[Added 11-14-1988 by Ord. No. 0-88-33]
In the R-150 Rural Zone, no lot shall be used
and no structure shall be erected, altered or occupied for any purpose
except for the following:
A.
Agriculture and farms.
B.
Farm buildings.
C.
Nurseries and greenhouses.
D.
Riding academies, bridle paths and stables.
E.
Detached single-family dwellings and structures accessory
thereto.
F.
Parks and playgrounds.
G.
Conservation and open space areas, e.g., wilderness
areas, forests, wildlife refuge, scenic areas, bird sanctuaries and
woodlot management.
H.
Necessary public utilities and services pursuant to § 101-13.6.
[Amended 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 18-13]
I.
Buildings, structures and uses owned and operated
by the Township of Plainsboro.
J.
Rural residential planned village clusters, subject
to the following requirements and conforming to the findings of a
planned development as defined by the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A.
40:55D-45, and in accordance with an approved general development
plan.
(1)
The minimum total area to be developed as a
rural village cluster shall be 150 acres. Such area shall be developed
in accordance with a single comprehensive general development plan.
Streets shall not be deemed to divide acreage for the purposes of
this requirement.
(2)
For rural village cluster developments located
in the R-150 Zoning District, the maximum number of permitted lots
shall be determined by multiplying the net developable acreage of
a tract, after exclusion of environmentally constrained areas and
public rights-of-way, by 0.3 dwelling units per acre and multiplying
the net acreage of environmentally constrained areas and public rights-of-way
by one hundred 0.166 dwelling units per acre and adding the resultant
figures to establish the maximum number of lots. "Environmentally
constrained areas" shall include areas designated as wetlands, one-hundred-year
flood hazard areas, water bodies and public rights-of-way. Detailed
soil engineering and geotechnical test data undertaken in accordance
with acceptable engineering standards and practices may be submitted
by an applicant if he seeks amendment of the boundary limits established
by state and federal regulatory agencies which define such environmentally
constrained areas.
(3)
No less than 75% of a rural village cluster
development shall be devoted to agricultural, conservation, open space
and/or recreational purposes. All one-hundred-year flood hazard areas
and wetlands shall be permanently restricted for open space. Individual
residential lots or portions thereof shall not be construed as open
space. Designated agricultural, conservation, open space and/or recreational
areas shall be in major contiguous parcels and shall be interconnected
with similar areas on abutting tracts and parcels, having adequate
access to public and/or private roads and in some cases consisting
of land developed for specific recreational purposes. Conservation,
open space and/or recreational areas shall also be interspersed within
the village cluster development. Open space may be used for sewage
disposal systems using techniques conforming to applicable environmental
and engineering standards. "Open space areas," for purposes of this
calculation, shall not include, among other things, courtyards, cul-de-sac
islands and miniparks.
(5)
Recreational facilities and open space.
(a)
Active recreational facilities may be provided
in a rural village cluster development, subject to the review and
approval of the Planning Board. Such recreational facilities may be
jointly provided by two or more developers within the R-150 Zone with
convenient access to all users, provided that the facility and/or
recreational area shall equal the recreational requirements of the
participating properties served. The location of such recreational
facilities shall be carefully planned to provide privacy for the users
and to avoid problems of noise, lighting and similar nuisances which
might interfere with their use and enjoyment by residents of the development.
(b)
The design and use of open space areas interspersed
among groupings of residential dwellings shall protect the natural
resources and qualities of the site, including the natural terrain,
woodlands, significant views and any unique and unusual features.
Open space other than that preserved for its natural values shall
be suitably landscaped. All structures within open space areas shall
be sited so as to retain their visual appeal. The Planning Board shall
require such grading, drainage, planting, walkways, fencing, lighting
and such other improvements in the common open space as may be necessary
to enhance the intended open space and recreational uses.
(6)
To the maximum extent practicable, rural village
clusters shall be located on land not well suited for agricultural
purposes because of size, location, proximity to neighboring land
uses, existing tree mass, access, shape, quality of soil and drainage.
The design and location of rural village clusters shall give priority
to protecting the most suitable soils for subsurface septic disposal
(in unsewered areas only); to leaving prime agricultural soils for
agricultural uses; to avoiding environmentally constrained areas;
to locating dwellings along wooded areas to reduce impacts upon agriculture,
to provide summer shade and shelter from winter wind and to enable
new residential construction to be visually absorbed by natural landscape
features; to not blocking or interrupting scenic vistas, as seen from
the public roadways; to locating dwelling units and other improvements
on the lower-quality agricultural soils.
(7)
The Planning Board shall permit the subdivision
of all existing, at the time of ordinance adoption, single-family
detached dwelling units with accessory uses and/or farm buildings
to be located on a minimum lot size of one acre as part of the comprehensive
development plan for the village cluster development.
(8)
The applicant for a rural village cluster development
shall execute such statement for prospective homeowners as the Planning
Board requires, which recognizes that the applicant is aware of the
purposes and requirements governing the R-150 Zone; that the applicant
and prospective homeowners are aware that certain disturbances and
annoyances arising from usual commercial agricultural activities can
reasonably be expected to occur seasonally, both during the day and
night; and that, in consideration for being granted the right to construct
or occupy a nonfarm single-family dwelling in the zone, the applicant
hereby waives, on behalf of himself, his heirs, successors and assigns,
all right to object to such reasonable commercial agricultural activities.
(9)
When the major purpose of the rural village
cluster is to preserve open space for agricultural and farming purposes,
all dwelling units shall be located and constructed at such places
on the tract and in such a manner that, to the greatest extent possible,
they shall not segment land of any one farm into awkward or odd-shaped
parcel sizes difficult to support viable farming operations, nor interfere
with the conduct of agriculture, on- or off-site, by limiting or interfering
with the access to fields or the effectiveness and efficiency of the
farmer and farm equipment, including crop-spraying aircraft.
(10)
The following minimum design, bulk and area
requirements shall apply to the development of a rural village cluster:
(a)
The Planning Board shall determine the total
number and location of clusters at the time of general development
plan review.
(b)
Land used for agricultural use shall be provided
access for farm equipment that does not interfere with rural village
cluster vehicular access.
(c)
A development tract's existing road frontage
shall not be totally subdivided into residential lots.
(d)
Impervious surfaces, in the aggregate, shall
not cover more than 40% of the net residential land (as defined above)
of the tract.
(e)
All residential lots shall be serviced by a
public centralized water system and either a public sewer, community
septic system or individual septic systems, upon a demonstration that
such individual systems are permitted under state law and New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection policy.
(f)
No habitable dwelling unit area shall be constructed
below grade if the Township Engineer determines water problems will
result from existing soil limitations. Units shall be designed in
such a manner as to provide maximum security and visual privacy from
adjacent units.
(g)
Twenty thousand square feet shall be the minimum
lot area for a residential lot The average lot area, including one
dwelling, its accessory uses and private open space, shall not be
less than 25,000 square feet.
[1]
Frontage. The minimum street frontage
shall be 125 feet.
[2]
Lot width. The minimum lot width
shall be 125 feet.
[3]
Lot depth. The minimum lot depth
shall be 150 feet.
[4]
Front yard. The minimum front yard
depth shall be 50 feet.
[5]
Side yard. The minimum side yard
width shall be 20 feet.
[6]
Rear yard. The minimum rear yard
depth shall be 30 feet.
[7]
Building height. The maximum building
height shall be 35 feet.
(h)
The minimum lot frontage shall not be less than
specified above unless a lot adjoins a cul-de-sac or is on a curved
roadway alignment or is otherwise odd-shaped, in which case the minimum
lot width shall be measured at the front setback line.
(i)
New streets shall be constructed to service
rural village cluster developments instead of subdividing new lots
along existing minor arterial, major collector and minor collector
roadways within the R-150 Zone. In a subdivision abutting arterial
or collector roadways, the frontage shall be reversed so that the
lots contiguous to such streets will front on the newly-created collectors,
local streets or cul-de-sacs, with an additional lot depth of 50 feet
over and above bulk and area regulations. This additional lot depth
shall be a conservation easement used exclusively for planting, screening
and landscaped earthen berms to be provided by the developer and maintained
by the lot owner or by a homeowners' association, if one is created.
(11)
Land permanently set aside for agricultural,
conservation, open space and/or recreational uses may either be offered
for dedication to Plainsboro Township, deed-restricted to remain with
the original property owner, dedicated to a nonprofit organization
found acceptable to the Township Planning Board and/or protected by
a homeowners' community association. An open space which is not accepted
for public use by the Township Committee shall be protected by legal
arrangements satisfactory to the Planning Board sufficient to assure
its maintenance and preservation in perpetuity for its intended purpose.
Covenants or other legal arrangements shall specify ownership of the
open space; method of maintenance; responsibility for maintenance;
maintenance taxes and insurance; compulsory assessment provisions;
guaranties that any homeowners' association formed to own and maintain
open space will not be dissolved without the consent of the Planning
Board; and any other specifications deemed necessary by the Planning
Board. The open space left unbuilt upon after development shall be
maintained in accordance with a land management plan prepared by the
developer and accepted and approved by the Planning Board. The developer
shall provide copies of deed covenants with prospective purchases,
or conservation easements with the Township, describing land management
practices to be followed by party or parties that are responsible
for open space. Further subdivision of open space land, or its use
for other than agriculture, conservation and recreation, shall be
prohibited.
(12)
Within open space areas the Planning Board may
require the developer to make certain site preparation improvements,
which may include but are not limited to the following:
(a)
Removal of dead or diseased trees.
(b)
Thinning of trees or other growth to encourage
more desirable growth.
(c)
Removal of trees in areas planned for ponds,
lakes or active recreational facilities.
(d)
Grading and seeding.
(e)
Improvements or protection of the natural drainage
system through the use of protective structures, stabilization measures
and similar improvements.
(f)
Improvement and landscaping of ponds and lakes
to afford appropriate use and enjoyment by the residents.
(13)
Notwithstanding anything in Subsection J(11) hereof to the contrary, land designated as agricultural, conservation or open space may be incorporated into private lots which conform to this article upon approval by the Planning Board that such land will be permanently protected from development as an alternative to dedication or protection by a homeowners' community association.
(14)
Any rural village cluster development shall
be buffered from adjoining agricultural lands to create an effective
dense barrier separating yards and fields and pastures, to ensure
that the continuation of agricultural operations in the area will
not be impaired by nuisance complaints. The buffer shall, inasmuch
as possible, be a natural one. The dimensions of the buffer area and
its treatment with landscaping, natural berms and/or fencing shall
be subject to review and approval by the Planning Board. Additionally,
there shall be a buffer area separating the village cluster from adjacent
streets and residential areas. The dimensions of the buffer area and
its treatment with landscaping, berms or fencing shall be subject
to review and approval by the Planning Board. However, as a minimum,
the buffer area along all lot and street lines shall be 50 feet wide.
(15)
No preliminary approval shall be granted for
any subdivision or site plan in connection with the development of
a rural village cluster unless the Township Health Officer and Township
Engineer have approved plans for potable water supply and sewage disposal
to serve the development.
(16)
All historic buildings, as identified on the
Middlesex County Inventory of Historic, Cultural and Architectural
Resources, located within a rural village cluster development shall
be permanently protected and reused by the developer, to the extent
feasible, in conformance with requirements received from the Planning
Board.
(17)
Flexibility and variety in lot and building
layout, roadway construction, utility design and other site improvements
shall be encouraged to best relate the improvements to the land. To
that end, lots, buildings and utilities shall be designed so as to
minimize the alteration of the natural terrain and fit into the rural,
agricultural and open space environment of the R-150 Zone.
K.
Child-care centers, subject to the minimum standards found in § 101-15K.
[Added 12-10-1990 by Ord. No. 0-90-24]
The following procedural requirements and standards are required for all rural residential planned village cluster developments as outlined and described in § 101-24.1J above:
A.
A developer seeking approval of a rural residential
planned village cluster shall submit a general development plan to
the Planning Board prior to the submission of any application for
preliminary approval.
B.
A general development plan shall include at least
the following components:
(1)
A general land use plan at a scale of one inch
to 200 feet, 1”=200', indicating the tract area and general
locations of the land uses to be included in the planned development.
The total number of dwelling units to be provided and proposed land
area to be devoted to residential and other uses shall be set forth.
In addition, the proposed types of other uses to be included in the
planned development shall be set forth, and a residential density
shall be provided.
(2)
A circulation plan showing the general location
and types of transportation facilities, including facilities for pedestrian
access within the planned development and any proposed improvements
to the existing transportation system outside the planned development.
(3)
An open space plan showing the proposed land
area and general location of parks and any other land areas to be
set aside for conservation and recreational purposes and a general
description of improvements proposed to be made thereon, including
a plan for the operation and maintenance of parks and recreational
lands.
(4)
A utility plan indicating the need for and showing
the proposed location of sewage and water lines or community septic
systems; any drainage facilities necessitated by the physical characteristics
of the site; proposed methods for handling solid waste disposal; and
a plan for the operation and maintenance of proposed utilities.
(5)
A stormwater management plan setting forth the
proposed method of controlling and managing stormwater on the site.
(6)
An environmental inventory, including a general
description of the vegetation, soils, topography, geology, surface
hydrology, climate and cultural resources of the site; existing man-made
structures or features; and the probable impact of the development
on the environmental attributes of the site.
(7)
A community facility plan indicating the scope
and type of supporting community facilities.
(8)
A housing plan outlining the number of housing
units to be provided.
(9)
A local service plan indicating those public
services which the applicant proposes to provide and which may include
but not be limited to water, sewer and solid waste disposal.
(10)
A proposed timing schedule, in the case of a
planned development whose construction is contemplated over a period
of years, including any terms or conditions which are intended to
protect the interests of the public and of the residents who occupy
any section of the planned development prior to the completion of
the development.
C.
During general development plan review, the following
criteria shall be established to the satisfaction of the Planning
Board prior to any grant of approval:
(2)
The function and visual relationship between
the rural village cluster and adjacent developments.
(3)
Consistent with the reasonable utilization of
the land, orientation of buildings so as to take advantage of passive
solar heating, summer breezes and scenic views, while minimizing exposure
to winter winds.
(4)
Pedestrian walkways and bike paths which are
linked to existing and/or proposed off-site walkway and bike path
networks.
(5)
Minimization of glare, noise and visual intrusion
of parking lots to external roadways and adjacent developments through
grading, berms and/or plantings.
(6)
Satisfaction of the open space, recreational
and conservation standards and purposes of this chapter.
D.
Terms of approval and modifications.
(1)
The term of the effect of any general development
plan approval shall be determined by the Planning Board using the
guidelines set forth in this section, except that the term of the
effect of the approval shall not exceed 20 years from the date upon
which the developer receives final approval of the first section of
the planned development.
(2)
In making its determination regarding the duration
of the effect of approval of the development plan, the Planning Board
shall consider the number of dwelling units to be constructed, prevailing
economic conditions, the timing schedule to be followed in completing
the development and the likelihood of its fulfillment, the developer's
capability of completing the proposed development, and the contents
of the general development plan and any conditions which the Planning
Board attaches to the approval thereof.
(3)
The developer shall be required to gain the
prior approval of the Planning Board if, after approval of the general
development plan, the developer wishes to make any variation in the
location of land uses within the planned development or to increase
the density of residential development in any section of the planned
development approved by the Planning Board.
E.
A developer, without violating the terms of the approval
pursuant to this article, may, in undertaking any section of the planned
development, reduce the number of residential units or density by
no more than 15%.
F.
Time for completion.
(1)
Upon the completion of each section of the development
as set forth in the approved general development plan, the developer
shall notify the administrative officer, by certified mail, as evidence
that the developer is fulfilling his obligations under the approved
plan. For the purpose 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 as set forth in the approved
general development plan. If the municipality does not receive such
notification at the completion of any section of the development,
the municipality shall notify the developer, by certified mail, in
order to determine whether or not the terms of the approved plan are
being complied with.
(2)
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 municipality has cause to
believe that the developer is not fulfilling his obligations pursuant
to the approved plan, the municipality shall notify the developer,
by certified mail, and the developer shall have 10 days within which
to give evidence that he is fulfilling his obligations pursuant to
the approved plan. The municipality 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 municipality finds good cause
to terminate the approval, it shall provide written notice of same
to the developer, and the approval shall be terminated 30 days thereafter.
(3)
In the event that a developer who has general
development plan approval does not apply for preliminary approval
for the planned development which is the subject of that general development
plan approval within five years of the date upon which the general
development plan has been approved by the Planning Board, the municipality
shall have cause to terminate the approval.
In the R-150 Rural Zone, the following may be
permitted as a conditional use upon approval of the Planning Board,
as provided in this chapter:
A.
Farm stands, primarily for the sale of dairy and agricultural
products grown on the farm, subject to the following requirements:
(1)
Lot area. The minimum lot area shall be six
acres.
(2)
Setback. The minimum setback from any property
line shall be 200 feet and 75 feet from the public right-of-way.
(3)
Building size. The maximum area for farm stand
structures shall be 1,000 square feet.
(4)
Building height. The maximum building height
shall be one story not exceeding 20 feet.
(5)
Sales restrictions. All items sold from a farm
stand shall be raised or produced primarily on that farm or the land
upon which the farm stand is located.
(6)
Buffer. The Planning Board may require the provision
of a transition buffer or fence if the Board deems it to be needed
for the adequate visual separation of the farm stand operation from
adjoining properties.
(8)
Hours of operation. All agricultural stands'
hours of operation shall be limited to daylight hours.
C.
Churches or other places of worship, subject to the
following requirements:
(1)
Lot areas. The minimum lot area shall be six
acres.
(2)
Frontage. The minimum street frontage shall
be 400 feet.
(3)
Front yard. The minimum front yard depth shall
be 100 feet.
(4)
Side yards. The minimum side yard width shall
be 100 feet.
(5)
Rear yard. The minimum rear yard depth shall
be 100 feet.
(6)
Parking. All parking shall be located in the
rear or side yard, at a minimum of 50 feet from any property line,
and shall be screened from view from adjacent properties.
D.
Housing facilities for transient or migratory farm
workers, provided that:
(1)
They are located on the farm of an employing
farmer.
(2)
They are occupied only during that period of
time when workers are engaged in agricultural pursuits.
(3)
Nothing herein shall be deemed to permit the
establishment of housing facilities for transient labor not engaged
in activities of an agricultural nature.
(4)
They comply with all state, county and local
statutes, rules or regulations covering such housing.
F.
Camps for children owned or operated by tax-exempt
organizations, such as the YMCA, YWCA and the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts,
provided that such camps shall be on lots of not less than 10 acres.
G.
Detached single-family dwelling residential clusters,
subject to the following requirements:
(1)
The minimum total area to be developed as a
residential cluster shall be 150 acres. Such area shall be developed
in accordance with a single comprehensive plan. Streets shall not
be deemed to divide acreage for the purposes of this requirement.
(2)
The maximum number of cluster residential lots
to be permitted shall be no greater than the number of lots arrived
at by the applicant submitting a sketch plat showing a conventional
subdivision conforming to the permitted zone bulk and area regulations
and the Township's Site Plan and Subdivision Ordinances[3] elsewhere. In computing the maximum number of lots that
may be created, any lands occupied by public utility easements or
wetlands or otherwise encumbered to the extent that it would be considered
unbuildable shall not be considered as a lot in the preparation of
the sketch plat. Lands which lie in flood hazard areas shall be deemed
acceptable for calculation of cluster residential lots, provided that,
by using standard subdivision design criteria, a building and its
associated septic field is not located within a floodway. Dwellings
shall be set back in conformance with buffer requirements found in
the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act.[4]
(3)
Lots, as determined above, may be clustered,
provided that lands not required for residential use shall be permanently
restricted for agricultural, conservation, open space and/or recreational
purposes.
(4)
To the maximum extent practicable, single-family
residential clusters shall be located on land not well suited for
agricultural purposes because of size, location, proximity to neighboring
land uses, existing tree mass, access, shape, quality of soil and
drainage. The design and location of residential clusters shall give
priority to protecting the most suitable soils for subsurface septic
disposal (in unsewered areas only); to leaving prime agricultural
soils for agricultural uses; to avoiding environmentally constrained
areas; to locating dwellings along wooded areas to reduce impacts
upon agriculture, to provide summer shade and shelter from winter
wind and to enable new residential construction to be visually absorbed
by natural landscape features; to not blocking or interrupting scenic
vistas, as seen from the public roadways; and to locating dwelling
units and other improvements on the lower-quality agricultural soils.
(5)
The Planning Board shall permit the subdivision
of all existing single-family detached dwelling units with accessory
units and/or farm buildings to be located on a minimum lot size of
one acre as part of the comprehensive development plan for the cluster
development at the time of ordinance adoption.
(6)
The application for a cluster development shall
execute such statement for prospective homeowners as the Planning
Board requires which recognizes that the applicant is aware of the
purposes and requirements governing the R-150 Zone; that the applicant
and prospective homeowners are aware that certain disturbances and
annoyances arising from usual commercial agricultural activities can
reasonably be expected to occur seasonally, both during the day and
night; and that, in consideration for being granted the right to construct
or occupy a nonfarm single-family dwelling in the zone, the applicant
hereby waives, on behalf of himself, his heirs, successors and assigns,
all right to object to such reasonable commercial agricultural activities.
(7)
When the major purposes of the cluster development
is to preserve open space for agricultural farming purposes, all dwelling
units shall be located and constructed at such places on the tract
and in such a manner that, to the greatest extent possible, they shall
not segment land of any one farm into awkward or odd-shaped parcel
sizes difficult to support viable farming operations, nor interfere
with the conduct of agriculture, on- or off-site, by limiting or interfering
with the access to fields or the effectiveness and efficiency of the
farmer and farm equipment, including crop-spraying aircraft.
(8)
The following minimum design, bulk and area
requirements shall apply to the development of a cluster:
(a)
The Planning Board shall determine the total
number and location of clusters at the time of subdivision and/or
site plan review.
(b)
Land used for agricultural use shall be provided
access for farm equipment that does not interfere with cluster vehicular
access.
(c)
A development tract's existing road frontage
shall not be totally subdivided into residential lots.
(d)
Impervious surfaces, in the aggregate, shall
not cover more than 40% of the net residential land (as defined above)
of the tract.
(e)
All residential lots shall be serviced by a
public centralized water system or private wells and either a public
sewer, community septic system or individual septic systems upon a
demonstration that such individual systems are permitted under state
law and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection policy.
(f)
No habitable dwelling unit area shall be constructed
below grade if the Township Engineer determines water problems will
result from existing soil limitations. Units shall be designed in
such a manner as to provide maximum security and visual privacy from
adjacent units.
(g)
If lots are clustered, they shall be subject
to the criteria set forth below:
[1]
Lot area. The minimum lot area shall be one
acre.
[2]
Frontage and lot width. The minimum street frontage
and lot width shall be 170 feet.
[3]
Lot depth. The minimum lot depth shall be 150
feet.
[4]
Front yard. The minimum front yard depth shall
be 50 feet
[5]
Side yard. The minimum side yard width shall
be 25 feet.
[6]
Rear yard. The minimum rear yard depth shall
be 50 feet.
[7]
Building height. The maximum building height
shall be 35 feet.
(h)
The minimum lot frontage shall not be less than
specified above unless a lot adjoins a cul-de-sac or is on a curved
roadway alignment or is otherwise odd-shaped, in which case the minimum
lot width shall be measured at the front setback line.
(i)
New streets shall be constructed to service
cluster developments instead of subdividing new lots along existing
minor arterial, major collector and minor collector roadways within
the R-150 Zone. In a subdivision abutting arterial or collector roadways,
the frontage shall be reversed so that the lots contiguous to such
streets will front on the newly created collectors, local streets
or cul-de-sacs, with an additional lot depth of 50 feet over and above
bulk and area regulations. This additional lot depth shall be a conservation
easement used exclusively for planting, screening and landscaped earthen
berms to be provided by the developer and maintained by the lot owner
or by a homeowners' association, if one is created.
(9)
During site plan and subdivision review, the
following criteria shall be addressed to the satisfaction of the Planning
Board:
(b)
The function and visual relationship between
the cluster development and adjacent developments.
(c)
Consistent with the reasonable utilization of
the land, orientation of the building so as to take advantage of passive
solar heating, summer breezes and scenic views, while minimizing exposure
to winter winds.
(d)
Pedestrian walkways and bike paths which are
linked to existing and/or proposed off-site walkway and bike path
networks.
(e)
Minimization of glare, noise and visual intrusion
of parking lots to external roadways and adjacent developments through
grading, berms and/or plantings.
(10)
Land permanently set aside for agricultural,
conservation, open space and/or recreational uses may either be offered
for dedication to Plainsboro Township, deed-restricted to remain with
the original property owner, dedicated to a nonprofit organization
found acceptable to the Township Planning Board and/or protected by
a homeowners' community association. An open space which is not accepted
for public use by the Township Committee shall be protected by legal
arrangements satisfactory to the Planning Board sufficient to assure
its maintenance and preservation in perpetuity for agricultural, conservation,
open space and/or recreational uses as directed by the Planning Board.
Covenants or other legal arrangements shall specify ownership of the
open space; method of maintenance; responsibility for maintenance;
maintenance taxes and insurance; compulsory assessment provisions;
guaranties that any homeowners' association formed to own and maintain
open space will not be dissolved without the consent of the Planning
Board; and any other specifications deemed necessary by the Planning
Board. The open space left unbuilt upon after development shall be
maintained in accordance with a land management plan prepared by the
developer and accepted and approved by the Planning Board. The developer
shall provide copies of deed covenants with prospective purchases,
or conservation easements with the Township, describing land management
practices to be followed by the party or parties that are responsible
for open space. Further subdivision of open space land, or its use
for other than agriculture, conservation and recreation, shall be
prohibited.
(11)
Within open space areas, the Planning Board
may require the developer to make certain site preparation improvements,
which may include but are not limited to the following:
(a)
Removal of dead or diseased trees.
(b)
Thinning of trees or other growth to encourage
more desirable growth.
(c)
Removal of trees in areas planned for ponds,
lakes or active recreational facilities.
(d)
Grading and seeding.
(e)
Improvement or protection of the natural drainage
system throughout the use of protective structures, stabilization
measures and similar improvements.
(f)
Improvement and landscaping of ponds and lakes
to afford appropriate use and enjoyment by the residents.
(g)
Reforestation.
(12)
Notwithstanding anything in Subsection A(7)(d)
hereof to the contrary, land designated as agricultural, conservation
or open space may be incorporated into private lots which conform
to this article upon approval by the Planning Board that such land
will be permanently protected from development as an alternative to
dedication or protection by a homeowners' community association.
(13)
Buffer areas.
(a)
Any cluster development shall be buffered from
adjoining agricultural lands to create an effective barrier separating
yards and fields and pastures, to ensure that the continuation of
agricultural operations in the area will not be impaired by nuisance
complaints. The buffer shall, inasmuch as possible, be a natural one.
The dimensions of the buffer area and its treatment with landscaping,
natural berms and/or fencing shall be subject to review and approval
by the Planning Board.
(b)
Additionally, there shall be a buffer area separating
the cluster from adjacent streets and residential areas. The dimensions
of the buffer area and its treatment with landscaping, berms or fencing
shall be subject to review and approval by the Planning Board. However,
as a minimum, the buffer area along all lot and street lines shall
be 50 feet wide.
(14)
No preliminary approval shall be granted for
any subdivision or site plan in connection with the development of
a cluster development unless the Township Health Officer and Township
Engineer have approved plans for potable water supply and sewage disposal
to serve the development.
(15)
All historic buildings, as identified on the
Middlesex County Inventory of Historic, Cultural and Architectural
Resources, located within a cluster development shall be permanently
protected and reused by the developer, to the extent feasible, in
conformance with requirements received from the Planning Board.[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection H, which immediately followed,
regarding family day-care homes, added 12-10-1990 by Ord. No. 0-90-24,
was repealed 11-10-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-13.
The following shall be permitted accessory uses
in the R-150 Rural Zone:
A.
Any use or structure customarily incident to a principal
permitted use.
B.
Private garages and carports.
C.
Signs.
D.
Private recreational facilities for residences.
E.
Off-street parking.
F.
Customary farm structures, e.g., barns, toolsheds,
greenhouses, seasonal farm and orchard stands.
G.
Residential swimming pools.
H.
Employee living quarters associated with horse tracks
and horse breeding farms.
I.
Fences and walls.
J.
Temporary construction trailers.
A.
Agriculture.
B.
Single-family detached dwellings.
(1)
Area requirements. The minimum area for a single-family
detached dwelling use shall be six acres per unit, except that where
any lot boundary is coterminous with the center line of any street
or road, such area shall be exclusive of the right-of-way.
(2)
Frontage. The minimum street frontage shall
be 500 feet.
(3)
Lot depth. The minimum lot depth shall be 300
feet.
(4)
Front yard. The minimum front yard setback shall
be 75 feet.
(5)
Side and rear yards. The minimum side yard setbacks
shall be 20 feet, and the minimum rear yard setback shall be 50 feet.
(6)
Building height. The maximum building height
shall be 35 feet, except that agricultural storage structures may
have a height determined by the function thereof.
A.
Any person desiring to subdivide and/or otherwise
develop property in the R-150 Rural Zone may elect to apply to the
Planning Board for major subdivision under the following reduced improvement
requirements of this section with all other major subdivision requirements
applying. The Planning Board shall examine each request to determine
whether it meets the following minimum standard requirements:
(1)
The design of the development shall blend with
the agricultural, open space and rural atmosphere of the R-150 Zone.
(2)
The development shall not adversely affect the
development of adjacent or adjoining property.
(3)
Proposed local streets shall not interconnect
with existing or proposed streets in other classifications to form
a continuous route. They will be designed to discourage any through
traffic, will have the exclusive function of providing access to properties
abutting the street and will follow the contours of the land to the
greatest extent possible.
(4)
The development shall provide for off-site pedestrian
and bikeway interconnections with other residential developments and
public facilities, e.g., schools and parks.
B.
If it is determined by the Planning Board that the proposed development conforms with the minimum standards listed in Subsection A above, the following reduction in standards and improvements may be allowed by the Board:
(1)
The maximum street right-of-way shall be 40
feet, and the cartway shall be 24 feet with stabilized grass shoulders,
only if the applicant provides for adequate amounts of off-tract homeowner
and visitor parking.
(2)
Private driveways may be constructed of gravel
or another porous material.
(3)
All utilities shall be installed underground.
(4)
Surface stormwater runoff may be carried in
open swales within or outside the street right-of-way to appropriately
located storm inlets as approved by the Township Engineer.
(5)
Curbs and gutters shall not be required except
where excessive grades, drainage considerations or other site conditions
require their installation.
(6)
The concrete sidewalk requirement may be waived
under certain conditions. In lieu of concrete sidewalks along one
side of a street contained within a subdivision, a five-foot-wide
pedestrian walkway of bituminous asphalt or other material acceptable
to the Township Engineer, installed along one side of a comprehensive
walkway network within the subdivision providing access to individual
lots and located outside of a street right-of-way, may be permitted.
(7)
The maximum length of a cul-de-sac measured
from an intersecting street center line to the center point of the
closed end of the cul-de-sac shall not exceed 1,500 feet.
C.
The following criteria shall be utilized by the Planning
Board during subdivision reviews within the R-150 Rural Zone where
it is determined that utilization of a rear-lotting technique is justified
by the Board.
(1)
Access to the rear lot may be through an access
strip held in fee simple ownership, not through an easement over adjacent
property.
(2)
The body of the lot, exclusive of the access
strip connecting it to a street, shall have an area and dimensions
meeting the minimum requirements for the zone.
(3)
The access strip shall be continuous and under
the same ownership as the proposed rear lot.
(4)
The intersection of the access strip with a
street shall be such that access to and from the street, and the improvement
and use of the access strip along the full course of the access strip
and proper sight triangles, as well as the drainage and other site
considerations, shall be provided in a manner not adversely affecting
the remainder of the tract or adjoining properties.
(5)
The proposed subdivision shall not adversely
affect the development of the remainder of the parcel.
(6)
In the event an additional lot or use is proposed,
and said additional lot can only achieve access via the access drive
of the flag lot, the owner of the access strip shall, at his expense,
pave and improve it in accordance with Township standards. Such road
improvements shall be made prior to the issuance of a building permit
for the additional structure. This shall not prevent the access drive
to the flag lot from serving abutting lots that otherwise have street
frontage.
(7)
No more than two access strips shall be contiguous.
The spacing and ultimate number of access strips shall be determined
by the Planning Board during the subdivision review and approval process.
Lots in the R-150 Zone which were conforming
at the time they were created will be considered conforming lots if
they are at least 35,000 square feet in size.
