A developer may submit a general development plan (GDP) to the Planning Board if said application meets the following requirements:
A. 
The tract of land shall be greater than 100 acres in size; and
B. 
The developer is seeking approval for a planned development authorized under the Knowlton Land Development Ordinance.
The purpose of this Article is to establish rules, regulations, standards and procedures for approval of all planned developments in order to:
A. 
Preserve existing natural resources and give proper consideration to the physical constraints of the land.
B. 
Provide for safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
C. 
Provide for screening, landscaping, signing and lighting.
D. 
Ensure efficient, safe and aesthetic land development.
E. 
Provide for compliance with appropriate design standards to ensure adequate light and air, proper building arrangements and minimum adverse effect on surrounding property.
F. 
Develop proper safeguards to minimize the impact on the environment, including but not limited to minimizing soil erosion and sedimentation, air and water pollution and noise levels.
G. 
Ensure the provisions of adequate water supply, drainage and stormwater management, sanitary facilities and other utilities and services.
H. 
Retain as much of the natural vegetative cover, particularly in critical environmental areas, where it serves important functional as well as aesthetic purposes.
I. 
Encourage modern and innovative design, construction, technology and planning methods.
J. 
Advance and promote sound growth and the general welfare.
K. 
Strengthen and sustain the economic potential of the township.
[Amended 4-27-1995 by Ord. No. 95-5]
The Planning Board of the Township of Knowlton shall administer this Article, including the granting or denial of a general development plan (GDP), preliminary and final site plan and subdivision approvals and the authority to establish conditions on any approval. The Planning Board shall have the authority to grant variances, except use variances, and/or waivers from the strict application of any provisions of this Article when, in the opinion of the Planning Board, such variances and/or waivers assist in carrying out the objectives of the GDP and the benefits of granting the variance outweigh the detriments and the grant of the variance will not negatively affect the zone plan or the surrounding properties.
A. 
Application.
(1) 
The applicant shall submit 18 copies of the application, together with 12 legible prints containing all information required by the appropriate checklist in Article 23, together with all appropriate fees as outlined in this chapter, at least two weeks before the date of the regular meeting of the Approving Board at which the application is to be considered.
(2) 
Design standards and checklists are shown in applicable sections of this chapter.
(3) 
The Secretary of the Approving Board shall forward copies of the plat to the following officials for review and comment where appropriate:
(a) 
Township Engineer.
(b) 
Warren County Planning Board.
(c) 
Zoning Officer/Code Enforcement Officer.
(d) 
Tax Assessor.
(e) 
Planning Board consultants.
(f) 
Planning Board Attorney.
(g) 
Environmental Commission.
(h) 
Warren County Soil Conservation District.
(4) 
In appropriate cases, the Planning Board shall have the authority to approve the general development plan without the necessity of any specific referrals. The Approving Board shall also have the authority to refer any plat to other agencies or other individuals for comment or recommendations.
B. 
Completeness.
(1) 
Determination of completeness. The Approving Board or its designee shall, within 45 days of the submission of an application for development, make a determination that the application for development is complete or incomplete in accordance with the requirements of the checklist in Article 23 of this chapter. If the Approving Board shall determine that the application is incomplete, the Approving Board or its designee shall advise the applicant or its attorney, in writing, the reasons why the application is incomplete within 45 days of the submission of the application for development. In the event that the Planning Board or its designee does not certify the application to be incomplete or complete within 45 days of the date of submission of an application for development, the application shall be deemed complete upon the expiration of the forty-five-day period for purposes of commencing the applicable time.
(2) 
Request for waiver. The applicant may request, in writing, that one or more of the submission requirements be waived. The applicant shall include the reasons for said request. The Approving Board or its designee shall grant or deny the request within 45 days. In the event that the Approving Board or its designee shall deem the application incomplete in accordance with the provisions of this section, any resubmissions by the applicant shall be reviewed and certified to be complete within 45 days of the submission of these resubmissions.
(3) 
Corrections or additional information. Nothing herein shall be construed as diminishing the applicant's obligation to prove in the application process that he or she is entitled to approval of the application. The Approving Board may subsequently request correction of any material found to be in error and submission of additional information not specified in this chapter or any revisions in the accompanying documents as are reasonably necessary to make an informed decision as to whether the requirements necessary for approval of an application for development have been met. The application for development shall not be deemed incomplete for lack of any such additional information.
C. 
Hearings and notices.
(1) 
When required. Hearings shall be required as part of all approvals for any GDP approval and shall follow the hearing requirement of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-10, as set forth in this chapter.
(2) 
Maps, documents and exhibits on file. A complete set of maps, documents and exhibits shall be on file at least 10 days prior to the date of the hearing at the office of the Planning Board or the Township Clerk.
(3) 
Public notice. A public notice of the hearing shall be required for a GDP. Such notice shall meet the requirement of the Municipal Land Use Law for preliminary approval of a major development application in accordance with the procedures.
D. 
GDP approval.
(1) 
Time limit. The Planning Board shall grant or deny GDP approval within 95 days after submission of a complete application to the Planning Board Secretary or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant. Failure of the Planning Board to act within the period prescribed shall constitute GDP approval of the planned development.
(2) 
Findings for GDP approval. Prior to GDP approval, the Planning Board shall find the following facts and conclusions:
(a) 
That departures by the proposed development from zoning regulations otherwise applicable to the subject property conform to the standards pursuant to this Article.
(b) 
That the proposals for maintenance and conservation of common open space and buffers are reliable, and the amount, location and purpose of the open space are adequate.
(c) 
That provision through the physical design of the proposed development for public services, control over vehicular pedestrian traffic and the amenities of light and air, recreation and visual enjoyment are adequate.
(d) 
That the proposed GDP will not have an unreasonably adverse impact upon the area in which it is proposed to be established.
(e) 
In the case of a proposed development which contemplates construction over a period of years, that the terms and conditions intended to protect the interests of the public and of the occupants and owners of the proposed development in the total completion of the development are adequate.
A. 
The Planning Board may allow for a greater concentration of density or intensity of land use within a section or sections of development, whether it is earlier, later or simultaneous in the development, than in others; provided, however, that nothing herein shall provide authority to the Planning Board to increase the overall density or intensity of land use authorized by the applicable zoning provisions.
B. 
Approval by the Planning Board of a greater concentration of density or intensity of land use for any section to be developed shall be offset by a smaller concentration in any proposed subsequent stage or by an appropriate reservation of common open space on the remaining land by grant of easement or by covenant in favor of the municipality, provided that such reservation shall, as far as practicable, defer the precise location of common open space until an application for final approval is filed, so that flexibility of development can be maintained.
C. 
The Planning Board may establish the timing of development among the various types of uses and subgroups thereunder and may require that some nonresidential uses, including golf courses, be built before, after or at the time as the residential uses.
D. 
The Planning Board may require, in the case of a development which proposes construction over a period of years, adequate and suitable protection of the interest of the public and of the residents, occupants and owners of the proposed development in the total completion of the development, including but not limited to the establishment of appropriate bonding for infrastructural improvements. Said bonding shall be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
E. 
As a condition for approval, the applicant shall submit proof that no taxes or assessments for local improvements are due or delinquent on the property for which the GDP application is made.
F. 
The Planning Board shall secure written agreement from the applicant that the planned development shall be developed in accordance with the GDP approved by the Planning Board, notwithstanding any provision of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. or an ordinance or regulation adopted pursuant there to after the effective date of the approval.
A. 
GDP approval of a planned development shall confer upon the applicant the right to construct the planned development in accordance with the approved plan subject to the conditions set forth in said approval for a period not to exceed 20 years from the date upon which the developer receives final approval of the first section of the planned development.
B. 
In making its determination regarding the duration of the effect of approval of the development plan, the Planning Board shall consider the following:
(1) 
The number of dwelling units or amount of nonresidential floor area to be constructed.
(2) 
Prevailing economic conditions.
(3) 
The timing schedule to be followed in completing the development and the likelihood of its fulfillment.
(4) 
The developer's capability of completing the proposed development.
(5) 
The contents of the GDP and any conditions which the Planning Board attached to the approval thereof.
C. 
The grant by the Planning Board of a GDP approval shall not confer upon the developer the right to construct the project. The applicant shall be required to obtain prior preliminary and final approval in accordance with the requirements of the Knowlton Land Development Ordinance.
A. 
Except as provided hereunder, the developer shall be required to gain the prior approval of the Planning Board if, after approval of the GDP, the developer wishes to:
(1) 
Make any variation in the location of land uses within the planned development;
(2) 
Increase the density of residential development; provided, however, that the density of the project shall not exceed that authorized by Part VI, Zoning, at the time of the grant of approval;
(3) 
Increase the floor area ratio of nonresidential development;
(4) 
Modify the proposed timing schedule; or
(5) 
Make any other revision or amendment.
B. 
The Planning Board shall, in deciding whether or not to grant approval of the modification or changes, take into consideration prevailing economic and market conditions, anticipated and actual needs for residential units and nonresidential space within the municipality and the region and the availability and capacity of public facilities to accommodate the proposed development.
C. 
A developer, without violating the terms of the GDP approval, may, in undertaking any section of the planned development, reduce the number of residential units or amounts of nonresidential floor space by no more than 15%; provided, however, that the developer may not reduce the number of residential units to be provided in accordance with any low- and moderate-income obligation required pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-103 et seq. without prior municipal approval.
In the event that a developer who has a GDP approval does not apply for a preliminary approval for the planned development or a section thereof within five years of the date of the GDP approval, the township shall have cause to terminate the approval.
A. 
Upon the completion of each section of the development as set forth in the approved GDP, the developer shall notify the Planning Board Secretary, by certified mail, as evidence that the developer is fulfilling his or her obligations under the approved plan. For the purposes of this section, "completion" of any section of the development shall mean that the developer has acquired a certificate of occupancy for every residential unit or every nonresidential structure, as set forth in the approved GDP. If the Planning Board does not receive such notification at the completion of any section of the development, the Planning Board shall notify the developer, by certified mail, in order to determine whether or not the terms of the approved plan are being complied with.
B. 
If a developer does not complete any section of the development within eight months of the date provided for in the approved plan or if at any time the Planning Board has cause to believe that the developer is not fulfilling his or her obligations pursuant to the approved plan, the Planning Board shall notify the developer, by certified mail, that the developer shall have 10 days within which to give evidence that the developer is fulfilling his or her obligations pursuant to the approved plan. The Planning Board thereafter shall conduct a hearing to determine whether or not the developer is in violation of the approved plan. If, after such a hearing, the Planning Board finds good cause to terminate the approval, it shall provide written notice of the same to the developer and the approval shall be terminated 30 days thereafter.
C. 
In the event that a development which is the subject of an approved GDP is completed before the end of the term of the approval, the GDP approval shall terminate with the completion of the development. For the purposes of this section, a development shall be considered complete on the date upon which a certificate of occupancy has been issued for the final residential or nonresidential structure in the last section of the development in accordance with the timing schedule set forth in the approved GDP and the developer has fulfilled all of his or her obligations pursuant to the approval.
A. 
Circulation. In reviewing any GDP plan, the Planning Board shall consider the following:
(1) 
Pedestrian and vehicular traffic movement within and adjacent to the tract with particular emphasis on the provision and layout of parking areas, off-street loading and unloading and movement of people, goods and vehicles from access roads, within the tract, between buildings and between buildings and vehicles. The Planning Board shall determine which roads shall be public and which shall remain private.
(2) 
That all parking areas are landscaped and spaces are usable and are safely and conveniently arranged. Access to the tract from adjacent roads shall be designed so as to interfere as little as possible with traffic flow on these roads and to permit vehicles a rapid and safe ingress and egress to the tract.
(3) 
That the circulation plan conforms to the Master Plan's circulation plan element. The roadway system shall clearly define and delineate private and public transit facilities. Major access improvements in critical environmental areas shall be discouraged. The location and provision of bikeways, sidewalks and other pedestrian linkages shall be indicated.
(4) 
Encouraging the applicant to develop and implement mass transit programs and to minimize the use of private automobiles as a principal means of getting to and from the tract. These programs may include the use of company buses to connect the tract with rail and other public transit, use of vans, carpooling, construction of bike paths and bike storage areas and construction of convenient bus pickup and drop-off points, In order to minimize the peak hour traffic impact, the applicant, where feasible, shall encourage staggered starting and quitting times and changes in work hours and include the same within the applicant's proposal to the Planning Board.
B. 
Design and building layout. The design and layout of buildings and parking areas shall provide an aesthetically pleasing design and efficient arrangement. Particular attention shall be given to energy conservation during construction and operation, safety and fire protection and impact on surrounding development and contiguous and adjacent buildings and lands. Architectural design shall be compatible with the environmental and natural characteristics of the tract.
C. 
Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided to ensure safe movement of persons and vehicles and for security purposes. Lighting standards shall be a type approved by the Planning Board. Lights shall be arranged so as to minimize glare and reflection on adjacent properties.
D. 
Buffering, landscaping and open space.
(1) 
Buffering.
(a) 
Buffering shall be located to minimize headlights of vehicles, noise, light from structures and the movement of people and vehicles and to shield activities from adjacent properties when necessary. Buffering may consist of fencing, evergreens, shrubs, berms, rocks, boulders, mounds, bushes, deciduous trees or combinations thereof to achieve the stated objective.
(b) 
Extensive buffering shall be required where intensive land uses abut less intensive uses. Existing natural vegetation, if appropriate for the above-stated purposes, shall be retained.
(2) 
Landscaping.
(a) 
Landscaping shall be provided as part of a major subdivision or site plan and integrated into building arrangements, topography, parking and buffering requirements. Landscaping shall include trees, bushes, shrubs, ground cover perennials, annuals, plants, sculpture, art and the use of building and paving materials in an imaginative manner.
[Amended 2-8-2002 by Ord. No. 02-3]
(b) 
The existing sense and appearance of the semirural, natural scenic qualities of the tract shall be retained in tract development. Such techniques as clustering, ample setbacks from main roads, retention of existing vegetation and narrow minor road widths will be employed.
(3) 
Open space.
(a) 
Open space shall be provided as part of any plan. The open space should be classified as developed (recreational) or undeveloped (natural) open space. Open space shall serve as a buffer or help integrate buildings and uses.
(b) 
Undeveloped open space should have as a prime objective the preservation of a tract's natural amenities. Ponds, rock outcroppings, wooded areas, vistas, steep slopes, ravines and stream beds are prime lands recommended for undeveloped open space.
E. 
Signs. Signs shall be designed so as to be aesthetically pleasing, harmonious with other signs on the site and located so as to achieve their purpose without constituting hazards to vehicles and pedestrians.
(1) 
There should be a coordinated graphics design theme throughout the tract for direction, information and freestanding signs not associated with any specific site. Each building site shall have a coordinated graphics design theme which may differ from those used on other building sites. The design theme shall include style of lettering, construction, material, type of pole or standard (wood or metal, for example), size and lighting. Color of letters and background should be carefully considered in relation to the color of the material or buildings or where the signs are proposed to be located.
(2) 
Signs should be located so as not to create a hazard, particularly at intersections. The location of signs should be selected in terms of visibility. Signs designed to be seen from vehicles should be perpendicular to the line of travel, while signs designed to be read on foot can be parallel with walks.
F. 
Utilities. The stormwater management system, sanitary waste disposal system, water supply system, solid and wet waste collection and disposal plan and electrical and other distribution systems shall be reviewed and approved by appropriate township or private agencies. Particular emphasis shall be given to the protection of delineated floodplains, reservation of stream corridors, establishment of drainage rights-of-way and the analysis of the adequacy of existing systems and the need for improvements, both on-site and off-site, to adequately control the rate, volume and velocity of storm drainage, as well as to provide for treatment of effluent and to maintain an adequate supply of potable water at sufficient pressure.
G. 
Environmental considerations. Environmental elements relating to prevention of soil erosion, protection of significant vistas or views, preservation of trees and protection of watercourses, wetlands, transition areas, floodplains, steep slopes, topography, soil and animal life shall be reviewed, and the design of the plan shall minimize any adverse impact on these elements.
H. 
Street furniture. The plan shall provide for those elements of street furniture made of the same or similar materials to ensure design continuity and to be appropriate to the particular use. These may include phone booths, benches, bike racks, trash receptacles, bus shelters, tree planters and tract directories.