[Added 11-10-2010 by Ord. No. 0-10-25]
Pursuant to the recommendations set forth in Section I (St.
Joseph Seminary Development Area) of the Township Master Plan adopted
January 20, 2009, amended on August 2, 2010, the intent of the Cemetery
Zone is to accommodate the establishment of a cemetery on a portion
of the former Saint Joseph Seminary property in a manner that preserves
and protects the unique topography and other attributes of the property,
and subject to the requirements and limitations of the New Jersey
Cemetery Act of 2003.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 45:27-1 et seq.
The Cemetery Zone is intended to achieve the following goals:
A.
To implement the recommendations set forth in Section I (St. Joseph
Seminary Development Area) of the Township's Master Plan, as amended
on August 2, 2010.
B.
To ensure that any cemetery that is established or expanded within
the Zone is designed to integrate harmoniously into the landscape
and topography of the Seminary property, as well as with due regard
to mitigating any negative impact on the adjacent properties and uses.
C.
To establish such zoning requirements as are reasonably necessary
to implement the above goals, within the parameters established by
the New Jersey Cemetery Act of 2003.
D.
To allow the property to be used in a manner consistent with the
adjacent ECA Educational and Cultural Arts Zone in the event no cemetery
is established.
Any use not expressly permitted in the Cemetery Zone shall be
prohibited.
The minimum tract area in the Cemetery Zone shall be 10 acres.
The minimum tract frontage in the Cemetery Zone shall be 500
feet.
All buildings or structures in the Cemetery Zone, including
mausoleums and crematoria, shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet
from any property line.
A.
Parking improvements and driveways shall be set back a minimum of
25 feet from any property line, except that this requirement shall
not be deemed to prohibit use of existing parking facilities incorporated
into the Cemetery Zone or driveway connections to property situated
in the adjacent ECA Zone.
B.
Graves with raised headstones shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet
from any property line.
C.
Graves without raised headstones shall be set back a minimum of five
feet from any property line.
A.
Any cemetery established within the Cemetery Zone shall initially
provide a minimum of 10 parking spaces.
B.
At the conclusion of such cemetery's first five years of operation,
the cemetery operator shall provide an additional 10 parking spaces.
C.
On-site parking in the Cemetery Zone may be located either in dedicated
parking stalls or through parallel parking along interior roads.
D.
Except as specifically set forth herein, off-site parking facilities
may be used to meet the cemetery's parking needs, provided the applicant
or cemetery operator provides evidence of a permanent legal right
to the use of such off-site facilities.
A.
To the greatest extent possible, existing site characteristics, including
unique topographic features and mature landscaping in the Cemetery
Zone, shall be preserved, and site disturbance minimized.
B.
Additional landscaping in the Cemetery Zone shall be used to enhance
the character of the site, help screen parking areas visible from
the street and adjoining properties, and improve the effectiveness
of buffer areas near property lines of neighboring residential areas.
A.
Pursuant to the requirements of the New Jersey Cemetery Act of 2003,[1] no cemetery shall be established or expanded without the
prior approval of the Plainsboro Township Committee. Any application
or request for such approval shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(1)
Survey and metes and bounds description of the area being dedicated
to a cemetery use.
(2)
Plan showing the overall layout of the cemetery, including the
location of any and all buildings or other structures, gravesites,
pathways, parking areas, and other improvements.
(3)
Elevations and/or other detailed and accurate depictions of
the design and appearance of any proposed buildings, including mausoleums
or crematoria.
(4)
Copy of the cemetery operator's rules and regulations adopted
pursuant to the New Jersey Cemetery Act of 2003 [N.J.S.A. 45:27-16a(1)].
(5)
Such other information or documentation as the Township Committee
may deem reasonably necessary in order to properly evaluate the request.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 45:27-1 et seq.
B.
In deciding whether to approve a request to establish or expand a
cemetery, the Township Committee may impose such conditions or limitations
as it deems reasonably necessary to protect the interests of the public,
to mitigate any negative impacts the proposed cemetery or expansion
might have on adjacent properties, and to preserve the integrity of
the property on which the cemetery is to be established or expanded,
in keeping with the recommendations set forth in Section I (St. Joseph
Seminary Development Area) of the Township's Master Plan. The Township
Committee, in its discretion, may also refer the request to the Plainsboro
Township Planning Board for its review and recommendations prior to
acting on the request.
