principles should be followed:

Locate landscaping to provide for climate control; for example, shade trees on the south to shield the hot summer sun and evergreens on the north for wind breaks.

Use landscaping to accent and complement buildings; for example, groupings of tall trees to break up long, low buildings and lower plantings for taller buildings.

Landscaping should be provided in public areas, recreation sites and adjacent to buildings.

Vines and climbing plants should be considered for large expanses of walls.

Consider massing trees at critical points rather than in a straight line at predetermined intervals along streets. Vary types by neighborhood.

Use smaller trees on narrow streets.

Ground cover should be used extensively to prevent erosion.

Provide for a variety and mixture of landscaping. The variety should consider susceptibility to disease, colors, season, textures, shapes, blossoms and foliage.

Local soil conditions and water availability should be considered in the choice of landscaping.

Consider the impact of any proposed landscaping plan at various time intervals. Shrubs may grow and eventually block sight distances. Foundation plants may block out buildings.

It is preferable to have fewer large specimens than more numerous smaller ones.

Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches to three inches. Ornamental and evergreen trees shall be six to eight feet in height. Shrubs shall be at least two to three feet in height. All landscape plants shall be typical full specimens which conform to the American Association of Nurserymen Standards and Specifications for quality and installation.

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

(13)

Street trees shall be provided for all streets and shall be planted in accordance with the standards set forth below:

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

The use of more than one variety of street tree along a roadway shall be provided in order to avoid problems associated with monoculture.

Use trees of similar form, height and character along a roadway to promote uniformity and to allow for a smooth visual transition between species.

Spacing between trees shall be determined based upon species and the proposed street location. In general, trees should be between 30 to 50 feet on center.

Street trees should have a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches to three inches. Within sight easements, a single tree may be permitted only with site-specific approval of the Township Engineer. Such trees, including those at driveways, shall be of such a size as to enable them to be immediately pruned up to seven feet branching height upon planting.

Species selection shall be in accordance with this chapter.

[Added 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-10]

(14)

Entrances to sites deserve special landscaping treatment.

(15)

Existing large trees should be saved by not varying the grade around the trees by more than six inches to 12 inches, construction of tree wells and by erecting protective fences. Maximum effort should be made to save clumps of trees rather than individual ones.

(16)

(Reserved)[1]

Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(16) through (19), regarding landscaping in parking areas and selection of trees, were repealed 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-10.

(Reserved)

(Reserved)

(Reserved)

Landscape maintenance.

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

Debris and weed control. This task shall include the removal of all undesirable litter, debris and weeds. The objective of this subsection's task is to provide a neat, orderly, well-maintained appearance. Any objects or plants which create a health or safety hazard or an unnatural visual nuisance shall be removed immediately.

Mulching. All planting beds with existing or specified organic mulch shall be maintained with a minimum two-inch depth of shredded bark mulch or an equivalent. To maintain this level, new mulch shall be applied each spring as needed. Areas with decorative stone or other materials shall be maintained with a neat appearance and at such a level that no weeds, bare ground or soil are exposed.

Plantings. Landscape maintenance shall include the reseeding or replanting of landscape areas which are damaged, destroyed or failing due to insects, disease, weather or physical damage. All landscaped areas which are damaged, destroyed or are failing, as described above, shall be replaced during the next planting season.

Landscaping requirements for all zones.

[Added 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12]

Preservation of trees.

With the exception of the building footprint for the principal structure(s) and a twenty-foot margin around the principal structure(s), all reasonable and practicable efforts shall be made to preserve existing mature trees on the site. Planned driveways, walkways, garage and all other accessory structures should be located so as to allow for the preservation of the greatest number of existing mature trees on the site, with the greatest priority given to preserving very large, unique or "specimen" trees.

Grading shall be avoided within the drip line of any tree that is to be preserved, including trees on adjacent property if the drip line of those trees extends into the applicant's property. If a tree is of a species or type that will eventually perish due to root disturbance or change in drainage, the tree may be removed, but must be replaced in accordance with this chapter. In the event that tree removal is requested and the Board believes some may be preserved, the applicant shall provide expert opinion from a licensed landscape architect who will address the viability of maintaining such trees.

Trees shall not be removed from an area within 25 feet of the edge of any stream, including seasonal or intermittent streams.

Landscaping trees. Landscaping trees within the property shall be planted at a rate of three trees per 5,000 square feet of disturbed lot area. At least 50% of all the species shall be selected from the deciduous shade trees list (contained in the Township Land Use Ordinance) and the balance may be selected from the landscaping trees list (contained in the Township Land Use Ordinance).[2]

Editor's Note: See § 126-191.1, Landscaping: categories of trees and plantings.

Shrubbery. In addition to the above, shrubbery shall be planted at a ratio of 10 shrubs per 5,000 square feet of impervious area. Shrubbery shall be taken from the evergreen species list-medium sized. Variety is required to prevent the future die-out of large numbers of evergreens, in case a disease kills off a particular tree species.

Buffer planting. Evergreen species shall be planted in double rows in a zigzag fashion along the buffer line to provide a dense screen upon three years of growth. When evergreens are placed along distances of greater than 100 feet of a buffer line, two or more species or cultivars of evergreens shall be provided in staggered rows. When evergreens are being placed distances of less than 100 feet along a buffer line, one or two species or cultivars of evergreens shall be provided in staggered rows. Buffer planting shall be in addition to other required landscaping. See appropriate sections for species selection.

Foundation planting. In addition, foundation landscaping (located within five feet of the foundation) shall be provided at a rate of 10 shrubs per 20 linear feet of foundation. Species shall be selected from the foundation planting list.

Provisions for parking lots.

One shade tree measuring a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches shall be provided for every 10 parking spaces in the vicinity of the parking lot. The preservation or relocation of existing trees is encouraged to meet this requirement. This planting is in addition to trees required for landscape, buffers or street tree planting.

A curbed planting island of at least four feet in width shall be placed at the end of each row of parking spaces along an internal traffic aisle.

A maximum of 20 parking spaces shall be permitted in a row without a curbed planting island.

Landscaping shall be selected so that the mature height will not cause concerns of obstructing vision.

Standards and requirements for tree protection during construction, demolition, grading or soil removal.

Before clearing, demolition or construction work of any kind is begun on a site, temporary fencing, a minimum of four feet in height, shall be installed around all trees or clusters of trees that are to be preserved according to the approved tree planting, including street trees in the public right-of-way and trees on adjacent property that are within 10 feet of the common property line, or if the drip line of those trees extends into the applicant's property. The required temporary fencing shall be installed at the drip line or at a ten-foot radius from the trunk, whichever is greater.

No soil or other materials shall be stored within the protected area. No equipment shall be operated or cleaned within the protected area. No chemicals, fuel, oil or other foreign materials may be deposited onto the ground protected area.

If the Township Engineer agrees that constraints in a particular area(s) of a site make it necessary to operate equipment within the drip line of a tree that is to be protected, the trunk of the tree must be protected with metal sheathing and the ground area within the drip line must be covered with metal plates before equipment is operated there.

No signs or other materials shall be affixed to trees in any manner. No nails, screws or other intrusive fasteners shall be used on a tree.

Trees damaged after approval. Any tree designated on the tree site plan as a tree to be preserved that is determined by the Engineer to have been damaged in any manner during demolition, construction, grading or landscaping activities, including trees likely to die because of root disturbances or changes in drainage, shall be replaced by the builder and planted at locations agreed upon by the Township Engineer, according to the formula contained in § 126-278.10 (Violations and penalties; restitution).

Tree species, selection and planting criteria.

Trees must be straight, balled and burlapped, nursery-grown, free of all wounds or other damage and meeting ANLA (American Nursery and Landscape Association) standards.

Trees shall not be planted under power lines or near other obstructions such as overhangs, telephone poles, utility pipes and fire hydrants.

Street trees shall be installed three feet inside the property line so that the trees will not interfere with overhead utility lines and sidewalks. Shade tree easements shall be provided for installation and maintenance purposes.

Tree replacement for residential subdivision and single- or two-family use. Any development plan that is submitted to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment for application related to a subdivision or other application for development for a single-family or two-family use shall be required to replace trees that are greater than eight inches dbh if nondeciduous, 12 inches dbh if deciduous or four-inch dogwoods. Replacement trees will be selected from the deciduous and nondeciduous listing for trees as found in the Township Land Use Ordinance. The caliper of such replacement trees shall be 2 1/2 inch caliper for deciduous trees and 1 1/2 caliper for nondeciduous trees. In the event that the developer and the Township Planner or Environmental Officer concur that not all the trees will fit properly on the site, the developer shall be required to plant the remaining required trees on municipally owned property. The specific site and location shall be in accordance with written instructions from the Township. This replanting is in addition to street trees that may be required along the right-of-way of the development.

Landscaping in buffers.

[Added 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12]

Front yard buffers along Route 202, 202/206 North, Route 22 and Route 28.

Landscaped front yard buffer areas separating the parking and/or building from the traveled way shall be provided for all nonresidential uses. Front yard landscaping shall be shown on the landscape plan and planted with grasses, deciduous trees and evergreens or constructed of berms, boulders, mounds or combinations which will enhance the appearance of the site and as approved by the Planning Board. In addition to required landscaping, front yard landscaping along these corridors shall require a minimum of eight shrubs for every 30 feet of frontage. If a landscaped berm is provided, the berm shall be at least three feet higher than the finish elevation of the parking lot and planting requirements may be reduced to five shrubs for every 30 feet of frontage. A minimum of three rows of plantings shall be provided in this area. Front yard landscaping may be waived by the Board where existing natural growth is found to be sufficient to meet the objectives of this section and where year-round leaf display is achieved. No buildings, structures, accessory structures, parking, driveways, loading areas or storage of materials shall be permitted in the landscaped front yard. Access driveways, utilities, fences and security structures may be permitted by the Board. Species selection shall be in accordance with this chapter.

Front yard landscaping shall not interfere with any required traffic site distances as established by the Township Engineering Department and shall not preclude a driver's view of approved sign locations on a commercial site where such view, as determined by the Planning Board, is either necessary to the legitimate economic functions of the site or where traffic safety factors are involved.

Landscaping in all transition buffers (non-residential zone abutting a residential zone district).

Design of transition buffers. Arrangement of plantings in buffer areas shall provide maximum protection to adjacent residential properties. Planting arrangements include planting in parallel, serpentine or broken rows. If planted berms are proposed, the minimum top width shall be four feet and the maximum size slope shall be 2:1.

Transition buffer planting specifications. At least three plants shall be provided for every 10 feet of length along the residential line. All plantings shall be installed according to accepted horticultural standards. The buffers shall be planted with evergreens and deciduous trees as follows, subject to approval or modification of the Board:

The transition buffer shall be planted with masses and groupings of shade trees, ornamental trees, evergreen trees and shrubs. No less than 75% of the plants shall be evergreen trees with a minimum installed height of six feet. A fence or wall may also be required within the transition buffer if a solid screening would not be achieved in three years of plant growth. Said fence shall not exceed a six-foot height in the side or rear yard and not exceed a four-foot height in the front yard. The fencing shall be an attractive fence which is compatible with the neighborhood. Stockade fencing shall not be used.

More than one type of evergreen species shall be used.

[3]

Where a fence is required, plantings shall be placed along the outside perimeter of the fence (facing the residential side) but not closer than five feet to the fence. A solid fence should not be used as the sole treatment mechanism in transition buffer areas.

§ 126-191.1 Landscaping: categories of trees and plantings.

[Added 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-11]

Acceptable deciduous shade trees (includes street trees). Acceptable species and cultivars of major, deciduous shade trees shall include:

	Honeylocust
		All forms of Thornless Honeylocusts, such as Gleditsia triacanthos inermis Shademaster - 60'-70' h)
	Linden (Crown width is generally about 1/2 to 2/3 height)
		Greenspire Littleleaf Linden (Tulia Cordata Greenspire - 60'-70' h)
		Green Mountain Silver Linden (Tilia tomentosa Green Mountain - 50'-60' h)
		Crimean Linden (Tilia euchlora - 40'-60' h)
		Redmont Linden (Tilia americana Redmont - 65'-75' h)
	Locust
		Thornless Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
	Maples (Crown width is generally slightly less than or equal to height)
		October Glory Maple (Acer rubrum October Glory - 50'-60' h)
		Red or Scarlet Maple (Acer rubrum - 50'-75' h)
		Red Sunset Maple (Acer rubrum Red Sunset Maple - 50'-60' h)
		* Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum - 50'-75' h, width 2/3's
		*Green Mountain Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum Green Mountain - 50' - 75' h)
		*Bonfire Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum "Bonfire," - 50'-70' h)
	Oak (Crown width is generally comparable to or slightly greater than height)
		Northern Red Oak [Quercus borealis (rubral) - 75'-95' h]
		White Oak (Quercus alba - 80'-90' h, 50'-80' spread)
		Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima - 75'-90' h)
		Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea - 75'-90' h)
		Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria - 65'-75' h)
		Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii - 75'-90' h)
	Pear
		Redspire Pear (Pyrus calleryana Redspire - 30'-35' h)
	**Pin Oak
		(Quercus palustris - 75'-100' h)
		Because of its low-branching effect, which ultimately becomes dead branches, pin oaks do not make good shade trees around parking lots.
		Also known as "Swamp Oaks," Pin Oaks like wet soils and are excellent candidates for planting along wetland borders, stream corridors, etc., or within lawn areas.
	**Willow Oak
		(Quercus phellos - 50'-70' h)
		These have similar characteristics to Pin Oaks.
	Zelkova (Crown width is generally equal to height)
		The Zelkova is similar to our native Elm and thrives in urban settings.
		Green Vase Zelkova (Zelkova serrata Green Vase - 60'-70' h)
		Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata - 50'-60' h)
		Village Green Zelkova (Zelkova serrata Village Green - 50'-60' h)
		Ohio Lacebark Elm, Ulmus parvifolia "Ohio" (20' h)
		Hackberry, Celtis spp.
		Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba (male only)
		Blackgum Nyssa sylvatica

	Notes:
	*Not acceptable for parking lot use
	**All not acceptable for parking lot use

Nonacceptable species of deciduous shade trees.

	Ash (Crown width of Ash is generally similar to height) (Disease prone/shortlived)
		Newport Ash (Fraxinus lanceolata Newport - 50'-60' h)
		Greenspire Brand American Ash (Fraxinus americana Greenspire - 60'-70' h)
		Autumn Purple Ash, seedless (Fraxinus americana Rosehill - 60'-70' h) Patmore Ash (Fraxinus americana Patmore - 50'-60' h)
		Summit Ash (Fraxinus americana Summit - 50'-60' h)
	White Ash Fraxinus americana
	Pear
		Bradford Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana Bradford - 25'-35' h)
		Capital Pear (Pyrus calleryana Capital - 35'- 40' h)
		Whitehouse Pear (Pyrus calleryana Whitehouse - 30'-35' h)
	Marshall's Seedless Ash
		No longer "seedless." This tree now appears to be producing seeds.
	Norway Maple
		(Acer platanoides)
		The roots of the Norway Maple (regular or columnar) grow near the surface and can uproot sidewalks. Invasive, non-native.
	Silver Maple
		Similar to Norway Maple. Silver Maples are susceptible to various insects and diseases. The tree has very weak branches.
	Sycamore
		(Platanus acerifolia orientalis - 70'-80' h)
		Also known as the London Planetree, Sycamores do not make good shade trees since they provide only light shade and drop large seed pods.

Acceptable varieties of landscaping trees.

	Cherry
		Accolade Flowering Cherry (Prunus Accolade - 30'-40' h)
		Sargent Cherry (Prunus sargenti - 30'-40' h)
		Columnar Sargent Cherry (Prunus sargenti columnaris - 30'-40' h)
		High branched or tree form Kwanzan Cherry (Prunus serrulata Kwanzan-30'-35' h)
		Rosy Cloud Cherry (Prunus serrulata Rosy Cloud - 20'-25' h)
		Canada Red Cherry (Prunus virginiana Shubert - 20'-25' h)
		Yoshino Cherry (Prunus yedoensis - 30'-35' h)
	Crabapple
		Siberian Crab (Malus baccata - 20'-25' h)
		Columnar Siberian Crab (Malus baccata columnaris - 22'-25' h)
		Radiant Crab (Malus radiant - 12'-15' h)
	Maples
		Hedge Maple (Acer campestre - 20'-25' h)
		Amur Maple (Acer ginnala - 20'-25' h)
		Tatarian Maple [Acer tataricum (tree form)]
		Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum, - 6'-20' h)
	Shadblow (Serviceberry)
		Pink Shadblow (Amelanchier Robin Hill Pink - 20'-30' h)
		Cumulus Shadblow (Amelanchier Hybrida "Cumulus" - 20'-30' h)
	Scholartree (Crown width is generally comparable to height)
		Also called "Pagodatree"
		Chinese Scholartree (Sophora japonica - 30'-40' h)
		Princeton Upright Scholartree (Sophora japonica Princeton Upright - 40'-50' h)
		Regent Brand Scholartree (Sophora japonica Regent - 40'-50' h)
	Tree Lilac
		Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa amurensis japonica - 25'-30' h)
		Regent Brand Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa amurensis japonica Regent - 25'-30' h)
		Ivory Silk Tree Lilac (Syringa amurensis japonica Ivory Silk - 20'-25' h)
		Flowering crabapple (Malus spp.)
		Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
		Thornless honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
		Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
		European hornbeam (tree form) (Carpinus betulus)
		Hawthorn (Crataegus sp)
		London plane tree (Platanus x. acerifolia)
		Yellow popular (Liriodendron tulipifera)
		Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
		River birch (Betula nigra)
		Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
		Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
		Sweetgum (seeded or seedless) (Liquidambar styraciflua)
		Weeping willow (Salix babylonica) (to be used only in areas adjacent to surface waters)

Unacceptable varieties of landscaping trees.

	Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
	Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)

Acceptable evergreen species (shrubs).

Evergreen species, larger-sized:

	Cypress
		Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii - 60'-70' h)
	Douglas Fir
		[Pseudotsuga taxifolia (douglasi) - 70'-80' h]
	Hemlock
		Canadian hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis — 75'-90' h)
	Spruce
		Norway Spruce [Picea excelsa (abies) - 80'-100' h]
		Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens - 60'-80' h)
		Colorado Blue Spruce (Pica pungens glauca - 60'-70' h)
		Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika - 80' h) (good replacement for Canadian Hemlock)
	White Fir
		(Abies concolor - 50'-70' h)

Evergreen species, medium-sized:

	Arborvitae
		Dark American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis nigra - 25'-40' h)
	Cypress
		False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera)
		Blue False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisiferea veitchi - 22'-25' h)
		Lawson False Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsonia - 18' h)
	Eastern Redcedar
		(Juniperus virginiana - 35'-40' h)
		Princeton Sentry Brand redcedar (Juniperus virginiana Princeton Sentry - 25'-30' h)
		Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus virginiana Skyrocket - 35'-40' h)
	Juniper
		Blue Columnar Chinese Juniper [Juniperus chinensis columnaris (pyramidalis) - 15'-20' h]
		Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana - 35'-40' h)
		Princeton Sentry Brand Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana Princeton Sentry - 25'-30' h)
		Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus virginiana Skyrocket - 35'-40' h)
	Yew
		Upright Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata capitata - 25'-40' h)
		Hicks Yew (Taxus media hicksi - 10'-12' h)
	Hoshino Cryptomeria
		(Cryptomeria japonica Yoshino - 30'-40' h)

Nonacceptable evergreen species.

	Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra - 60'-70' h)
		The Austrian Pine is unacceptable because it is succumbing to the fungus Diplodia.
	Japanese Black Pine
		Issues similar to Austrian Pines prohibit use of this evergreen species.
	White Pine (Pinus strobus - 80'-100' h)
		White Pines lose all their lower branches in time and thus provide no screening, are overused in landscape plans and are subject to insect-fungus infestations which require annual maintenance.

Foundation plantings.

A variety of low-growing evergreen plantings shall be planted in front of all commercial, office and industrial buildings, churches, schools, other public institutions and the like. Foundation plantings should be located around all sides of a building which face a street or parking lot, within five feet of the building.

Foundation plantings shall include low-growing evergreen, shrubs and, if desired, ground covers.

Azalea
	Azalea Hybrids [Azalea Blaauw's Pink (Kurume)]
	Azalea Delaware Valley White (Kurume)
	Azalea Herbert (Gable)
	Azalea Hino-Crimson (Obtusum)
	Azalea Mother's Day (Kurume)
	Azalea Stewartstonian (Gable)
	Korean Azalea (Azalea poukhanensis - 3'-4' h)
Andromeda
	Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica - 5'-6' h)
Cypress
	Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Gracilis)
	Golden Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Crippsi - 8'-10' h)
	Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Gracilis nana - 2-1/2'-4' h)
	Dwarf Golden False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera aurea nana - 4'-5' h)
Holly
	Compact Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata compacta - 4'-5' h)
	Dwarf Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata helleri - 2'-3' h)
	Hetz Holly (Ilex crenata hetzi - 4'-5' h)
	Inkberry (Ilex glabra - 5'-6' h)
	Compact lnkberry (Ilex crenata compacta - 3'-4' h)
	Harvest Red Winterberry (Ilex verticillata Harvest Red - 6'-8' h)
Junipers
	Hetz Blue Juniper (Juniperus chinensis glauca hetzi - 5'-7' h)
	Compact Pfitzer Juniper (Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana compacta - 3'-4' h)
	Torulosa Juniper (Juniperus chinensis Torulosa - 10'-12' h)
Leatherleaf Mahonia
	(Mahonia bealei 6'-8' h)
Mountain Laurel
	(Kalmia latifolia - 5'-6' h) (shaded area)
Mugho Pine
	(Pinus montana mughus - 3'-4' h)
Rhododendron
	P.J.M. Rhododendron (Rhododendron P.J.M. - 4'-5' h)
	For sunny areas: any hybrid Rhododendron
	For shady areas: any native Rhododendron, such as:
		Rhododendron Maximum (Rhododendron Maximum)
Spruce
	Birdnest Spruce (Picea excelsa nidiformis - 2'-3' h)
	Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca conica - 4'-6' h)
Yew
	Spreading English Yew (Taxus baccata repandens - 2'-3' h)
	Dense Yew (Taxus cuspidata densiformis - 6'-8' h)
	Dwarf Japanese Yew [Taxus cuspidata nana (brevifolial) - 4'-5' h]
	Hatfield Yew (Taxus media hatfieldi - 8'-10' h)
	Hicks yew (Taxus media hicksi - 8'-10' h)

Ground covers.

	Junipers
		Sargent Juniper (Juniperus Chinensis sargenti - 1-1/2"-2" h)
		Bar Harbor Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis Bar Harbor - 6"-12" h)
		Andorra Juniper [Juniperus horizontalis plumosa (depressa plumosa) - 1 "-1-1/2" h)
		Blue Rug Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis wiltoni - 3"-6" h)
	Pachysandra
		Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis - 6"-8" h)
	Periwinkle or Myrtle (Vinca minor - 6"-8" h)
		Shademaster Brand Myrtle (Vinca minor Shademaster - 6"- 8" h)

§ 126-192 Where buffering required.

All uses, other than single-family detached dwellings, which abut a single-family residential zone, shall be required to maintain a buffer zone in accordance with the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance.[1]

Editor's Note: See Part 12, Zoning.

§ 126-193 Buffers.

Buffers are fences, landscaping, berms and mounds used to minimize any adverse impacts or nuisance on the site or from adjacent areas. The following points should be considered:

The selection of suitable landscape buffer species are as set forth in § 126-191 (Landscaping) and § 126-191.1 (Landscaping: categories of trees and plantings).

[Amended 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12]

Consider buffers for the following areas:

Buffers (other than fences) should be located along property lines, shielding various uses from each other.

Where interior roads run parallel to roads exterior to the site, a buffer should be erected to prevent confusion, particularly at night.

Buffer parking areas, garbage collection areas and loading and unloading areas.

Consider prevailing wind patterns and use buffers to stop windborne debris from leaving the site.

§ 126-194 (Reserved) [1]

Editor’s Note: Former § 126-194, Fences, as amended, was repealed 6-7-2018 by Ord. No. 18-06. See now Ch. 196, Fences and Retaining Walls.

§ 126-195 Signs.

It is the intent of these regulations to provide for attractive, coordinated, informative and efficient signing for uses in the Township. Each site plan application shall include a sign plan showing the specific design, location, size, construction and illumination in compliance with the following regulations:

Nameplate and identification signs for single-family dwellings. A sign indicating the name or address of the occupant may be permitted, provided that the sign shall be no larger than two square feet. A permitted home occupation may be included with the name of the occupant. Only one sign per dwelling unit is permitted in addition to a mailbox identification sign.

Sales or rental signs. Signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises upon which they are located may be permitted, provided that:

The size of any such sale or rental sign shall not exceed eight square feet.

Not more than one sign is placed upon any property.

Such sign shall be promptly removed when premises are sold or rented.

Developments with four or more homes for sale or industrial or commercial properties may be advertised on a sign not to exceed 32 square feet. One such sign shall be permitted on each frontage if the development fronts on more than one street. All development signs shall be removed when 95% of the lots have been initially sold.

Institutional signs. Signs of schools, colleges, churches and other institutions of a similar public or semipublic nature may be erected and maintained, provided that:

The size of any freestanding sign shall not exceed 30 square feet and not more than one such sign is placed on a property, unless such property fronts upon more than one street, in which instance a sign may be erected on each frontage.

Signs affixed to the facade of the structure shall be permitted, provided the sign shall not exceed 5% of the building facade.

Signs in nonresidential districts for single-tenanted and single-structure developments. Business signs may be erected and maintained when in compliance with the following provisions:

The total gross advertising area of all signs, other than freestanding signs, on any one property shall not be greater than 5% of the area of the building face fronting on the street. The maximum area of all signs, except freestanding signs, shall not exceed 100 square feet.

One freestanding sign shall be permitted on any single property. The total advertising area shall not exceed 5% of the building face fronting on the street but in no event greater than 100 square feet.

Signs for multiuse developments, shopping centers or industrial parks. Shopping centers, industrial parks, planned residential developments, multitenanted structures of multi-structure uses shall be governed by the following regulations:

Sign plan; nonresidential signage in certain districts.

Each such development shall submit a sign plan to the Planning Board for approval. Such sign plan shall include details on:

Letter style.

Lighting.

Color.

Construction and materials.

[5]

Height of sign.

[6]

Height above grade or below roofline.

[7]

Locations.

[8]

Standards.

The following regulations shall apply for all nonresidential signage in the R-40A, R-40B and R-40C Zoning Districts:

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

One freestanding sign shall be permitted for each development parcel, regardless of the number of individual structures that may be associated with such development parcel.

The maximum sign size shall not exceed 20 square feet in area; however, such sign may be double-faced.

[3]

Signs may be internally lighted.

[4]

All signs, excluding directional signs, shall be located a minimum of 20 feet from the Route 202-206 right-of-way line.

[5]

Signs shall not be permitted which are attached to any part of any structure, except for one tenant directory sign, which shall not exceed four square feet in area and which shall be incorporated as part of a building's main entranceway.

[6]

Signs shall not exceed six feet in total height, inclusive of its frame and/or supports.

[7]

Banners and flags are strictly prohibited.

[8]

Portable signs, including advertising signs, of any size are strictly prohibited.

The sign plan shall be based on an integrated design theme to include all of the elements mentioned in Subsection E(1)(a)[1] through [8]. All of the above elements shall be designed to be in harmony and consistent with each other, the architecture and materials of principal structures and the landscaping plan. The Planning Board, in its sole discretion, shall determine if a proposed sign plan meets the goals and objectives of this subsection.

The total area of all signs affixed to a structure shall not exceed 5% of the building facade or 100 square feet, whichever is less. Unless otherwise set forth in this chapter regardless of the number of signs permitted on the building, the maximum area of all facade signs shall not exceed 5% of the building facade or 100 square feet, whichever is less. The Planning Board may permit a total sign area of up to 7% of the building facade if, in the Planning Board's judgment, such additional area shall assist in developing a harmonious and integrated sign plan in accordance with the goals and objectives of this subsection.

[Amended 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 17-02]

Freestanding signs to be located on poles, kiosks, stanchions or similar supports shall not project above the maximum height permitted in the zone. Such signs shall have an area not in excess of 5% of the building face fronting on the street but in no event greater than 100 square feet. The Planning Board may permit a total sign area of up to 150 square feet if, in the Planning Board's judgment, such additional area shall assist in achieving the goals and objectives of this subsection. Only one such freestanding sign shall be permitted on any single property regardless of the number of establishments on the property, except that the Planning Board may authorize an additional freestanding sign if the property has access from more than one public street.

General regulations. The following regulations shall apply to all permitted and preexisting nonconforming signs:

Only those signs identifying the name, business, occupant, service, address or product offered or sold on the premises shall be permitted to be erected. Coming events, community bulletin beards and time and temperature signs shall also be permitted.

Signs within the interior of a structure designed to be seen and read from the exterior shall be considered as part of any maximum sign area.

Signs attached to a principal structure shall not extend above the roof line of the parapet.

No flashing, moving or apparently moving signs shall be permitted except for time and temperature and changeable copy displays.

The top of freestanding signs shall not exceed the height limit of principal structures in the zone where located or 25 feet, whichever is lesser.

Signs, whether portable, permanent or temporary, other than municipal, county or state signs, shall not be erected within the right-of-way of any street or approved sight easements, nor shall any sign be located so as to constitute a traffic hazard.

A permit shall be required for the erection, alteration or reconstruction of any sign, except as noted in Subsection F(8) below. The advertiser shall be responsible for securing the permit. Fees shall be based on the following schedule:

Up to five square feet: $5.

Five or more square feet: $1 per square foot.

The area of a sign shall be computed as the total square-foot content of the background upon which the lettering, illustration or display is presented, including any wall support or frame. The size of two-sided freestanding signs shall be computed as the square footage of one face (not two) of the sign (based on the premise that only one side is visible at a time) by measuring the square-foot content of the sign upon which the lettering, illustration or display and including any wall support or frame, on which the sign is situated.

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33; amended 3-7-2016 by Ord. No. 16-02]

All temporary signs erected for a special event, such as an election or sale, excluding home sales, shall be removed within five days after the event shall have taken place. No permit shall be required for such temporary signs, provided that they do not exceed 32 square feet. All temporary signs, other than election signs, shall not remain in place more than four weeks.

[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

Advertising signs shall not be permitted in any zone district in the Township.

Whenever a sign shall become structurally unsafe or endanger the safety of the building or the public, the Building Inspector shall order such sign to be made safe or removed. Such order shall be complied with within 10 days of the receipt thereof by the person owning or using the sign, or by the owner of the building or premises on which such sign is affixed or erected.

Location.

Signs shall not be located closer than the following distances to street rights-of-way:

	Area of Sign (square feet)	Minimum Distance (feet)
	Less than 25	20
	26-75	25
	76 or more	30

The Planning Board shall be authorized to waive the strict application of this Subsection F(11) if, because of local site conditions, strict adherence would cause inconvenience to the public or constitute a hazard.

The area surrounding ground signs shall be kept neat, clean and landscaped. The tenant, owner or occupant to which the sign applies shall be responsible for maintaining the condition of the area.

(13)

Directional signs having areas of less than three square feet are exempt from area and location regulations but shall be shown on an approved site plan and further provided they do not constitute a hazard to the traveling public.

(14)

All signs shall be kept in good repair, which shall include replacement or repair of broken structural elements, casings or faces and the maintenance of legibility; and all lighting elements shall be kept working.

(15)

Any location where business goods are no longer sold or produced or where services are no longer provided shall have 90 days to remove any remaining or derelict on-premises signs following notification by the Township and at the expense of the owner of such property. Where due written notification has been given by the Township and compliance has not been made within the required ninety-day period, the Township may cause removal of such sign and charge the cost of such removal to the owner.

(16)

Applicant shall also comply with all applicable county, state and federal sign regulations.

§ 126-196 Utilities; inclusion of recycling provisions.

[Amended 9-18-1978 by Ord. No. 78-22]

The design and location of storm drain, sanitary sewer and water lines shall be based on Township standards and/or those of the public utility having primary jurisdiction. The general location of all utilities not operated or maintained by the Township shall be coordinated by the Township Engineer. However, all utilities necessitated as part of a new major subdivision road or site plan application shall be located underground.

[Amended 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12]

In connection with every site plan, the applicant shall include provisions for the recycling of solid waste to the maximum extent possible. Materials recycled shall include but are not limited to the following, as applicable:

[Added 4-4-1988 by Ord. No. 88-4]

Glass.

Newspapers and magazines.

Aluminum cans.

Low-grade papers.

High-grade papers.

Motor oil.

Solid waste enclosures and recycling enclosures shall be unobtrusive and properly positioned to facilitate cart pick up. These enclosures must be constructed with the same construction materials as the principal structures that they serve.

[Added 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12]

§ 126-197 Environmental considerations.

The site plan shall be designed in accordance with applicable Township regulations designed to protect the environment. These include but are not limited to Stormwater Management and Floodplain Ordinance, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance and Hillside Development Ordinance.[1]

Conservation, erosion and sediment control. The following measures shall be included where applicable as part of any site plan review and approval:

Stripping of vegetation, regrading or other development shall be done in such a way as to minimize erosion.

Development shall preserve salient natural features, keep cut-fill operations to a minimum and ensure conformity with topography so as to create the least erosion potential and adequately handle the volume and velocity of surface water runoff.

Whenever feasible, natural vegetation shall be retained, protected and supplemented.

The disturbed area and the duration of exposure shall be kept to a practical minimum.

Disturbed soils shall be stabilized as quickly as practicable.

Temporary vegetation or mulching shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during development.

The permanent (final) vegetation and mechanical erosion control measures shall be installed as soon as practical on the site.

Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Where necessary, the rate of surface water runoff will be mechanically retarded.

Until the disturbed area is stabilized, sediment in the runoff water shall be trapped by the use of debris basins, sediment basins, silt traps or other acceptable methods.

Whenever sedimentation is caused by stripping vegetation, regrading or other development, it shall be the responsibility of the developer causing such sedimentation to remove it from all adjoining surfaces, drainage systems and watercourses and to repair any damage at his expense as quickly as possible.

Maintenance of all drainage facilities and watercourses within any project shall remain the responsibility of the developer unless they are accepted by the Township of Bridgewater or some other governmental agency.

It is the responsibility of any person doing any act on or across a communal stream, watercourse or swale or upon the floodway or right-of-way thereof to maintain as nearly as possible in its present state the stream, watercourse, swale, floodway or right-of-way during the duration of such activity and to return it to its original or equal condition after such activity is completed.

(13)

Maintenance of drainage facilities or watercourses originating and completely on private property is the responsibility of the owner to the point of open discharge at the property line or at a communal watercourse within the property.

(14)

No person shall block, divert, disturb, impede the flow of, alter or construct any structure or deposit any material or thing or commit any act which will affect normal or flood flow in an communal stream or watercourse without having obtained prior approval from the Township of Bridgewater and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Resources.

(15)

Each person who makes any surface changes shall be required to:

Collect on-site surface runoff and dispose of it into the common natural watercourse of the drainage area.

Handle existing off-site runoff through his development by designing the stormwater system to adequately handle storm runoff from a fully developed area upstream.

Site conditions.

During construction. During construction, the site shall be maintained and left each day in a safe and sanitary manner, and any condition which could lead to personal injury or property damage shall be immediately corrected by the subdivider upon an order by the Building Inspector or other authorized personnel. Developer shall make provision for disposal of oil and grease from equipment. Site area should be regularly sprayed to eliminate dirt from construction activity.

Disposal of dead trees, litter, building materials. Developed areas shall be cleared of all stumps, litter, rubbish, brush, weeds, dead and dying trees, roots and debris, and excess or scrap building materials shall be removed or destroyed immediately upon the request of and to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector prior to issuing an occupancy permit.

Changes in elevation. No change shall be made in the elevation or contour of any lot or site by the removal of earth to another lot or site other than as shown on an approved site plan. Minimal changes in elevations or contours necessitated by field conditions may be made only after approval by the Township Engineer. All said changes necessitated by field conditions shall be shown on the final plat and indicated as a change from the preliminary, or if final approval has been granted, said changed shall be shown on the as-built plans.

Temporary improvements. Prior to or during construction, the Township Engineer may require the installation or construction of improvements to prevent or correct temporary conditions on the site which could cause personal injury, damage to property or constitute a health hazard. These conditions may result from erosion and landslide, flooding, heavy construction traffic, creation of steep grades and pollution. Improvements may include berms, mulching, sediment traps, detention and retention basins, grading, plantings, retaining walls, culverts, pipes, guardrails, temporary roads and others appropriate to the specific condition. All temporary improvements shall remain in place and in operation until otherwise directed by the Township Engineer.

Editor's Note: See Part 11, Special Environmental Requirements.

§ 126-198 Street furniture.

Street furniture are the man-made elements of an urban landscape. These are the functional elements of the environment and include phone booths, benches, planting boxes, mail and meter boxes, water towers, lighting standards, directional signs, bollards (posts), fire hydrants, power lines, fences and walls, water fountains and pools, drinking fountains, trash receptacles, bike racks, sculpture, paving and steps and bus shelters. The street furniture plan should include location, size, lighting and design relationship.

Certain street furniture is functional in nature and should be located where the demand is. Bike racks should be located in front or to the rear of multifamily areas and with easy access to bike trails. They also should be placed near service areas and by recreational activities.

Bus shelters should be required at least at major intersections. The stops themselves should be on the far side of the intersection so as not to block other vehicles or limit passage through the intersection. It is desirable to provide indentations to accommodate the buses off the main travel routes. The shelter should be designed to keep rain off those waiting for the buses and to break the wind. They should not be entirely enclosed so as to allow the interiors to be readily observed.

Trash receptacles should be located near recreational activities, at street corners, at entrances and exits to buildings and where people naturally congregate, such as near fire hydrants and under streetlights. Open-weave receptacles should be avoided because the wind blows small bits of paper and debris from them.

§ 126-199 Open space and recreation.

General requirements. At least 25% of any tract proposed for planned development or cluster shall be in common open space and distributed generally as follows:

A minimum of 10% of the gross tract area shall be in formal recreation facilities such as tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pools, ball fields and similar facilities.

A minimum of 10% of the gross tract area shall be in natural features, vistas, significant wooded areas, vegetation and in other usable open space, which shall be defined as lands other than in channels, floodways and on slopes in excess of 25% or water bodies, whether used for recreation, retention or detention purposes.

Five percent of the gross tract area may include all lands excluded in Subsection A(2) above and water bodies.

Recreational facilities. The following recreational facilities should be considered as part of any, but not necessarily all, planned developments:

Trails. Use to connect open space, between recreational facilities and between buildings and other uses.

Bikeways. Minimum width of five feet, optimum of eight feet. Keep grades under 10%, lower if for any length. Improved surfaces are desirable and all turning radii should be 12 feet.

Playlots. Minimum of 2,000 square feet for toddlers and up to 5,000 square feet for older children. Primarily used by preschoolage children. Facilities include swings, slides, play sculptures and benches for parents. Effective service radius of one block of 1/8 of a mile. Approximately one playlot for each 400 persons or 100 children.

Playgrounds. Designed for a variety of uses, and equipment should reflect the patronage. Sandboxes and play sculpture for young children, basketball courts or backboards for older youths, paved areas for various activities, and shuffleboard and sunny and quiet areas for the elderly. The size of the playgrounds should be based on population, as follows:

	Population	Size (acres)
	2,000	3.25
	3,000	4.0
	4,000	4.0
	5,000	6.0

Tennis. One tennis court for each 100 dwelling units. Parking should be provided on the basis of four spaces per court.

Swimming pools. Provide three square feet of pool area for each resident above three years of age. Provide for wading pools.

Other considerations.

Orientation of recreational facilities generally should run in a northeast-southwest direction.

Carefully orient passive recreational facilities. The southerly exposure is the warmest and captures the short fall, winter and spring sun. During the summer, it can be uncomfortable, but this can be relieved by landscaping.

Small garden plots are also valid recreational opportunities, particularly for the elderly. Orient toward the south.

Recreational facilities should be operated for the residents of the development. They should not be commercial enterprises, open to anyone who pays a fee.

§ 126-199.1 Sidewalks.

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

Sidewalks shall be installed for all new developments as described below to provide for safe pedestrian access in residential, commercial and public areas.

On local streets, sidewalks shall have a four-foot width and shall be located not less than three feet from the curbline. On collector roads or higher road classifications, sidewalks shall have a five-foot width in order to double as bikeways.

Sidewalks shall be required in accordance with the following standards of road classification, use and density, The Planning Board may permit an applicant to provide an escrow contribution in lieu of construction of the required sidewalk. The contribution shall be equivalent to the cost of said sidewalk, as approved by the Township Engineer.

Read classification.

Major arterial: no sidewalk required, pedestrian use discouraged.

Minor arterial:

Rural areas: sidewalk on one side.

Developed areas: sidewalk on two sides.

Collector roads: sidewalk on two sides.

Local roads:

Cul-de-sac [under 150 average daily traffic (ADT)]: no sidewalk required.

Cul-de-sac/loops (150 to 400 ADT): sidewalk on one side.

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Cul-de-sac/loops (over 400 ADT): sidewalk on two sides.

Subcollectors: sidewalk on one or two sides.

Residential zones.

High-density (four units per acre; lots of 10,000 square feet or smaller): sidewalks required on two sides.

Medium-density (two to three units per acre; lots of 15,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet): sidewalks required on one side.

Low-density (one or fewer units per acre): no sidewalks required.

Business zones. Sidewalks should always be required along street frontages and from parking areas to entrances and exits.

Industrial zones. Sidewalks may be required by the Planning Board; however, the requirement for sidewalks should be based on the merits of individual applications.

§ 126-199.2 Martinsville Special Design District.

[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]

The Martinsville Special Design District recognizes the unique character of development as it has evolved in the Village of Martinsville. To preserve and enhance that character, the following guidelines for building design and facade treatment signs, lighting and street furniture should be considered by the Planning Board in reviewing any projects.

Building massing and scale.

Buildings with expansive blank walls and all curtain wall structures are discouraged.

Flat, shed and mansard roofs are not recommended; gable roof designs are encouraged.

A human scale should be achieved through the use of scale elements as windows, doors, columns and canopies.

Building materials.

Building materials should be compatible with the predominant materials of adjacent structures. The recommended standard is brick with white wood trim.

Aluminum siding, metal panels and mirrored glass surfaces are discouraged.

Metal awnings are discouraged. Awnings should be solid or striped canvas in recommended colors.

Building details.

If several storefronts are located in one building, they should be unified in design treatment; e.g., the design of windows and door openings, the use of materials and color.

All storefronts should include display windows with a sill height of not more than two feet from grade.

Surface detailing should be integral with the structure rather than applied for decorative purposes.

Exterior mounted mechanical and electrical equipment should be architecturally screened,

Signs and parking.

Recommended sign material is wood.

Recommended store signage is black capital letters applied to a white fascia wood trim over the display window area. Letter size should be indirect or external to the sign.

The design of a sign should be subservient to and consistent with the building it serves.

Where a building requires several different signs, they should be similar in size, materials, color and lighting.

Separate parking areas should be linked where feasible.

Color.

The painting of buildings in bold colors, patterns, checks or the use of buildings as signs is discouraged.

Only earth tones should be used for exterior surfaces (browns, beiges, grays, soft greens). Accent, or complementary colors, harmonizing with the main color may be used for trim or awnings.

Street furniture and lighting.

Recommended street furniture designs and preferred lighting standard should be selected by the Planning Board.

The design of all street furniture (benches, phone booths, trash receptacles, etc.) should be consistent with the overall building design concept.

§ 126-199.3 Design standards for wireless telecommunication facilities.

[Added 12-17-2012 by Ord. No. 12-21]

The following priority ranking from highest to lowest shall be utilized by the applicant to demonstrate that the site selected for the location of a wireless telecommunication facility has the highest possible ranking:

Location on an existing support structure wherein the height of the support structure including wireless communications equipment is not proposed to be increased.

Location on an existing support structure wherein the height of the proposed support structure including wireless communication equipment is being increased in lieu of constructing an entirely new support structure.

Location on a new support structure positioned 1,000 feet or more from any primarily residential zone.

Location on a new support structure positioned less than 1,000 feet from any residential zone where there is a frequency of mature trees within the intervening area that significantly lessens the visibility from primarily residential zones.

Location on a new support structure positioned less than 1,000 feet from any primarily residential zone where there is a scarcity of mature trees within the intervening area.

The following design standards shall apply to all wireless telecommunication facilities:

All support structures and equipment shall be secured by fencing, walls or equivalent security barriers.

All support structures shall be designed with anticlimbing devices to prohibit unauthorized access.

Landscaping shall be provided to buffer on a year-round, basis the lower portions of support structures and equipment compounds as viewed from adjoining properties and from public rights-of-way. Access gate locations that are not buffered by landscaping shall be positioned to minimize the view of equipment. Such landscaping shall provide a year-round screen. Evergreens shall have a height of at least eight feet at the time of planting.

The lighting of support structures and equipment facilities shall be limited to security and safety lighting at access points. Such lighting shall be focused downward and shall be regulated by timing devices or sensors so that the lighting is off when not needed for safety or security purposes. Exempted from this restriction is lighting mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration that is the minimum permitted intensity permitted.

Support structures shall be of a monopole design unless it can be demonstrated that an alternate support structure design is necessary for co-location or for other technical reasons. Monopoles may employ camouflage technology to minimize the visual impact.

No wireless equipment shall emit noise in excess of the limits established in Chapter 142, Noise, of the Township Code, except that the operation of a backup generator shall be permitted for maintenance or emergency purposes. Backup generator testing and routine maintenance shall be performed only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Wireless telecommunication facilities that cannot be visually buffered shall be colored to be as visually unobtrusive as reasonably possible within the context of the surrounding natural and built environment. Color schemes mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration shall be permitted.

Wireless telecommunication facilities shall be in locations that avoid appearing as solitary or prominent features when viewed from residential zones and public rights-of-way.

Wireless telecommunication facilities should be in locations that are shielded as much as practical by trees and other vegetation, topographic features and nonresidential buildings and should avoid locations that intrude on historically significant viewscapes and views from significant architectural buildings and structures.

All wireless equipment shall be designed and automated to the greatest extent possible to reduce the need for on-site maintenance visits by personnel or vehicles.

Dish antennae accessory to any wireless telecommunication facilities shall be colored, camouflaged or screened to minimize visibility and shall not exceed six feet in diameter.