In order that the public health, morals, safety and general welfare be furthered in an era of increasing urbanization and of growing demand for housing of all types and design; to provide for necessary commercial and educational facilities conveniently located to such housing; to provide for well located, clean, safe, pleasant industrial sites involving a minimum of strain on transportation facilities, to encourage the planning of new towns; to encourage innovations in residential, commercial and industrial development and renewal so that the growing demands of the population may be met by greater variety in type, design and layout of buildings and by the conservation and more efficient use of open space ancillary to said buildings; so that greater opportunities for better housing and recreation, shops and industrial plants conveniently located to each other may extend to all citizens and residents of the Township; and in order to encourage a more efficient use of land and public services, or private services in lieu thereof, and to reflect changes in the technology of land development so that resulting economies may endure to the benefit of those who need homes; to lessen the burden of traffic on streets and highways; to encourage the building of new towns incorporating the best features of modern design; to conserve the value of the land; and, in aid of these purposes, to provide a procedure which can relate the type, design and layout of residential, commercial and industrial development to the particular site and the particular demand for housing and other facilities, including the foregoing at the time of development in a manner consistent with the preservation of the property values within established residential areas and to insure that the increased flexibility of substantive regulations over land development authorized herein is subject to such administrative standards and procedures as shall encourage the disposition of proposals for land development without undue delay, this section is enacted pursuant to the authority granted by the Municipal Planned Unit Development Act (1967).

The Township Council desires to take full advantage of modern design, construction, technology and planning methods as will advance and promote the sound growth and general welfare of the Township, strengthen and sustain its economic potentials; provide safe, efficient, economic municipal services; and establish appropriate patterns for the distribution of population, commerce and industry in a variety of accommodations which are free and compatible with a modern way of life, coordinated with the protection and enhancement of natural beauty and resources, and in harmony with their surroundings, both within and without the Township; and in order to provide for a variety of service activities, school sites, parks, playgrounds, recreational areas, parking and other open space in orderly relationship to each other and in conformity to the development of the Township as a whole.

In order to effectuate the aforegoing and to locate such planned unit development as and by a single entity upon the most suitable land in view of the rapidly expanding population of the community and in order to insure that sound planning goals are met for the potential use of the land and to prevent piecemeal and disorderly development of large tracts of ground within the Township, to protect existing uses and to insure provisions for light and air, the prevention of overcrowding of land or buildings, the creation of an adequate road network, to secure the health, morals and general welfare and for the better securing of adequate municipal, utility and other necessary functions; the following criteria and procedures are established: