[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 163-37, Department of Planning and Development, was repealed 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988. See now § 163-38.
A. 
Creation. There is hereby created the Office of Land Use Administration, which is the Division of Planning within the Department of Planning and Development.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
B. 
Appointment, qualifications and compensation of Land Use Administrator. The individual holding the civil service position of Planning Director shall be the Land Use Administrator and the Director of the Division of Planning within the Department of Planning and Development. The Land Use Administrator/Director of the Division of Planning, shall be a planner, licensed in the State of New Jersey, and shall hold no elective office under the City. The Land Use Administrator/Director of the Division of Planning, shall be compensated in the amount of funds appropriated for his salary by the City Council.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
C. 
Authority and duties of Land Use Administrator.
(1) 
The Land Use Administrator shall be charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter and shall have all the powers necessary to such administration and enforcement.
(2) 
The Land Use Administrator shall supervise, manage and be responsible for the affairs and activities of the Office of Land Use Administration and its employees and may employ such technical assistants, clerks, secretaries and such other persons as shall be authorized by action of the City Council and pay for their services and any other necessary and proper expenses, but only out of such appropriations as may from time to time be made by the City Council for such purposes.
(3) 
The Land Use Administrator shall, in particular, have the following authority and duties:
(a) 
Rules and regulations. The Land Use Administrator shall, consistent with the express standards, purposes and intent of this chapter, promulgate, adopt and issue such procedural rules, regulations and forms as are, in his opinion, necessary to the effective administration and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. In addition, if the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment, or either of them, have failed to adopt rules and regulations to govern the conduct of their business, as required by §§ 163-22 and 163-32 of this chapter, within nine months following the adoption of this chapter, the Land Use Administrator shall, within one year following the adoption of this chapter, promulgate and issue such rules. Rules so issued shall, unless the aforesaid body shall, within 30 days following such issuance, object by formal motion to such rules and adopt rules for itself as herein required, be deemed for all purposes to be the rules required by this chapter to be adopted by the aforesaid body or bodies and shall, after issuance, govern the conduct of the business of such body or bodies. Rules so issued may be amended or modified by the body to which they apply in the same manner as if adopted by such body. All rules, regulations and forms issued by the Land Use Administrator shall be kept on file in the Office of Land Use Administration, shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall be public records of the City, open to inspection by interested parties at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice. Copies thereof shall be available for sale in the Office of Land Use Administration at a fee established pursuant to Part 1, Article III, of this chapter.
(b) 
Staff Secretary to the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment. The Land Use Administrator or his designee shall serve as Staff Secretary to the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment and shall, in that capacity:
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[1] 
Provide the agendas for and attend the meetings and hearings of each such body.
[2] 
Inform each such body of all facts and information at his disposal with respect to any matter brought before such body.
[3] 
Keep minutes of every meeting, including the names of persons appearing and addressing the Board and of the persons appearing by attorney, the action taken by the Board, the findings, if any, made by it and reasons therefor.
[4] 
Keep verbatim recordings of the proceedings of every hearing by either stenographic, mechanical or electronic means.
[5] 
Give notice, 30 days prior to the expiration of the term of any member of either such bodies, of the date on which the term of such member will expire to such member, to the City Council and to the Mayor.
[6] 
Perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by this chapter and by the rules of such bodies.
(c) 
Records. The Land Use Administrator shall maintain the following:
[1] 
Permanent and current records of this chapter, including all maps; amendments; conditional use, planned development, subdivision plat and site plan approvals and denials; interpretations; and decisions rendered by his office, the Planning Board, the Board of Adjustment and the City Council, together with relevant background files and materials.
[2] 
Duplicate copies of all certificates of land use compliance, numbered consecutively and showing the fee charged therefor, issued or denied pursuant to § 163-207 of this chapter, together with such portions of the applications therefor as the Land Use Administrator may consider necessary to the proper administration of this chapter.
[3] 
A current file of all certificates, permits or authorizations issued pursuant to Articles XVIII through XXXV of this chapter and Part 6 and all notices of violation, discontinuance or removal issued by or entrusted to his office for such time as necessary to ensure continuous compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
[4] 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(3)(c)[4], which listed a file of nonconforming uses and signs, was repealed 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988.
[5] 
A current file of all use interpretations issued pursuant to Part 5, Article XXIX, of this chapter.
[6] 
Current maps locating all applications for amendment, site plan/subdivision approvals, conditional uses, planned developments, variances and appeals and indicating the disposition thereof.
[7] 
Permanent and current records of all Planning Board and Board of Adjustment meetings, hearings and proceedings, minutes and transcripts taken therein and any correspondence of such Boards.
(d) 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(3)(d), which dealt with annual reports, was repealed 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988.
(e) 
Applications.
[1] 
Receipt, processing, referral to interested parties and agencies. The Land Use Administrator shall receive all applications required to be filed with him pursuant to this chapter and such other applications as the ordinances of the City may from time to time require to be filed in his office. Upon receipt of any such application, the Land Use Administrator shall review it for completeness, and if any deficiencies are found, he shall give notice of such deficiencies to the applicant, in writing, within 45 days following the original filing of such application. After a determination that the application is complete, the Land Use Administrator shall see to its expeditious processing, including its prompt referral to and retrieval from each official, department, bureau, board, commission or agency of the City or other government with any interest in or duty with respect to such application. To facilitate such referrals, the Land Use Administrator shall prepare, maintain and continually keep current a list or lists of all officials, departments, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies which have, in writing, requested an opportunity to review or comment on various specified applications and proposals for various specified reasons and pursuant to various specified duties and authorities.
[2] 
Notice of hearing. The Land Use Administrator shall give or cause to be given notice of hearings and meetings on applications pursuant to Part 5, Article XXXIII, of this chapter.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
[3] 
Investigation. Whenever the Planning Board or the Board of Adjustment shall, by general rule or specific direction, so request, the Land Use Administrator shall conduct or cause to be conducted such surveys, investigations and field studies and photographs, charts and exhibits as shall be necessary or convenient to the processing of any application filed with the Land Use Administrator.
(f) 
Plan review and land use certificates. Pursuant to the provisions of Part 6, Article XXXVI, of this chapter, the Land Use Administrator shall review all applications for certificates of land use compliance and approve or disapprove such applications and issue or refuse to issue such certificates based on compliance or noncompliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(g) 
(Reserved)[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Form Subsection C(3)(g), regarding other permits, was repealed 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988.
(h) 
Acceptance of guaranties. The Land Use Administrator or his designee shall accept performance and maintenance guaranties required to be paid pursuant to this chapter.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
(i) 
Interpretations. Pursuant to the provisions of Part 5, Article XXIX, of this chapter, the Land Use Administrator shall issue his written interpretation of the meaning and applicability of specific provisions of this chapter. Any interpretation of this chapter which may be rendered by the Land Use Administrator, the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment or City Council shall be kept on file with the Land Use Administrator and shall be a public record of the City, open to inspection by interested parties at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice.
(j) 
Notices. Pursuant to the provisions of Part 5, Article XXXIII, the Land Use Administrator shall give or cause to be given notices of actions taken pursuant to this chapter.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
(k) 
Inspection and enforcement.
[1] 
In furtherance of the enforcement of this chapter, the Land Use Administrator shall undertake such regular and continuing programs of inspection of work approved and under way and of existing structures and uses as may be feasible and proper within the limits of staff and funds; shall undertake such inspections as may be necessary to the performance of his duties hereunder; and shall receive from any person complaints alleging, with particularity, a violation of this chapter and, when appropriate, shall cause such investigations and inspections as may be warranted by such complaints to be made. Upon finding the existence of any violation of this chapter, the Land Use Administrator shall proceed as provided in § 163-9A of this chapter.
[2] 
The Land Use Administrator shall cooperate with the Building Inspector to coordinate enforcement and inspection activities under this chapter with those conducted pursuant to the authority vested in the Building Inspector so as to achieve the greatest efficiency and avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts.
[3] 
Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to prevent any person entitled to relief in law or equity by reason of a violation of the provisions of this chapter from bringing an appropriate action to secure such relief.
(l) 
Reports concerning valuation, assessment and taxation of land. The Land Use Administrator shall promptly inform the Atlantic County Tax Assessor of those parcels of land designated as an agricultural or horticultural use, pursuant to the provisions of the Farmland Assessment Act of 1964, P.L. 1964, c. 48 (N.J.S.A. 54:4-23.1 et seq.), which receive preliminary subdivision/site plan approval or planned development approval pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. In addition, the Land Use Administrator shall cooperate with the Tax Assessor to establish a system to provide the Tax Assessor with current information concerning any action taken pursuant to this chapter which might affect the valuation, assessment or taxation of any parcel of real estate in the City.
In addition to the jurisdiction, authority and duties conferred upon them by other provisions of the codes and ordinances of the City of Atlantic City, every official, department, bureau and agency of the City shall have the following jurisdiction, authority and duties with relation to the administration and enforcement of this chapter:
A. 
Duties as specified in applicable laws. Each official, department, bureau and agency shall have such duties and responsibilities with respect to land use and development regulations in the City as shall be conferred upon it by the various provisions of the codes, ordinances and regulations applicable to such official, department, bureau or agency. Where such duties and responsibilities require such official, department, bureau or agency to review plans or proposals for land use or development, such official, department, bureau or agency shall inform the Land Use Administrator, in writing, of such requirement; of the particular provision of the code, ordinance or regulation which creates such requirement; of the particular type or category of plans or proposals which must be reviewed; of the stage in the planning, zoning and development process where such review would be most effective; and of the estimated time that would be required for such review in the normal case.
B. 
Issuance of permits. No official, department, bureau or agency of the City shall issue any permit, license or approval in violation of the terms of this chapter or which could result in work or the use of buildings, structures or land in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Every official, department, bureau or agency of the City issuing permits, licenses or approvals, the use of which may result in a violation of the provisions of this chapter, shall refer the application therefor to the Land Use Administrator for a report on conformance with said provisions. The Land Use Administrator shall promptly return such application with his report thereon, and if the report indicates that the use of such permit, license or approval will result in a violation of the provisions of this chapter, the license, permit or approval shall not be issued. No official, department, bureau or agency of the City shall issue any building or construction permit or license which relies on, references or relates to an approval issued by a third-party agency without requiring, as a condition of such issuance, the provision by the applicant of copies of the plan, site plan or subdivision plan on which such third-party approval was based, which plans shall include digital and paper copies of plans showing the proposed improvements, grading and stormwater facilities to be constructed and connections to the City's stormwater system.
[Amended 2-13-2013 by Ord. No. 1-2013]
C. 
Cooperation and technical assistance. Upon reasonable request, each official, department, bureau and agency of the City shall cooperate fully with and offer technical aid, advice and expertise to the Board of Adjustment, the Planning Board and the Land Use Administrator to the end that the goals, policies and standards of the Master Plan and this chapter may be expeditiously and effectively achieved.