Greenwich Cumberland
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
GENERAL STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS
§ 26-8.1 Driveway Regulations.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Any driveway providing access from a public street or way to any permitted use or structure shall comply with the following regulations:
a.
Driveways shall enter the street or road right-of-way at an angle between 75 and one 105 degrees.
b.
The portion of the roadway lying between the right-of-way line of the street and the driveway shall be surfaced as a driveway extension by the developer to a standard equal to the quality of the travelled portion of the road to which it connects.
c.
Any curb opening shall be properly reconstructed by the developer to the satisfaction of the Municipal Engineer. Where curbing does not exist and conditions warrant, an adequate drain pipe shall be installed by the developer as determined by the Municipal Engineer.
d.
Driveway grades shall not exceed eight percent for a distance of 40 feet from any street or road right-of-way line.
§ 26-8.2 Fences, Walls and Hedges.
[Res. 1-24-79]
In any zoning district, fences, walls and hedges may be located within required yard areas so long as they do not encroach on public rights-of-way or neighboring properties, or conflict with the provisions of subsection 26-8.5, Intersection View Space.
§ 26-8.3 Flood Hazard Requirements.
[Res. 1-24-79]
The specific purpose and intent of this section is to prevent excessive and unsafe development in areas deemed unfit by reason of flood danger, unsanitary conditions and related hazards; to minimize danger to public health by protecting water supplies, recharge areas and natural drainage systems; and to promote the health, safety and welfare of Greenwich Township residents and property owners in and near streams and areas subject to flooding.
a.
Flood Plain Areas. There are hereby designated within the Township of Greenwich flood plain areas comprised of those sections of the Township which are defined as flood plains in Article V of the Procedural Ordinance of Greenwich Township and which flood plain areas are defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agencies and shown on flood insurance rate maps (FIRM) as flood hazard areas inundated by 100 year flood. Within the flood plain areas described above, there are hereby designated floodways as defined in Article V of the Procedural Ordinance of Greenwich Township.
1.
Map Filing and Amendment, For purposes of defining the application of flood plain area to any specific area, the maps, data and other source material utilized to establish, define and designate flood plain areas shall be kept an file in the Municipal Engineer's office and shall be proof of the intended limits of the flood plain areas. Any general changes in the flood plain areas as may, from time to time, be determined to be proper by a survey of the Municipal Engineer or as a result of acceptable engineering delineation accomplished by an outside agency, may be recommended by the Municipal Engineer as on amendment to the Greenwich Township Flood Plain Areas and may be considered for proper enactment as an amendment to this ordinance and the Zoning Map.
2.
Interpretation. In case of any dispute concerning the boundaries of flood plain areas or floodways as delineated by this ordinance, an initial determination shall be made by the Municipal Engineer. Any party aggrieved by a decision of the Municipal Engineer as to the proper location of said boundaries may appeal to the Greenwich Township Zoning Board of Adjustment as provided in Article IV, Appeals, of the Greenwich Township Procedural Ordinance.
b.
Permitted Uses.
1.
Within the floodway of any flood plain areas, the following uses, excluding structures, and no others, shall be permitted:
(a)
Pasture, grazing land;
(b)
Recreational uses not requiring regrading or removal of trees, shrubs or vines such as: park, picnic grove, boating club, but excluding closed structures or storage areas;
(c)
Game farm, fish hatchery;
(d)
Hunting and fishing reserve;
(e)
Wildlife sanctuary, woodland preserve or arboretum;
(f)
Open areas needed to meet yard and area requirements for any permitted use in this and other zoning districts as specified in this ordinance.
2.
Within the remaining portions of flood plain areas, all uses listed in paragraph b.1, above, together with those uses permitted and regulated by this ordinance for the zone district in which the area is located, as said zoning districts are set forth and delineated on the Zoning Map of Greenwich Township, shall be permitted provided that:
(a)
The minimum lot area shall be two acres;
(b)
The maximum lot coverage shall be five percent;
(c)
Any structure proposed to be erected, constructed or located shall not have a basement;
(d)
First floor elevations of any structure or structures shall be ten feet above the elevation of the nearest natural stream or watercourse within 500 feet of the building location involved, as determined by the Municipal Engineer.
(e)
Any proposed use, except for individual lot applications for detached one- or two- dwelling unit buildings, shall be subject to site plan review as provided in the Subdivision and Site Plan Review Ordinance of Greenwich Township.
(f)
No vegetarian removal or regrading of the site shall be carried out unless expressly permitted by the Greenwich Township Planning Board after site plan review and determination by the Board that any land disturbance activity is the minimum required to accomplish the use to be permitted.
(g)
The applicant for the use includes the following information with an application for a zoning permit:
(1)
Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures.
(2)
Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any non-residential structure has been floodproofed.
(3)
Building plans certified by a licensed professional engineer or registered architect that the proposed structure or substantial improvements are designed to meet the floodproofing criteria of this section.
(4)
Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development.
(h)
All new construction and substantial improvements shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the structure.
(i)
All new construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed with materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage.
(j)
All new construction or substantial improvements shall be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damage.
(k)
All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system;
(l)
New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into flood waters; and,
(m)
On-site waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding.
(n)
The zoning permit shall be conditioned on the issuance of all other required local, State, or Federal permits or approvals.
(o)
The term substantial improvement as used in this section means any repair, reconstruction or improvement of a structure the cost of which equals or exceeds 75 percent of the market value of the structure either:
(1)
Before the improvement or repair is started, or
(2)
If the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purposes of this definition "substantial improvement" is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. The term does not, however, include either:
Any project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing State or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which ore solely necessary to assure safe living conditions; or
Any alteration of a structure designated as a historic site or lying within the Historic Conservation District.
(3)
Where less than 20 percent of an existing lot is located within a flood plain area, the uses, as permitted and regulated by the ordinance for the zone district in which the area is located, shall apply, provided that no structures are placed within the flood plain area. In the case of lots split by the flood plain area designation, all construction and accompanying land disturbance activities shall take place outside the flood plain area, unless construction within or land disturbance of the flood plain area is permitted in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.
(p)
No activity regulated under the Wetlands Act of 1970 shall be permitted in a coastal wetland mapped pursuant to N.J.S.A. 13:9A-1 et seq. unless a permit has been issued in accordance with said Act. Regulated activities shall not include the continuance of commercial production of salt hay or other agriculture crops.
(q)
Municipal Liability, The granting of a zoning permit in the flood plain area shall not constitute a representation, guarantee or warranty of any kind by the Township of Greenwich, or by any official or employee thereof, the practicability, and safety or flood proof status of the proposed use, nor shall, the granting of such a permit create any liability upon the Township of Greenwich, its officials or employees.
§ 26-8.4 (Reserved) [1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former subsection 26-8.4, Industrial Performance Standards, was repealed by Ord. No. 2000-3.
§ 26-8.5 Intersection View Space.
[Res. 1-24-79]
In any district, nothing shall be erected, placed or allowed to grow in such a manner as to materially impede vision between a height of two and one-half feet and ten feet above the centerline grade of abutting street or streets within 30 feet of an intersection of street lines involving two municipal streets; or within 15 feet of an intersection involving boundary lines of a driveway and a street.
§ 26-8.6 Off-Street Loading.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Off-street loading space shall be provided in accordance with the following standards and requirements:
a.
An off-street loading space, as defined in this ordinance, shall be required:
b.
All off-street loading spaces shall be surfaced with asphaltic or portland cement concrete and required loading areas together with this access ways shall not be encroached upon or reduced in any manner or devoted to any other use.
c.
The arrangement of off-street loading space shall be such that no vehicle shall have occasion to back onto any street or road.
d.
Off-street loading areas shall be so located or screened in a manner that they cannot be seen from any residential or historic district boundary line.
e.
When the computation to determine the number of required loading spaces results in a requirement of a fractional space, any fraction to and including one-half shall be disregarded and fractions exceeding one-half shall require one space.
§ 26-8.7 Off-Street Parking.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Adequate off-street parking space, open air or indoor, shall be provided with all new construction or the creation of new uses as specified in this ordinance, on the same lot with the use they are intended to serve, except as provided under paragraphs b and c below and shall be furnished with necessary passageways and driveways providing efficient access to the nearest public street:
a.
Access aisles and driveways to parking areas shall be not less than ten feet in width. Aisles and driveways within parking areas shall have a minimum width of:
b.
The collective provisions of required off-street parking area by two or more buildings or uses located on adjacent lots is permitted, provided that the total of such facilities shall not be less than the sum required for involved buildings or uses computed separately, unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Board of Adjustment that all or part of the separate parking requirements are mutually exclusive as regards periods of need.
c.
For commercial and non-commercial uses in business districts, required parking area shall be required within 150 feet of such use, said distance to be, measured from the nearest point of the parking facility to the nearest point of the building that such facility is designed to serve.
d.
All off-street parking areas shall be maintained with a graded, dust-free surface that is well-drained, such as gravel or stone for light residential and agricultural uses and blacktop or better for all other uses. Entrances and exits for all required parking facilities shall be located not less than 30 feet from the intersection of any two street lines and the arrangement of off-street parking areas providing space for more than two vehicles shall be such that no vehicle would have occasion to back into a street.
e.
Certificates of occupancy for permitted uses requiring off-street parking areas shall remain valid only so long as required parking areas are not encroached upon, nor reduced for the purpose intended.
f.
All off-street parking areas providing for more than ten parking spaces shall be located, or screened, in such a manner that they cannot be seen from a residential or historic preservation district boundary line.
g.
Adequate shielding shall be providing in connection with parking lots providing space for more than ten vehicles to protect adjacent residential zones from the glare of both parking lot illumination and automobile headlights.
h.
Off-street parking space, together with adequate access and maneuvering area shall be required as follows:
1.
Two spaces for each dwelling unit;
2.
One space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area in connection with any retail business, except that any business or part thereof serving patrons on the premises shall provide one space for each three seating spaces provided. Parking spaces for integrated shopping centers shall be provided as required in subsection 26-9.10.
3.
One space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area or for each three employees (whichever requires a greater number of spaces) in connection with any wholesale business use or in connection with any manufacturing or other use permitted in G-I (General-Industrial) Districts;
4.
One space for each 1,000 square feet of lot area or outdoor commercial amusements;
5.
One space for each room in any use providing transient guest accommodations;
6.
One space for each five beds in a hospital or institution for children or aged;
7.
One space for each 500 square feet of gross floor area for office buildings;
8.
One space for each five seats in a church or auditorium;
9.
One space for each six persons of rated capacity for clubs, golf course clubhouses, and non-commercial or commercial recreation uses;
10.
One space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area of libraries and museums;
11.
One space for each four beds of an educational institution dormitory;
12.
One space for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for college classrooms, laboratories, student centers or offices;
13.
One space for each four persons of rated capacity for theatres, gymnasiums, or stadiums;
14.
One space for each one-half classroom in elementary schools, one-quarter classroom for junior high schools and one-sixth classroom for senior high schools; and
15.
For any other building types which do not fit into one of the above categories a determination of the required number of spaces shall be made by the Planning Board.
§ 26-8.8 Outdoor Storage.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Outdoor storage of any type shall not be permitted unless such storage is normally incidental to the permitted use or building and a part of the normal operations conducted on the premises. All outdoor storage shall be subject to the requirements of the prevailing zoning district and shall be screened according to the provisions of subsection 26-8.9 from any property used or zoned for residential purposes.
§ 26-8.9 Screening.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Whenever screening is called for in this ordinance, or as a condition imposed by the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment, it shall be installed according to the following standards and requirements:
a.
Natural screening shall consist of a trip at least four feet wide, densely planted with shrubs or trees at least four feet high at the time of planting of suitable type and species that may be expected to form a year-round, dense screen at least six feet high within a period of three years.
§ 26-8.10 Signs.
[Res. 1-24-79]
Signs shall be permitted in accordance with the following standards and requirements:
a.
Exempt Signs. The following shall not be included in the application of regulations herein:
1.
Signs not exceeding two square feet in area and bearing only property numbers, post box numbers, or names of occupants or date of construction.
2.
Warning signs and signs posting property such as "private property", "no hunting," "no trespassing," or similar signs which do not exceed two square feet in area.
3.
Flags and insignias of any government except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
4.
Legal notices, informational or directional signs erected by governmental bodies.
5.
Integral decorative or architectural features of buildings, except letters, trademarks, moving parts, or moving lights.
6.
Signs directing and guiding traffic and parking on private properly but bearing no advertising matter.
b.
In all zoning districts, the following signs not exceeding two square feet in area shall be permitted without obtaining a sign permit:
1.
All signs and signals owned and operated joy the Township of Greenwich, the County of Cumberland, the State of New Jersey or the United States of America.
2.
Identification signs for public or quasi-public facilities, such as schools, churches, hospitals or libraries, not exceeding two square feet in area,
3.
Memorial or historical markers or tablets not exceeding two square feet in area.
4.
Traffic or directional signs when approved by the Township Engineer.
c.
In any district, customary on site, for sale, no trespassing, and professional office or home occupation name plates not exceeding six square feet in area one such sign for each 200 feet or part thereof of road frontage contained in the property are permitted upon issuance of a permit by the Zoning Officer and provided such sign is located at least ten feet from any street sign, complies with applicable side yard requirements for the district in which it is located and conforms to other applicable requirements of this ordinance.
d.
Prohibited Signs. The following signs are prohibited in any part of the Township;
1.
Off-site signs, other than municipal, County, or State traffic or direction signs, which advertise or publicize an activity, business, product, or service not conducted on the premises, except in the case of yard sales as specified in subsection 26-9.12.
2.
Signs which are located in a public right-of-way or approved sight easement.
3.
Signs lit with flashing or intermittent light or are in any way animated or are so lit or reflectorized that they interfere with or may be mistaken for a traffic signal.
4.
Signs which purport to be or are an imitation of, or resemble an official traffic sign or signal, or which bear the words "STOP," "GO SLOW," "CAUTION," "DANGER," "WARNING," or similar words other than those contained in the name of the business.
5.
Signs which are located on a water tower, storage tank, utility pole, or similar structures.
6.
Signs which are placed above the roof peak of a building or structure or on a flat roof.
7.
Signs using mechanical or electrical devices to revolve, flash or display movement or the illusion of movement.
e.
Sign Interpretation and Measurement. For the purpose of determining the number of signs, a "sign" shall be considered to be a single display surface or display device containing elements organized, related and composed to form a unit.
Where matter is displayed in a random manner without organized relationship of elements, or where there is a reasonable doubt about the relationship of elements, each element shall be considered to be a single sign. The surface area of the sign shall be computed to include the entire area within a parallelogram, triangle, circle, semicircle or other geometric design comprising all of the display area of the sign and including all of the elements of the matter displayed. Frames and structural members of freestanding signs shall not be included in computation of the sign surface area.
f.
All signs shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the following schedule:
1.
No freestanding sign shall exceed the maximum height or area permitted the following schedule:
Type of Road Fronting on Sign Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|
No. of Lanes | Speed Limit | Maximum Permitted Sign Height | Maximum Permitted Sign Area |
2 | less than 30 mph | 10' | 6 sq.' |
30-44 mph | 12' | 29 sq.' | |
45-54 mph | 14' | 35 sq.' | |
more than 54 mph | 16' | 70 sq.' | |
4 | less than 30 mph | 12' | 6 sq.' |
30-44 mph | 14' | 30 sq.' | |
45-54 mph | 16' | 65 sq.' | |
more than 54 mph | 18' | 105 sq' | |
2.
No free-standing sign shall be located any closer than the following distances to street rights-of-way:
Area of Sign | Minimum Distance |
|---|---|
less than 25 sq.' | 10' |
26-75 sq.' | 15' |
76 or more sq.' | 20' |
3.
Signs shall conform to applicable side yard requirements for the district in which they are located.
4.
Illuminated signs shall be so arranged as to reflect the light and glare away from adjoining premises and away from adjoining streets and/or rights-of-way.
5.
Signs with two exposures shall be measured for area by using the surface area of one side only. Both sides, however, may be used for display.
6.
All signs shall be constructed of durable materials, such as wood, metal or stone.
7.
Wall signs shall be affixed with their face parallel to and not more than 15 inches from the wall to which they are attached.
8.
Projecting signs are subject to the following limitations:
(a)
Projecting signs shall be no higher than the sill of second Floor windows, not to exceed four feet above the tops of lower windows or eaves, whichever is less.
(b)
Projecting signs above on area traversed by motor vehicles shall be no closer than 14 feet at their lowest point to the finished grade below them.
(c)
Projecting signs above an area traversed by motor vehicles shall be no closer than 14 feet at their lowest point to the finished grade below them.
(d)
Projecting signs must project from a wall at a 90 degree angle except that buildings which occupy a street corner. In such cases, the sign may project diagonally from the building corner,
(e)
No projecting sign may be closer than 50 feet to any other projecting sign.
(f)
No projecting sign shall exceed 30 square feet in area.
9.
Freestanding signs are subject to the following limitations:
(a)
A freestanding sign which is six square feet or more in area may be displayed only on a frontage of 100 feet or more, and may not be displayed only on a frontage of 100 feet or more, and may not be closer than 100 feet to any other freestanding sign which is six square feet or more in size.
(b)
An activity may have both a freestanding and a projecting or a wall sign, on site, if only one of those signs is six square feet or more in size.
g.
Each commercial, industrial, or institutional use may have one on-site sign, either lighted or unlighted. Such sign may be either a wall, projecting, or freestanding sign. Wall signs shall not exceed on area equivalent to five percent of the first story portion of the wall to which it is attached or 32 square feet, whichever is smaller. Where the building(s) is designed for rear or side entrances, each sign not to exceed an area equivalent to half that of the area of a wall sign permitted on the front of the building. Where an individual office unit in a building has direct access from the outside, a sign not exceeding four square feet identifying the name of the office may be attached to the building at the office entrance.
h.
Each shopping center may have one freestanding sign, either lighted or unlighted, along each arterial or collector rood which the tract in question abuts.
1.
Where uses share a common walkway, each use served by the walkway may have one additional sign, either lighted or unlighted. No such sign shall exceed ten square feet in area.
2.
All signs in a shopping center shall conform in character to all other signs in the complex and shall blend with the overall architectural scheme of the shopping center.
i.
Temporary Signs. Zoning permits are required for temporary signs and when granted, shall authorize the erection of said signs and their maintenance for a period not to exceed 90 days in any one calendar year. When found reasonable, the Zoning Board of Adjustment may grant an extension of a temporary sign permit. Temporary signs shall not exceed 32 square feet in area on one side. The advertisement contained on any temporary sign shall pertain only to the business or activity conducted on or within the premises on which such sign is or will be erected or maintained. Temporary signs of a civic, political or religious nature to be erected or placed by nonprofit organizations and which meet the standards of this section shall not be required to obtain a zoning permit and shall be removed within ten days following the conclusion of the event.
j.
Unless otherwise exempted in this ordinance, all signs to be erected, constructed or placed within the Township of Greenwich shall require issuance of a sign permit. Applications for permits to erect, construct or place any sign shall be made to the Zoning Officer and shall contain the following:
1.
Name, address and telephone number of the applicant, the person preparing and/or constructing the sign (s) and the person erecting the sign.
2.
Location of the building, the structure or the lot to which the sign is or is to be erected or attached.
3.
A scaled drawing showing the size of the existing or proposed sign; the location of the sign on the building to which it is to be attached or on the property on which it is to be placed (in which case setback dimensions shall be shown); the materials to be utilized in the construction of the sign, including whether or not the sign will be illuminated, and the message, lettering, artwork, illustrations, color and appurtenances to be placed or shown on the sign (s).
4.
In the case of signs to be erected, constructed or placed on property or attached to structures not belonging to the applicant, evidence of the property or structure owner's approval and permission for the locating of said sign.
k.
Maintenance of Signs.
1.
Signs must be maintained in good condition and must also not be allowed to deteriorate or become dilapidated. The Building Inspector shall require proper maintenance of all signs and shall inspect every sign which requires issuance of a permit within 30 days after it is erected. All signs, together with all of their supports, braces, guys and anchors, shall be kept in repair and in proper state of preservation. The display surfaces of all signs shall be kept neatly painted or posted at all times.
2.
The Building Inspector or Zoning Officer shall notify the owner of any sign which is in disrepair of such state in writing. The owner of such sign shall correct such deficiency within a reasonable period of time from the date of said notice. In the event that the owner fails to correct said deficiencies or making the required repairs, the Zoning Officer shall institute proceedings as provided for in Article XIII for the removal of the sign.
§ 26-8.11 Garages.
[Ord. No. 2000-3]
On a residential lot in the HC or AC Zone, the construction of a garage having the capacity for 2 or more vehicles or a width greater than 16 feet shall be detached and separated a minimum of 15 feet from any dwelling unit. Such garages shall be set back a distance of at least the setback of the dwelling unit plus one-half the dimension of the dwelling as measured perpendicular to the roadway.