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Florham Park City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XVI

Regulation of Nuisance Characteristics

§ 250-108 Compliance with article.

A. 
As a condition to the approval of any subdivision, site plan, construction permit, certificate of occupancy, certificate of zoning compliance, variance, conditional use or continuance of a nonconforming use, the applicant shall supply evidence, satisfactory to the appropriate officer or board, that the proposed use, structure, process or equipment will conform fully with all of the applicable standards stated in this article and governing control over nuisances. As evidence of compliance, approving authorities may require certification of tests by appropriate government agencies or by recognized testing laboratories, any costs thereof to be borne by the applicant. The approving authority may require that specific types of equipment, machinery or devices be installed or that specific operating procedures or methods be followed if the government agencies or testing laboratories examining the proposed operation shall determine that the use of such specific types of machinery, equipment, devices, procedures or methods are required in order to ensure compliance with the applicable performance standards. Permits and certificates required by other government agencies shall be submitted to the approving authority as proof of compliance with applicable codes.
B. 
For conditional uses or for use variances which must meet these performance standards, the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment shall neither approve nor recommend approval of any use until it receives an affidavit from the applicant that all performance standards established in this article have been complied with.
C. 
Failure by any approved applicant to conform to the standards herein covering nuisances shall be cause for the Zoning Enforcement Official and/or the Construction Official, to enforce these standards. (See Chapter 159.)

§ 250-109 Conditional approval.

A. 
In the event that a determination cannot be made at the time of application that a proposed use, process or piece of equipment will meet the standards established in this article, the appropriate official or board may issue a conditional approval. The conditional approval would be based on submission of evidence that the proposed use, process or equipment will meet the standards established in this article after completion of installation and operation.
B. 
Within 30 days after such installation is complete, the applicant shall apply for a certificate of occupancy and give satisfactory evidence that all standards established by this article have been met.

§ 250-110 Definition; determination locations.

A. 
Definition. A "nuisance element" is any noise, radioactivity, vibration, surface or drainage water runoff, glare, smoke, odor, air and water pollution, dust, unsightliness or filth which exceeds the performance standards established under this article.
B. 
Location of determination. The determination of the existence of nuisance elements shall be made at the following locations:
Nuisance
Characteristic
Determination Location
Smoke
Vent or smokestack
Solid particles
Vent or smokestack
Odors
Property line
Liquid wastes
Building wall
Solid wastes
Building wall
Radiation
Vent or smokestack
Noise*
Required setback line
Vibration
Building wall
Glare
Building wall
Heat/gas/vapors
Vent or smokestack/ required setback line
Runoff
Property line
NOTE: *See Borough Code Chapters 155 and 175.

§ 250-111 Standards.

[Amended 3-20-2025 by Ord. No. 25-07]
A. 
Air pollution.
(1) 
No substance shall be emitted into the atmosphere in quantities which are injurious to human, plant or animal life or to property, or which will interfere unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property here in the Borough. The state Air Pollution Control Code, as augmented by regulations contained in this article, shall be complied with. Where there is any discrepancy in standards between this article and the Sanitary Code,[1] as set forth in this Code, the more restrictive shall apply.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 265, Sanitation.
(2) 
In any nonresidential zone, no smoke, the shade or appearance of which is darker than No. 1 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart (20% level), shall be emitted into the open air from any fuel-burning equipment; provided, however, that smoke emitted during the cleaning of a fire box or the building of a new fire, the shade or appearance of which is not darker than No. 2 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart (40% level), may be permitted for a period or periods aggregating no more than three minutes in any 15 consecutive minutes.
(3) 
In any zone, no discharge of solid particles through a stack duct or vent shall be permitted that is greater than 25% of the allowable emission in pounds per hour established by Chapters 7 and 8 of the State Air Pollution Control Code. No open burning shall be permitted in any zone. All incinerators shall be approved by the State Department of Health.
(4) 
Any road, parking area, driveway, truck, loading or unloading station or any other exterior area having a substantial movement of vehicles or equipment shall be paved or otherwise stabilized during construction sufficiently to prevent the generation of dust from the movement of such vehicles or equipment, subject to approval of the Borough Engineer.
(5) 
In any zone, no odorous material may be emitted into the atmosphere in quantities sufficient to be detected without instruments.
B. 
Wastes.
(1) 
No liquid waste shall be discharged into any watercourse in the Borough except as provided in this article. If the applicant proposes to construct facilities for the treatment of waste, he shall supply:
(a) 
A statement by the State Department of Environmental Protection that such proposed facilities are in compliance with applicable state laws and regulations.
(b) 
Approval by the appropriate officials of the installation of such facilities. No liquid waste shall be discharged into the public sewage collection and disposal system unless the appropriate municipal or authority officials shall have first investigated the character and volume of such waste and shall have certified that it will accept the discharge of such waste material into the system. The applicant shall comply with any requirements of such officials, including the pretreating of such waste, the installation of processing methods, the separation or screening of wastes, the control of pH and other methods of improving such wastes prior to discharge, as a condition to the approval of such facilities.
(2) 
Each use shall assume the following responsibilities for solid waste disposal:
(a) 
To provide adequate and regular collection and removal of all refuse, except if the Borough assumes the responsibility.
(b) 
To comply with all applicable provisions of the Air Pollution Control Code.
(c) 
To comply with all provisions of the state Sanitary Code, Chapter 8, Refuse Disposal, Public Health Council or the State Department of Health.
(d) 
To permit no accumulation on the property of any solid waste, junk or other objectionable materials.
(e) 
To not engage in any sanitary landfill operation on the property, except as may be permitted by other Borough Code regulations.
C. 
Radiation. All use of materials, equipment or facilities which are or may be sources of radiation shall comply with all controls, standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and any codes, rules or regulations promulgated under such act, as well as the Radiation Protection Act, Chapter 116, Public Laws 1958, as amended, whichever shall be the more stringent.
D. 
Noise. See Borough Code Chapters 155 and 175 and N.J.A.C. 7:29.
E. 
Vibration. In any zone, no vibrations discernible without instruments at the measuring point shall be permitted.
F. 
Glare. No single standard for glare is promulgated in this chapter, due to the impracticality of establishing such standards. It is the intent of these performance standards to ensure that both direct and indirect glare, to the extent possible, are eliminated or that activities producing such glare are carried on within a structure. Necessary glare-producing devices, such as roadway and walkway lighting, shall be designed, constructed and maintained in such a manner as not to be a nuisance to surrounding uses.
G. 
Heat. Heat is thermal energy of a radioactive, conductive or convective nature. In any zone, any use or process shall not produce a temperature rise discernible at the measuring point, nor discharge water into any watercourse which shall produce a temperature increase of greater than 3° in that watercourse.
H. 
Fire and explosion hazards. If it appears that any proposed use, structure, process or resulting product or material may constitute a fire or explosion hazard, the Planning Board may require the applicant to supply proof of:
(1) 
Approval of the use, structure, process or resulting product or materials from the State Department of Labor and Industry, indicating that adequate safeguards against fire and explosion have been taken or installed.
(2) 
Approval from the Borough Fire Chief that the applicant has complied with all applicable Borough fire prevention regulations.
I. 
Water runoff. Drainage from one property must be so controlled as not to do damage to adjoining properties or adversely affect the community at large. Volumes, velocity of flow and design standards for handling surface water runoff, both on- and off-site, will be thoroughly considered before any site plan or subdivision approval can be granted and will be controlled by the Borough Surface Water Management Plan. (See Chapter 215.)
J. 
Light nuisance in residential areas.
(1) 
Applicability. This chapter is intended to apply and to bind the owners, tenants, occupants, guests and all other persons within residential areas of the Borough of Florham Park.
(2) 
Light nuisance; restrictions.
(a) 
All outside lighting in residential areas shall be so arranged as not to adversely affect the enjoyment of any adjacent residential buildings or streets.
(b) 
Lighting shall not be installed at a height greater than 10 feet above the ground, either when mounted to a structure or a pole.
(c) 
Installing or maintaining spotlights or other types of artificial lighting on residential properties that provide a continuous concentrated beam of light extending beyond any property lines is prohibited. This prohibition shall not apply to spotlights or other types of artificial lighting controlled by a motion detector that automatically turns off within 10 minutes of activation caused by motion.
(d) 
Installing or maintaining spotlights or other types of artificial lighting on residential properties beyond the vertical plane of the face of any building or structure that causes a continuous beam of light to be reflected upon any adjoining property or any public street is prohibited. This prohibition shall not apply to spotlights or other types of artificial lighting controlled by a motion detector that automatically turns off within 10 minutes of activation caused by motion.
(3) 
Enforcement; complaints.
(a) 
It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officials and Code Enforcement Officials of the Borough of Florham Park to determine whether this chapter has been and is being complied with and to enforce the provisions of this chapter against any person violating the same.
(b) 
Any individual who has the right to use or enjoy property may file a complaint with the municipal court of the Borough of Florham Park for any violations of this chapter.
(c) 
If, in the opinion of the Borough Engineer, a light source is creating a nuisance, or inconvenience to property owners or creating a safety hazard to the traveling public, the Borough Engineer shall have the authority to require shielding, re-directing, or removal of the offending light source.
(4) 
Violations and penalties.
(a) 
Violation of any provision of this chapter shall be cause for an enforcement document to be issued to the violator by the Zoning Officer or Code Enforcement Official. The recipient of such an enforcement document shall be entitled to a hearing in Municipal Court having jurisdiction to contest such action.
(b) 
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty for each offense of not more than $2,000. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it occurs shall constitute an additional, separate and distinct violation.
(c) 
No provision of this chapter shall be construed to impair any common law or statutory cause of action, or legal remedy therefrom, of any person for injury or damage arising from any violation of this chapter or from other law.