Where either or both an official map or master plan have been adopted, the site plan or subdivision shall conform to the proposals and conditions shown thereon.

Any streets, drainage rights-of-way, school sites, public parks and playgrounds or other municipal facilities shown on an adopted master plan or official map shall be considered in the review of site plans and subdivision plats.

Where no master plan or official map exists, or makes no provisions therefor, streets and drainage rights-of-way shall be shown on the final plat in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-38 and shall be such as to lend themselves to the harmonious development of the Township and the enhancement of the public welfare.

All streets within major subdivisions shall be designed to serve a specific function and shall be classified by the municipal agency in terms of their projected use according to the following classification system:

Right-of-way widths for the above-designated street classifications shall be measured from lot line to lot line and shall be not less than the following, nor shall any new street or road right-of-way be less than the width of any existing street or road of which it is an extension or any proposed street or road shown on the Township Official Map or the Master Plan.

Pavement widths, median strips and paved shoulder requirements on all proposed streets shall conform to the requirements shown on Diagrams 1 through 3 (Typical Roadway Section and Details, copies of which are on file in the Township Clerk's office).

Local or minor streets shall be so designed as to discourage through traffic.

Subdivisions abutting arterial streets or roads shall provide a marginal service road, reverse frontage lots with planted buffer strips or such other means of separation of through and local traffic as the Planning Board may determine appropriate.

The right-of-way for internal roads and alleys in commercial and industrial development shall be determined on an individual basis by the Planning Board and shall, in all cases, be of sufficient width and design to safely accommodate expected traffic movements and parking and loading needs.

No subdivision showing reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be approved, except where the control and disposal jurisdiction over land comprising such strips has been placed in the governing body under conditions stipulated or approved by the Planning Board.

Subdivisions that adjoin or include existing streets that do not conform to widths as shown on the Master Plan or Official Map or the street width requirements of this chapter shall provide for additional width along either one or both sides of said street. If the subdivision is along one side only, 1/2 of the required extra width shall be dedicated.

Whenever possible, street intersections shall be at right angles and, in any case, the angle formed shall not be less than 60°. No more than two streets shall meet or intersect at one location, and the center line of two intersecting streets shall pass through a common point. Block corners at intersections shall be rounded at the curbline with the intersecting street having the higher radius requirement, as specified below, determining corner curbline radius:

Sight-triangle easements.

Street jogs with center-line offsets of less than 125 feet are prohibited.

A tangent shall be introduced between all reverse curves and shall be a minimum of 100 feet.

Dead-end streets shall not be longer than 800 feet and shall provide a turnaround at the closed end with a radius of not less than 60 feet, tangent wherever practicable to the right side of the street. If a dead-end street is temporary, a turnaround as described above shall be provided, together with provision for future extension of the street and reversion of any excess right-of-way to adjoining properties.

No street shall have a name which will duplicate, or so nearly duplicate as to be confused with, the name of an existing street, in either the Township or an adjoining municipality. The continuation of an existing street shall have the same name.

Final approval of a plat shall not be construed as the acceptance of a street dedicated to public use.

In the case of local streets within a development where the municipal agency determines that the length of the street and the nature of adjacent uses warrants such reduction in the width of the paved surface, the width may be reduced below the paved width required in Subsection B(3) above, but in no case shall the paved width of a local street be less than 26 feet.

A maximum road grade of 2% shall be used to aid safe stopping under icing conditions on any new streets connecting with existing or proposed streets at their approaches to an intersection. Grades shall be designed to direct surface drainage away from the existing streets unless intercepting underground drainage facilities are provided to prevent flow of water over the street surfaces.

Block length and width or acreage within bounding roads shall be such as to accommodate the size of lot required in the area by zoning requirements and to provide for convenient access, circulation and safety of street traffic. No block shall exceed 1,200 feet in length.

In blocks over 750 feet long, pedestrian crosswalks may be required in locations deemed necessary by the Planning Board. Such walkways shall be 10 feet wide and be straight from street to street.

For commercial, multifamily housing or industrial use, block size shall be sufficient to meet all area and yard requirements for such uses.

The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and use contemplated. Only one single-family, detached dwelling unit shall be located on any individual lot.

Lot dimensions and area shall be not less than the requirements of the zoning requirements.

Insofar as is practical, side lot lines shall be at right angles to straight streets, and radial to curved streets.

Where extra width has been dedicated for widening of existing streets to conform to Master Plan proposals, lots shall begin at such extra width lines, and, in any event, all setbacks shall be measured from such extra width lines.

Where there is a question as to the suitability of a lot or lots for the intended use due to factors such as flood conditions or similar circumstances, the municipal agency may, after adequate investigation, withhold approval of such lots.

In large-scale developments, easements along rear property lines or elsewhere for utility installations may be required. Such easements shall be at least 15 feet wide and located in consultation with the companies or municipal departments concerned. The requirements of off-site and off-tract services and improvements or a reasonable contribution thereto shall be planned in the interest of sound and harmonious neighborhood and community development.

Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way provided, conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse and such further width or construction, or both, as will be adequate for the purpose.

Natural features such as trees, brooks, hilltops and views shall be preserved whenever possible in designing any subdivision containing such features.

Lands subject to periodic flooding or, in the case of on-site sewage disposal, lands failing to meet County Health Department or Pinelands Commission depth to seasonally high water table requirements, shall not be incorporated in the developed portion of any subdivision.

The municipal agency shall coordinate its review and requirements with the Soil Conservation District in the interest of avoiding any unnecessary soil erosion and stream sedimentation.

Subdivision development shall not result in the unnecessary removal of existing topsoil. Topsoil removed from street installation areas shall be stockpiled for use on subdivision lots in any case where areas to be developed for residential uses do not have a substantial existing topsoil cover.

Care shall be taken in subdivision design and review to encourage maximum retention of desirable existing vegetation on the site.

In any industrial, commercial or multifamily dwelling subdivision, or in the case of any conventional single-family subdivision consisting of 10 or more lots, provision shall be made for on-site retention and/or ground infiltration of any additional surface runoff that would be created by the proposed development.

Any proposed lakes or ponds must be shown on a subdivision plan and shall have sufficient source of supply and runoff to prevent drying up or stagnation.

Creation of lakes or ponds shall be accomplished in a manner acceptable to and approved by the municipal agency and the Department of Environmental Protection, along with any other reviewing agency having jurisdiction.

No trees, brush or debris shall be used as landfill, nor shall any landfilling operation be performed in such a manner as to cover unremoved trees and debris on any streets, lots or other development areas.

Public and common open spaces shall be encouraged through the utilization of clustering provisions and the requirement of recreation space in connection with developments of 25 or more residential units pursuant to § 115-114.

Building and structure design. Critical consideration shall be given to building materials, use of color and texture, massing, fenestration and building or structure height and shape as they relate to site conditions and harmonize with similar elements in neighboring buildings or structures.

Circulation. Close attention shall be given to the layout of the site with respect to the arrangement, width and alignment of driveways and walkways as they provide for pedestrian traffic, both within and external to the site.

Parking and loading. Concern for the amount, location and arrangement of spaces proposed for automobile parking and for the loading and unloading of goods and materials, both with relation to the use involved and efficient and safe interconnection with the public circulation system.

Landscaping. The arrangement of landscape elements and the appropriateness, variety and compatibility of selected plant materials as they contribute to an adequate and pleasing landscape design and/or screening system as well as the compatibility of the landscape plan with adjacent properties and the neighborhood.

Orientation and siting. In the case of freestanding buildings or structures, and depending on individual site characteristics, consideration shall be given to positioning that provides a desirable visual composition, avoids blocking natural vistas and provides desirable space enclosures.

Site utilities. Careful planning for the location and adequacy of waterlines and sanitary sewerage facilities and the nature, adequacy and safety of the surface drainage system, both as they relate to the intended site development and to the surrounding area; the positioning, adequacy and design of overhead and underground electric, telephone and gas lines and other structures.

Accessory features. Concern for the aesthetic quality and harmony of the architectural design of proposed signs, exterior architectural features, displays, service areas, walls, fences, lighting decorations, street and public area furnishings and such other features as they affect the aesthetic quality of the buildings, property and neighborhood.

Environmental protection. Critical attention shall be given to preserving the landscape in its natural state, insofar as possible, and to improving the existing conditions according to high standards of conservation and environmental protection in keeping with the surrounding natural setting. The development plan should demonstrate the avoidance of unnecessary alteration of existing topography or the removal of vegetation and should propose development that will otherwise respect the established natural conditions of the site and its surroundings. In the case of any institutional, industrial, commercial or multifamily development involving more than two acres, more than 10 dwelling units or more than 20 off-street street parking spaces in the non-Pinelands Area, provision shall be made for on-site retention and/or ground infiltration of any additional surface runoff that would be created by the proposed development. Such provision shall be made for all development in the Pinelands Area in accordance with § 115-53B(5).

Performance standards. In reviewing the site plan for any use subject to performance standards contained in the Buena Vista Township Zoning Regulations,[1] the municipal agency shall condition its approval on both initial and continued compliance with such standards.

Energy conservation. All development shall be designed and carried out in a manner which promotes energy conservation. Such measures may include southerly building orientation, landscaping to enhance solar access and the use of energy-conserving building materials.

Parking and loading areas. Off-street parking and loading spaces of such size and number as are consistent with good planning standards and in compliance with any prevailing requirements or supplementary zoning regulations contained in this chapter shall be required in connection with, and convenient to, uses projected for the site development in accordance with the following:

Customer service areas. Any site plan that proposed temporary stopping space or maneuvering space for vehicles of customers or patrons seeking service at a roadside business establishment should be so designed that the stopping or maneuvering space will be at least 10 feet removed from the right-of-way line of the adjacent street or road.

Driveways. Any site plan proposing private driveway openings shall comply with the following:

Refuse disposal. Refuse depositories shall not be exposed to public view and shall be nonpolluting, covered from weather and secure from vandalism. Compactor units shall afford completely sealed operation and efficient access by collection vehicles.