The long title of the ordinance included in
this chapter is as follows:
A.
A comprehensive ordinance of the Township regulating
and limiting the uses of land and the uses and locations of buildings,
structures and related facilities;
B.
Regulating and restricting the height and bulk of
buildings and structures and determining the area of yards, courts
and other open spaces;
C.
Regulating and restricting the density of population;
D.
Dividing the Township into districts for such purposes;
E.
Adopting a map of the Township showing boundaries
and the classification of such districts;
F.
Establishing a Planning Board and Zoning Board of
Adjustment;
G.
Providing for the power of the Boards;
H.
Fixing the procedures governing application to the
Boards and appeals therefrom;
I.
Providing regulations governing subdivisions, site
plans, soil erosion and sediment control and floodplains; and
J.
Prescribing penalties for the violation of its provisions.
The short form by which this chapter may be
known shall be the "Land Development Ordinance of the Township of
Ewing."
The chapter is adopted pursuant to N.J.S.A.
40:55D-1 et seq., in order to promote its purposes and to protect
the public health, safety, morals and general welfare, and in furtherance
of the following related and more specific objectives:
A.
To guide and regulate the orderly growth, development
and redevelopment of the Township in accordance with a comprehensive
plan and with long-term objectives, principles and standards deemed
beneficial to the interests and welfare of the people;
B.
To provide protection to life and property against
fires, flood, explosion, panic, noxious fumes and other dangers in
the interest of the public health, safety, comfort and the general
welfare;
C.
To protect the established character and the social
and economic well-being of the community;
D.
To conserve the value of buildings and to enhance
the value of land throughout the Township;
E.
To promote, in the public interest, the utilization
of land for the purposes for which it is most appropriate;
F.
To ensure that land development does not conflict
with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities,
Mercer County and the State of New Jersey;
G.
To establish zoning districts and therein regulate
the use of land and structures for residential, commercial, industrial,
recreational and other purposes;
H.
To regulate the locations of buildings and sizes of
lots which may be occupied by a building or structure and to fix reasonable
standards for the height, bulk and size of buildings and structures
so as to determine the area of open spaces surrounding building necessary
to provide adequate light and air, privacy and convenience of access
to property and to protect the public health;
I.
To regulate the intensity of use of land and buildings
and the density of population so as to prevent overcrowding of land
or buildings and to avoid undue concentrations of population;
J.
To encourage the location and design of transportation
routes which will promote the free flow of traffic while discouraging
the location of such facilities and routes which will result in congestion
or blight;
K.
To lessen and, where possible, to prevent traffic
congestion on public streets and highways by providing for off-street
parking of motor vehicles and for the loading and unloading of commercial
vehicles;
L.
To promote a desirable visual environment through
creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangements;
M.
To encourage planned developments which incorporate
the best features of design that relate to type, design and layout
of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational development
to the particular site;
N.
To encourage senior citizen community housing construction;
O.
To encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditures
of public funds by the coordination of public development with land
use policies;
P.
To protect and reduce public expenditures related
to flooding and soil erosion;
Q.
To encourage coordination of the various public and
private procedures and activities shaping land development with a
view of lessening the cost of such development and to the more efficient
use of land;
R.
To promote the conservation of open space and protect
valuable natural resources for the welfare of the community and to
comply with all ecological and environmental protection requirements
of federal, state and local jurisdiction; and
S.
To promote the conservation of energy through the
use of planning practices designed to reduce energy consumption and
to provide for maximum utilization of renewable energy sources.
The provisions of this chapter shall be held
to be minimum requirements. Where this chapter imposes a greater restriction
than is imposed or required by other provisions of law or by other
rules or regulations or resolutions, the provisions of this chapter
shall control. Where other laws, rules, regulations or resolutions
require greater restrictions than are imposed or required by this
chapter, the provisions of such other laws, rules, regulations or
resolutions shall control.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1991-22]
All uses, buildings, structures, signs and conditions
not expressly permitted in this chapter are prohibited.
All requirements shall be met at the time of
the erection, enlargement, alteration, moving or change in use of
the principal, accessory or conditional use. The provisions of this
chapter shall apply to the entire structure or structures whether
or not the entire structure or structures were involved in the erection,
enlargement, alteration, moving or change in use.
