Old Tappan City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
Buffer Zones
§ 255-88 Buffer zone required for certain properties.
Property within the Borough of Old Tappan shall be required to have, keep and maintain a buffer zone as defined herein, as follows:
A.
Every planned residential development, as established pursuant to and as set forth in Article VI.
B.
Every property or development within the B-1 and B-2 Zone, which property or development is immediately adjacent to property that is situated in a residential zone or property which has a residential use or character.
C.
Every church or other house of worship, which is immediately adjacent to property that is situated in a residential zone or property which has a residential use or character.
D.
Every property developed with a nonpermitted use, a nonconforming use or any other use, which property is the subject of an application for a variance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70(d), under any of its subsections.
E.
Every property which is proposed to be developed with an institutional use, as may be permitted and provided by New Jersey statutes, including but not limited to community residences for developmentally disabled persons, community shelters for victims of domestic violence, child care centers, schools and adult day-care centers.
§ 255-89 Buffer zones requirements.
The following general requirements shall apply to all buffer zones:
A.
The required depth (dimensions) of each buffer zone shall be determined based upon the particular use of the property containing each such buffer zone in accordance with Table A, Buffer Zone Requirements, incorporated herein and made part hereof.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Table A is included at the end of this chapter.
B.
Any buffer zone shall remain in its natural state where wooded, or shall otherwise consist of new landscaping and plantings, including year-round plantings of both deciduous and evergreen type trees, which may be combined and integrated with berm areas. Said new landscaping and planting shall provide a year-round visual screen and shall be comprised of plant material that is at least six feet in height planted six feet on centers with staggered planting to be provided where practicable.
C.
No buildings, structures, driveways, parking or loading areas or other use of the land shall be permitted within any buffer area, provided however that decorative walls and fences may be erected only at the edge or perimeter of the buffer zone.
D.
Any application for development of property which includes a required buffer zone shall provide a landscaping plan which includes an inventory of all existing trees within the buffer zone, having a minimum caliper of eight inches or greater measured three feet above ground level.
E.
The following special requirements shall apply to buffer zones solely within planned residential developments, for which developmental approval is sought pursuant to Article VI:
(1)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection C hereof, on an application for development of a particular property as a planned residential development, the Planning Board may, upon specific findings and conclusions, permit a portion of a buffer area to be used for utility easements or emergency access roads or proposed streets to provide access to and from a principal roadway.
(2)
The required buffer zone for a planned residential development shall be included in the computation of open space requirements for such development, as set forth in § 255-23 hereof.
(3)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A hereof, pertaining to the required depth of a buffer zone, upon an application for development of a particular property as a planned residential development, the Planning Board may increase the required buffer zone to a maximum depth of 100 feet, upon the Board's specific findings of particular circumstances relating to conditions of topography, natural features, lot configuration, natural vegetation or the lack thereof, soil conditions, drainage or other related site characteristics, or where such proposed planned residential development is incompatible with existing adjacent development.