Borough of Fort Lee, NJ Plat Details

Prior to the granting of final approval, the subdivider shall have installed or shall have furnished performance guaranties for the ultimate installation of the following:

(a)

Streets.

(b)

Street signs.

(c)

Curbs and/or gutters.

(d)

Sidewalks.

(e)

Streetlighting: in conformance with standard specifications for same of the Borough.

(f)

Shade trees: to be located on the street line so as not to interfere with utilities or sidewalks and shall be one of the following types: Norway maple, sugar maple or plane tree. Such tree shall measure at least three inches in diameter at a point four feet above the butt.

(g)

Topsoil protection: No topsoil shall be removed from the site or used as spoil. Topsoil moved during the course of construction shall be redistributed so as to cover all areas of the subdivision and shall be stabilized by seeding or planting.

(h)

Monuments: to be of the size and shape required by the Map Filing Law, N.J.S.A. 46:23-9.9 et seq., and shall be placed in accordance with the statute.

(i)

Water mains, culverts, storm sewers and sanitary sewers. All such installation shall be properly connected with an approved system and shall be adequate to handle all present and probable future development.

(j)

Such other improvements as may have been required.

All of the above-listed improvements shall be subject to inspection and approval by the Borough Engineer who shall be notified by the developer at least 24 hours prior to the start of construction. No underground installation shall be covered until inspected and approved.

No preliminary plat shall be approved by the Planning Board until the completion of all such required improvements has been certified to the Planning Board by the Borough Engineer, unless the subdivider shall have filed with the Borough a performance guaranty in an amount not to exceed 120% of the cost of installation for such improvements or uncompleted portions thereof as estimated by the Borough Engineer and insuring the installation of such uncompleted improvements on or before an agreed date. Such performance guaranty may be in the form of a performance bond which shall be issued by a bonding or surety company approved by the governing body; a certified check, returnable to the subdivider after full compliance; or any other type of surety approved by the Borough attorney and Borough Engineer.

The performance guaranty shall be approved by the Borough Attorney as to form, sufficiency and execution. Such performance guaranty shall run for a period to be fixed by the governing body but in no case for a term of more than three years. However, with the consent of the owner and the surety, if there is one, the governing body may by resolution extend the term of such performance guaranty for an additional period not to exceed three years. As a condition or as a part of any such extension, the amount of any performance guaranty shall be increased or reduced, as the case may be, to an amount not to exceed 120% of the cost of the installation as determined as of the time of the passage of the resolution.

If the required improvements are not completed or corrected in accordance with the performance guaranty, the obligor and surety, if any, shall be liable thereon to the Borough for the reasonable costs of the improvements not completed or corrected and the Borough may either prior to or after the receipt of the proceeds thereof complete such improvements.

Upon substantial completion of all the required appurtenant utility improvements and the connection of same to the public system, the obligor may notify the governing body in writing, by certified mail, addressed to the Borough Clerk of the completion or substantial completion of improvement or improvements and shall send a copy thereof to the Borough Engineer. Thereupon the Borough Engineer shall inspect all improvements of which such notice has been given and shall file a detailed report, in writing, with the governing body, indicating either approval, partial approval or rejection of such improvements with a statement of reasons for any rejection. The cost of the improvements as approved or rejected shall be set forth.

The governing body shall either approve, partially approve or reject the improvements on the basis of the report of the Borough Engineer and shall notify the obligor in writing, by certified mail, of the contents of said report and the action of the governing body with relation thereto not later than 65 days alter receipt of the notice from the obligor of the completion of the improvements. Where partial approval is granted, the obligor shall be released from all liability pursuant to its performance guaranty, except for that portion adequately sufficient to secure the provision of the improvements not yet improved, provided that 30% of the amount of the performance guaranty posted may be retained to ensure completion of all improvements. Failure of the governing body to send or provide such notification to the obligor within 65 days shall be deemed to constitute an approval of the improvements and the obligor and surety, if any, shall be released of all liability pursuant to such performance guaranty for such improvements.

If any portion of the required improvements are rejected, the governing body may require the obligor to complete such improvements and, upon completion, the same procedure of notification as set forth herein shall be followed.

Nothing herein, however, shall be construed to limit the right of the obligor to contest by legal proceedings any determination of the governing body or the Municipal Engineer.

The obligor shall reimburse the Borough for all reasonable inspection fees paid to the Borough Engineer for the foregoing inspection of improvements, provided that the Borough may require of the developer a deposit for all or a portion of the reasonably anticipated fees to be paid to the Borough Engineer for such inspection.

In the event that final approval is by stages or sections of development pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-38(a), the provisions of this section shall be applied by stage or section.

§ 365-7 Off-tract improvements.

General requirements.

Any subdivision requiring off-tract improvements, as defined herein, shall comply with the provisions of this section.

An off-tract improvement shall be one or more required improvements which are necessary for the successful completion of a development in the interest of furthering the public health, safety and general welfare and where said improvements are located off tract.

An off-tract improvement shall be required where either the existing facilities serving the area or subarea are already operating at a deficient level of service or the inclusion of a new development will make such present level of service deficient according to engineering standards utilized in determining such levels of service.

The contribution of any such off-tract improvement to the applicant shall be reasonably related to the relative benefit or use of the total area so served.

(5)

Under the conditions of this chapter, off-tract improvements shall be limited to new or improved water distribution, sanitary sewage disposal and distribution and stormwater and drainage distribution facilities and all necessary appurtenances thereto and utility easements and to new or improved street and right-of-way widths, traffic regulation and control devices, intersection improvements, utility relocation where not provided else where and other traffic, circulation and safety factors which are directly related to the property or properties in question.

Determination by approving authority. Each subdivision requiring approving authority approval shall be subject to a determination and findings as follows:

That certain off-tract improvements are or are not necessary to implement such subdivision.

That, in instances where off-tract improvements are required, the terms and conditions which shall be imposed upon the applicant shall ensure the successful and reasonable implementation of same.

In the event that the approving authority determines that one or more improvements constitute an off-tract improvement, the approving authority, by resolution, shall notify the governing body of same specifying the authority's recommendation relative to the estimated cost of same, the applicant's pro rata share of the cost and possible methods or means to implement same, including but not limited to performance and maintenance guaranties, cash contributions, developer agreements and other forms of surety.

Action by an approving authority relating to off-tract improvements shall be conditional upon the governing body reviewing the recommendations of the approving authority and has made a determination as to the responsibility it shall accept. It is clearly understood that the Borough of Fort Lee is under no responsibility to construct, install or provide off-tract improvements to accommodate a subdivision approval.

(5)

Where an applicant pays the amount determined as the pro rata share under protest, he shall institute legal action within one year of such payment in order to preserve the right to a judicial determination as to the fairness and reasonableness of such amount. No building permit shall be issued until the expiration of said one-year period or until such time as the applicant shall waive such provisions of this chapter.

Methods of implementation.

Performance and maintenance guaranties. Where a performance or maintenance guaranty or other surety is required in connection with an off-tract improvement, the applicant shall be required to follow the same procedure and requirements as specified in Article V, § 365-27.

Development agreement. Where a development agreement is required governing off-tract improvements or other conditions as may be required by this chapter or by the approving authority, said agreement shall be in writing and shall specify the amount of any cash contributions, if any, the method of payment of same, the relative timing of such payment and the obligation or obligations to be undertaken by the Borough.

Conditions not requiring cash contributions. Cash contributions for off-tract improvements shall not be required under any of the following terms or conditions:

(a)

Where other county or state agencies or utility authority have jurisdiction over the subject improvement and require a cash contribution, guaranty or other surety of the application in lieu of such conditions imposed by the Borough.

(b)

Where a benefit assessment or other similar tax levy is imposed upon the applicant and other landowners similarly situated within a designated service area for the off-tract improvements provided.

(c)

Where the applicant, where legally permissive, can undertake the improvements in lieu of the municipality, subject to standards and other conditions as may be imposed by the Borough.

Method of payment of cash contributions. Where a cash contribution is required, said contribution will be deposited with the Tax Collector of the Borough with transmittal letters forwarded to the governing body, the Borough Engineer and the approving authority.

Determination of cost to applicant. Where a cash contribution or other financial distribution is determined, the following criteria shall be considered.

Street widening, alignment, corrections, channelization of intersections, construction of barriers, new or improved traffic signalization, signs, curbs, sidewalks, trees, utility improvements not covered elsewhere, the construction of new streets and other similar street or traffic improvements: The applicant's cost shall be in the ratio of the estimated peak-hour traffic generated by the proposed property or properties to the sum of the present deficiency in peak-hour traffic capacity of the present facility and the estimated peak-hour traffic generated by the proposed development. The ratio thus calculated shall be increased by 10% for contingencies.

Water distribution facilities, including the installation of new water mains, the extension of existing water mains, the relocation of such facilities and the installation of other appurtenances associated therewith: The applicant's cost shall be in the ratio of the estimated daily use of water from the property or properties, in gallons per day, for the existing system or subsystem and the estimated daily use of water for the proposed development. The ratio thus calculated shall be increased by 10% for contingencies.

Sanitary sewage distribution facilities, including the installation, relocation or replacement of collector and interceptor sewers and the installation, relocation or replacement of other appurtenances associated therewith: The applicant's cost shall be in the ratio of the estimated daily flow, in gallons, to the sum of the present deficient capacity for the existing system or subsystem and the estimated daily flow from the proposed project or development. In the case where the peak flow from the proposed development may occur during the peak flow period for the existing system, the ratio shall be the estimated peak flow rate from the proposed development, in gallons per minute, to the sum of the present peak flow deficiency in the existing system or subsystems and the estimated peak flow rate from the proposed development. The greater of the two ratios thus calculated shall be increased by 10% for contingencies and shall be the ratio used to determine the cost to the applicant.