This chapter shall be known as the "Land Development Ordinance of the Township of Monroe, Middlesex County, State of New Jersey."

An ordinance establishing zoning districts within the Township of Monroe and regulating the use of lands within said districts and establishing rules, regulations and standards for development of such lands, pursuant to the authority and provisions of a Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., its amendments and supplements thereto, and providing for the administration and enforcement of the provisions contained herein.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Township of Monroe Land Development Ordinance of 1991.

Encourage appropriate use or development of land in a manner which will promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.

Secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural and man-made disasters.

Provide adequate light, air and open space.

Ensure that the development of the Township of Monroe does not conflict with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities, the County and the State as a whole as well as the preservation of the environment.

Promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and concentration that will contribute to the well-being of persons, neighborhoods, and the community as a whole, as well as the preservation of the environment.

Encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditure of public funds by the coordination of private and public development with the land use policy of the Township of Monroe.

Provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations, for a variety of residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses and open spaces, both public and private, according to their respective environmental requirements in order to meet the needs of all citizens.

Encourage the location and design of transportation routes which will promote the free flow of traffic, while discouraging the location of such facilities and routes which result in congestion or blight.

Promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangements.

Promote the conservation of historic sites and districts, open space, and valuable natural resources and prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land.

Encourage coordination of the various public and private procedures and activities sharing land development with a view toward lessening the cost of such development and toward the more efficient use of land.

Promote the conservation of energy through the use of planning practices designed to reduce energy consumption and to provide for maximum utilization of renewable energy sources.

Promote maximum practicable recovery and recycling of recyclable materials from municipal solid wastes through the use of planning practices designed to incorporate the State recycling plan goals and to complement local recycling programs.

To preserve the maximum possible number of trees within the Township as well as to protect larger, older specimens of trees, to promote the preservation of existing trees and provide a plan for the replacement of trees.