Assess site characteristics, such as general neighborhood context and surrounding land uses; existing vegetation; streetscape; road network; visual features; past and present use of the site; landmarks; and relationship to surrounding buildings and structures.

Base the design of the development on the site analysis. Arrange development to the maximum extent practical to create an appropriate design relationship to the neighborhood and to desirable natural and man-made features.

Design and arrange streets, lots, parking areas, buildings, and units to reduce unnecessary impervious cover, and to mitigate adverse effects of shadow, noise, odor, traffic, transportation, drainage, and utilities on neighboring properties.

Consider local and regional plans for the surrounding community.

Design storm drainage facilities as an integral part of the development, and arrange the design to use as much of the natural drainage as possible.

Design lots, sites, and buildings to reduce cut and fill, and to avoid flooding and adversely affecting ground water and aquifer recharge; and provide for sewage disposal and adequate access.

Residential developments may be arranged as permitted by the Zone District Regulations.

Consider topography, privacy, building heights, orientation, drainage, and aesthetics in placement of units. Provide units with private outdoor space where appropriate and practical.

Space buildings so that adequate privacy is provided for units.

Design nonresidential and industrial developments according to the same principles governing design of residential developments; locate buildings to maintain an appropriate relationship with the surrounding neighborhood; avoid to the maximum extent practical environmentally sensitive areas; consider factors such as drainage, noise, odor and surrounding land uses in siting buildings; buffer where adverse impacts exist.

Design the street system to permit the safe, efficient, and orderly movement of traffic.

In addition, design the street system to meet the following objectives: to meet but not exceed the needs of the present and future population served; to have a simple and logical pattern; to respect natural features and landmarks; and to present an attractive streetscape.

Design streets in a hierarchical system (see Article 9).

Locate pedestrian walkways parallel to the street, but permit exceptions to preserve landmarks or to provide visual interest or for ease of circulation.

Where bicycle routes are provided, design those for commuters so that they are reasonably direct. Design recreational paths to follow scenic routes, with points of interest highlighted.

Within commercial areas cross connections and cross easements among properties should be provided to allow for ease of vehicular and pedestrian access.

Development design shall conform to the requirements of any applicable access management code including the following.

Provide landscaping in public areas, on recreation sites, and adjacent to buildings to screen parking areas, mitigate adverse impacts, and provide windbreaks for winter winds and summer cooling for buildings, streets, and parking.

Select the plant or other landscaping material that will best serve the intended function, and use landscaping materials appropriate for local soil conditions, water availability, and environment.

Vary the type and amount of landscaping with type of development, and accent site entrance with special landscaping treatment.

Consider massing trees at critical points.

Consider the impact of any proposed landscaping plan at various time intervals. Shrubs may grow and eventually block sight distances. Foundation plants may block out building windows.

Building design should enhance the visual pattern of the surrounding community by promoting visual harmony and utilizing transitions between new and older buildings.

New buildings should strengthen particular design features of the area by, for example, framing views, enclosing open space, or continuing particular design features or statements.

The height and bulk of new buildings should be compatible with the scale of surrounding development.

Landmark buildings should be preserved. Renovations or additions should utilize the guidelines prescribed by the U.S. Department of the Interior in the Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings.

Buildings should be designed to be attractive from all vantage points, including fences, storage areas and rear entrances and elevations.

Accessory structures should be architecturally coordinated with the principal structure.

All exterior storage areas and service yards, loading docks and ramps, electrical and mechanical equipment and enclosures, storage tanks, roof structures and the like should be screened from the public view, within and from the outside of the development, by a fence, wall, architectural screening or mature landscape materials, compatible with the exterior design of the building.

Colors, materials and finishes should be coordinated in all exterior elevations of buildings to achieve continuity of expression. All roof and wall projections such as gutters, flues, louvers, utility boxes, vents, grills, downspouts, exposed flashing, overhead doors, shall be painted or installed with an anodized or acrylic finish in a color to match adjacent surfaces.

All openings in the wall of a structure such as windows and doors should relate to each other on each elevation vertically and horizontally in a defined order.

Roof planes or caps meeting the exterior facade should have overhangs or appropriate cornice and trim details.

Major entrance to buildings should be properly identified with architectural elements or details.

The fenestration and detailing of building facades should be arranged to promote a harmonious variety of light and shade on the building face and to provide a visually appealing surface.

Design should enhance the sidewalk environment with appropriate and coordinated paving materials, landscaping, street furniture and lighting.

Ease of pedestrian access should be encouraged.

The design, size, number, type and display of signage should be controlled to prevent visual clutter and maintain pedestrian scale.

Building design, alteration or improvement should adhere to the following:

Wetlands;

Significant trees, defined as the largest known individual trees of each species in New Jersey as listed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEPE) Bureau of Forestry; large trees approaching the diameter of the known largest tree; and/or species that are rare to that area or of particular horticultural or landscape value;

Habitats of endangered or threatened wildlife as identified on Federal or State lists; and

Historically significant structures and site as listed on the Federal or New Jersey list of historic places or the Belmar Master Plan.

A graphic depicting the depths of:

A construction detail and/or manufacturer specification demonstrating the permeability of the construction material.

Landscaping shall be provided as part of site plan and subdivision design. It shall be conceived in a total pattern throughout the site, integrating the various elements of site design, preserving and enhancing the particular identity of the site and creating a pleasing site character.

Landscaping may include plant materials such as trees, shrubs, ground cover, perennials and annuals and other materials such as pebbles, decorative stone, water sculpture, art, walls, and fences. Provided however, all land area covered with pebbles, or decorative stone shall be designed to contain on-site and minimize spillage of such materials upon public walkways and rights-of-way. Areas covered with pebbles, or decorative stone shall be included in the calculation of impervious coverage.

Topsoil Preservation. Topsoil moved during the course of construction shall be redistributed on all regraded surfaces. At least four inches of even cover shall be provided to all disturbed areas of the development and shall be stabilized by seeding or planting. If excess topsoil remains, the thickness shall be increased. If, in the opinion of the Borough Engineer, additional topsoil is required, the developer shall provide it. Removal of excess topsoil shall only be permitted in accordance with a plan approved by the Municipal Agency.

Removal of Debris. All stumps and other tree parts, litter, brush, weeds, excess or scrap building materials, or other debris shall be removed from the site and disposed of in accordance with the law. No tree stumps, portions of tree trunks or limbs shall be buried anywhere in the development, except as provided by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy regulations. All dead or dying trees, standing or fallen, shall be removed from the site. If trees and limbs are reduced to chips, they may, subject to approval of the municipal engineer, be used as mulch in landscaped areas. A developer shall be exempt from these provisions, however, and shall be permitted to dispose of site-generated new construction wastes on-site, if permitted in accordance with the regulations contained in N.J.A.C. 7:26-1.7e.

Protection of Existing Plantings. Maximum effort should be made to save fine specimens (because of size or relative rarity). The Municipal Agency may require submittal of a plan for the conservation of existing trees and shrubs. Such plans shall indicate which trees and shrubs are to be cleared and which shall be retained. No material or temporary soil deposits shall be placed within four feet of shrubs or 10 feet of trees designated to be retained on the preliminary and/or final plat. Protective barriers or tree wells shall be installed around each plant and/or group of plants that are to remain on the site. Barriers shall not be supported by the plants they are protecting, but shall be self-supporting. They shall be a minimum of four feet high and constructed of a durable material that will last until construction is completed. Snow fences and silt fences are examples of acceptable barriers.

Slope Plantings. Landscaping of the area of all cuts and fills and/or terraces shall be sufficient to prevent erosion, and all roadway slopes steeper than one foot vertically to three feet horizontally shall be planted with ground covers appropriate for the purpose and soil conditions, water availability, and environment.

Additional Landscaping. In residential developments, besides the screening and street trees required, additional plantings or landscaping elements shall be required throughout the subdivision where necessary for climate control, privacy, or for aesthetic reasons in accordance with a planting plan approved by the Municipal Agency. In nonresidential developments, all areas of the site not occupied by building and required improvements shall be landscaped by the planting of grass or other ground cover, shrubs, and trees as part of a site plan approved by the Planning Board.

At a minimum, the equivalent of at least two shrubs and one shade or ornamental tree of 2 1/2 inch caliper or greater shall be provided for each 1,500 square feet of area of a residential development not covered by buildings or improvements and for each 1,000 square feet of nonresidential development. Existing healthy specimen trees may be included in satisfying these requirements. These plantings shall be in addition to any other landscaping requirements including landscaping of off-street parking areas and buffer areas.

Planting Specifications. Deciduous trees shall have at least a two-inch caliper at planting. Size of evergreens and shrubs shall be allowed to vary depending on setting and type of shrub. Only nursery-grown plant materials shall be acceptable; and all trees, shrubs, and ground covers shall be planted according to accepted horticultural standards. Dead or dying plants shall be replaced by the developer during the following planting season.

Plant Species. The plant species selected should be hardy for the particular climatic zone in which the development is located and appropriate in terms of function and size.

Location. Street trees shall be installed on both sides of all streets in accordance with the approved landscape plan. Trees shall either be massed at critical points or spaced evenly along the street, or both.

If a street canopy effect is desired, trees may be planted closer together, following the recommendations of a certified landscape architect. The trees shall be planted so as not to interfere with utilities, roadways, sidewalks, sight easements, or street lights. Tree location, landscaping design, and spacing plan shall be approved by the Planning Board as part of the landscape plan.

Tree Type. Tree type may vary depending on overall effect desired, but as a general rule, all trees shall be the same kind on a street except to achieve special effects. Selection of tree type shall be approved by the Municipal Agency.

Planting Specifications. All trees shall have a caliper of 2 1/2 inches and they shall be nursery grown, of substantially uniform size and shape, and have straight trunks. Trees shall be properly planted and staked and provision made by the applicant for regular watering and maintenance until they are established. Dead or dying trees shall be replaced by the applicant during the next planting season.

Function and Materials. Buffering shall provide a year-round visual screen in order to minimize adverse impacts from a site on the adjacent property or from adjacent areas. It may consist of fencing, evergreens, berms, rocks, boulders, mounds, or combinations to achieve the stated objectives.

When Required. All uses, other than single family detached and two family detached dwellings and their accessory uses, shall provide buffers along side and rear property lines which abut areas zoned residentially or used for residential purposes. Buffering shall also be required when topographical or other barriers do not provide reasonable screening and when the Municipal Agency determines that there is a need to shield the site from adjacent properties and to minimize adverse impacts such as incompatible land uses, noise, glaring light, and traffic. In dense developments, when building design and siting do not provide privacy, the Municipal Agency may require landscaping, fences, or walls to ensure privacy and screen dwelling units.

Where required, buffers shall be measured from property lines.

Design. Arrangement of planting in buffers shall provide maximum protection to adjacent properties and avoid damage to existing plant material. Possible arrangements include planting in parallel, serpentine, or broken rows. If planted berms are used, the minimum top width shall be four feet, and the maximum side slope shall be 2:1.

Planting Specifications. Plant materials shall be sufficiently large and planted in such a fashion that a screen at least eight feet high, occupying 50% of the width of the buffer strip, shall be produced within three growing seasons. All plantings shall be installed according to accepted horticultural standards.

Maintenance. Plantings shall be watered regularly and in a manner appropriate for the specific plant species through the first growing season, and dead or dying plants shall be replaced by the applicant during the next planting season. No buildings, structures, storage of materials, or parking shall be permitted within the buffer area; buffer areas shall be maintained and kept free of all debris, rubbish, weeds, and tall grass.

Amount required. In parking lots, at least 5% of the interior parking area shall be landscaped with plantings, and one tree for each 10 spaces shall be installed. Parking lot street frontage screening and perimeter screening shall be a minimum of five feet wide. Planting required within the parking lot is exclusive of other planting requirements, such as for street trees.

Location. The landscaping should be located in protected areas, such as along walkways, in center islands, at the end of bays, or in diamonds between parking stalls. All landscaping in parking areas and on the street parking lots is exclusive of other planting requirements, such as for street trees.

Plant Type. A mixture of hardy flowering and/or decorative evergreen and deciduous trees may be planted; the area between trees shall be planted with shrubs or ground cover or covered with mulch.

Paving Materials. Design and choice of paving materials used in pedestrian areas shall consider the following factors; cost, maintenance, use, climate, characteristics of users, appearance, availability, compatibility with surroundings, decorative quality, and aesthetic appeal. Acceptable materials shall include, but are not limited to, concrete, brick, cement pavers, asphalt and stone.

Walls and fences shall be erected where required for privacy, screening, separation, security, or to serve other necessary functions.

Street furniture such as, but not limited to, trash receptacles, benches, phone booths, etc., shall be located and sized in accordance with their functional needs.

Street furniture elements shall be compatible in form, material, and finish. Style shall be coordinated with that of the existing or proposed site architecture.

Selection of street furniture shall consider durability, maintenance, and long-term cost.

The use of stones, pebbles, gravel and like materials ("stones") for landscaping or decorative purposes shall not be in excess of 20% of the total lot area.

For properties which have driveways constructed of stones, and which also use stones for landscaping or decorative purposes, the combined coverage of stones for the driveway and for landscaping or decorative purposes shall not be in excess of 25% of the total lot area.

Stones used for landscaping or decorative purposes shall not be installed closer than 10 feet back from the curb, measured from the inside of the curb. If the property also has a sidewalk, stones shall not be installed closer than three feet back from the sidewalk, measured from the inside of the sidewalk, or 10 feet back from the curb, measured from the inside of the curb, whichever is greater.

Stones used for driveway purposes shall not be installed closer than 10 feet back from the curb, measured from the inside of the curb. If the property also has a sidewalk, stones shall not be installed closer than three feet back from the sidewalk, measured from the inside of the sidewalk, or 10 feet back from the curb, measured from the inside of the curb, whichever is greater.

For major applications, each single or two family unit shall provide a storage area of at least 12 square feet within each dwelling unit to accommodate a four week accumulation of mandated recyclables (including but not limited to: newspaper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, tin cans and bi-metal cans). The storage area may be located in the laundry room, garage, basement or kitchen.

For major applications, each multi-family unit, shall provide a storage area of at least four square feet within each dwelling unit to accommodate a one week accumulation of mandated recyclables (including but not limited to: newspaper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, tin cans and bi-metal cans). The storage area may be located in the laundry room, garage, or kitchen. Unless recyclables are collected on a weekly basis from each dwelling unit, one or more common storage areas must also be provided at convenient locations within the development.

Each application for a non-residential use which utilizes 1,000 square feet or more of land, shall provide the Municipal Agency with estimates of the quantity of mandated recyclable materials (including but not limited to: newspaper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, tin and bi-metal cans, high grade paper, and corrugated cardboard) that will be generated by the development during each week. A separate storage area must be provided to accommodate a one to two week accumulation of recyclable material. The Municipal Agency may require the location of one or more common storage areas at convenient locations within the development.

Amount of Open Space Required. At least 30% of the developable acreage of a tract proposed for development shall be set aside as common open space.

Size of Open Space Parcels. The area of each parcel of open space designed for recreational purposes shall be of such minimum dimensions as to be functionally usable.

Location of Open Space Parcels. Open space parcels should be convenient to the dwelling units they are intended to serve.

Passive recreation areas, such as pathways, seating areas and lawns, shall be provided and suitably arranged in a multi-family site.

Recreation areas shall be provided at the rate of at least 250 square feet per dwelling unit. If a swimming pool area or areas are to be installed, they are to include a pool of a size at least equivalent to 15 square feet per unit, except no pool less than 500 square feet will be allowed, and no pool greater than 3,000 square feet shall be required. An auxiliary building or buildings providing for lavatories and storage shall also be erected in conjunction with pools.

The open space area will not be further subdivided in the future.

The use of the open space will continue in perpetuity for the purpose specified.

Appropriate provisions are made for the maintenance of the open space.

Common undeveloped open space shall not be turned into a commercial enterprise admitting the general public at a fee.

The municipality, subject to acceptance by the governing body.

Other public jurisdictions or agencies, subject to their acceptance.

Quasi-public organizations, subject to their acceptance.

Homeowner, condominium, or cooperative associations or organizations.

Shared, undivided interest by all property owners in the subdivision.

The Homeowners Association must be established before the homes are sold.

Membership must be mandatory for each home buyer and any successive buyer.

The open space restrictions must be permanent, not just for a period of years.

The association must be responsible for liability insurance, local taxes, and the maintenance of recreational and other facilities.

Homeowners must pay their pro rata share of the costs; the assessment levied by the association shall become a lien on the property and be so stated in the master deed establishing the Homeowners Association.

The association must be able to adjust the assessment to meet changed needs.

In the event that a non-municipal organization with the responsibility for the open space fails to maintain it in reasonable order and condition, the Borough Council may serve written notice upon such organization or upon the owners of the development setting forth the manner in which the organization has failed to maintain the open space in reasonable condition, and said notice shall include a demand that such deficiencies of maintenance be remedied within 35 days thereof and shall state the date and place of a hearing thereon which shall be held within 15 days of the notice.

At such hearing, the Borough Council may modify the terms of the original notice of deficiencies and may give a reasonable extension of time not to exceed 65 days within which they shall be remedied. If the deficiencies set forth in the original notice or in the modification thereof shall not be remedied within said 35 days or any permitted extension thereof, the municipality, in order to preserve the open space and maintain the same, may enter and maintain such land for a period of one year. Entry and maintenance shall not vest in the public any rights to use the open space except when the same is voluntarily dedicated to the public by the owners. Before the expiration date of the year, the Borough Council shall upon its initiative or upon the request of the organization responsible for the maintenance of the open space, call a public hearing upon 15 days' written notice to such organization and to the owners of the development, to be held by the Borough Council at which hearing such organization and the owners of the development shall show cause why such maintenance by the municipality shall not, at the election of the municipality, continue for a succeeding year. If the Borough Council shall determine that such organization is ready and able to maintain the open space in reasonable condition, the municipality shall cease to maintain the open space at the end of the year. If the Borough Council shall determine such organization is not ready and able to maintain the open space in a reasonable condition, the municipality may, in its discretion, continue to maintain the open space during the next succeeding year, subject to a similar hearing and determination, in each year thereafter. The decision of the municipal body or officer in any such case shall constitute a final administrative decision subject to judicial review.

The cost of such maintenance by the municipality shall be assessed pro rata against the properties within the development that have a right to enjoyment of the open space in accordance with assessed value at the time of imposition of the lien and shall become a lien and tax on said properties and be added to and be a part of the taxes to be levied and assessed thereon, and shall be enforced and collected with interest by the same officers and in the same manner as other taxes.