Ridgefield Park City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Conditional Uses
§ 96-7.1 Churches/houses of worship.
A.
Houses of worship shall meet the following bulk criteria:
(2)
For houses of worship including living quarters outside the house of worship building the lot size shall increase to 25,000 square feet and the improved lot coverage shall increase to 80%.
(4)
For houses of worship with educational facilities and living quarters outside the house of worship the minimum lot size shall increase to 45,000 square feet.
(5)
Houses of worship with educational facilities and social functions shall meet the following criteria:
B.
Off-street parking.
(1)
The minimum number of parking spaces shall be one space for every three persons for the maximum capacity as determined under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code for houses of worship. Additional parking shall be required for educational, social and related administrative functions. Additional parking may also be required where more than one religious service is provided during periods of worship or when multiple functions take place at one time.
(2)
Off-street parking shall not be located in the front yard area or within any buffer area on the site.
C.
Buffer requirements.
(1)
A buffer area shall be provided along the side and rear property lines when the proposed house of worship site adjoins a residential property or zone. The buffer shall be 10% of the lot width for the side yard buffer and 10% of the lot depth for the rear yard buffer.
(2)
The buffer shall be landscaped with suitable vegetation in order to establish a visual and noise screen between the house of worship site and the residential properties. The reviewing board may also require a fence to be provided along the property lines in addition to the landscape buffer areas.
§ 96-7.2 Essential and public services.
A.
Such uses shall be limited to the erection, construction, alteration or maintenance by public utilities or municipal or other governmental agencies of underground or overhead electrical, gas, television, cable systems, water transmission or distribution systems or collection, communication, supply or disposal systems, including poles, wires, mains, drains, sewers, pipes, conduits, cables, fire alarm boxes, police call boxes, traffic signals, hydrants and other similar equipment and accessories in connection therewith reasonably necessary for the furnishing of adequate services by such public utility or municipal or other governmental agencies or for the public health and safety or general welfare, but not including buildings. Open essential services shall not include any human or animal fecal matter or material.
B.
Such facilities shall be landscaped and screened in residential areas and performance standards established in § 96-13 shall be adhered to.
§ 96-7.3 Public utilities; enclosed or permanent structures.
A.
Public utility services. Such uses shall include electric substations, transformers, switches and auxiliary apparatus serving a distribution area and water pumping stations in residential districts, and shall be subject to the following regulations:
(1)
Such facilities shall not be located on a residential street, unless no other site is available, and shall be so located to draw a minimum of vehicular traffic to and through such streets.
(2)
The location, design and operation of such facility may not adversely affect the character of the surrounding residential area.
(3)
Such facilities shall be landscaped and screened in residential areas and performance standards established in § 96-13 shall be adhered to.
§ 96-7.4 Automobile service stations.
A.
No service station shall have an entrance or exit for vehicles within 500 feet along the same side of a street of any school, park, playground, church or other house of worship, library or other public building or institution.
B.
There shall be a minimum of 1,500 feet between gas stations along the same side of any street or highway. The distance shall be measured along the shortest street or highway between the nearest portions of the property lines of the two lots in question.
C.
No gas station shall be permitted to have oil draining pits or visible appliances for any purpose, other than gas pumps and air pumps, within the outside areas of the site. All such appliances or pits, other than gas and air pumps, shall be within a building. Gasoline and air pumps shall be permitted within the required front yard space for gas stations, both shall be no closer than 30 feet to the front lot line. Gas pump canopies shall be setback a minimum of 15 feet from the front property line.
D.
No junkyards or premises used for storage of junked motor vehicles or vehicles incapable of normal operation shall be permitted at gas station or repair garages within the Village of Ridgefield Park. It shall be deemed prima facie evidence of violation of this chapter if more than three motor vehicles incapable of operation are located at any one time upon any premises not within a closed and roofed building and if any scrap metal or automobile parts or equipment is stored upon any premises. Nothing within a closed and roofed building, excepting, however, that a number not exceeding six motor vehicles may be located upon any gas station or repair garage premises outside of a closed or roofed building for a period of time not to exceed 48 hours and provided said vehicles are awaiting repair by the owners thereof.
E.
All property boundaries shall have a densely landscaped buffer at least 10 feet wide. Buffers adjacent to any residential district shall have a minimum width of 25 feet and shall be suitably fenced.
F.
Off-street parking. One parking space per gasoline pump, grease rack or similar service area, plus one per 500 square feet GFA.
G.
Signage. See § 96-12.
§ 96-7.5 Automobile body and repair shops.
All motor vehicle body shops shall comply with the following requirements:
A.
Only one such principal use shall be permitted on a lot, which lot shall have a minimum lot area of at least 200% greater than the minimum required lot area of the zone district in which it is located.
B.
All property boundaries shall have a densely landscaped buffer at least 10 feet wide. Buffers adjacent to any residential district shall have a minimum width of 25 feet and shall be suitably fenced and landscaped.
C.
All garage doors or interior bay access shall face and be oriented toward the property's side lot line, except where such side yard faces and is adjacent to a residential use.
D.
Motor vehicles under repair shall be kept either within the principal building or outside within a fenced and screened compound. No vehicle shall remain on site for more than 30 days.
E.
Improved lot coverage, including paved areas, used parts and scrap storage shall not exceed 70% of the total lot area.
F.
Building coverage shall not occupy more than 30% of the total lot area.
G.
Off-street parking shall be provided on site as follows: one space for each employee and two spaces for customer estimates and 10 spaces for each vehicle repair space.
§ 96-7.6 Telecommunications facilities.
A. ALTERNATIVE TOWER STRUCTURE ANCILLARY FACILITIES ANTENNA BACKHAUL NETWORK BUFFER AREA CARRIER CO-LOCATION FAA FALL ZONE FCC FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT SERVICES GUYED TOWER HEIGHT LATTICE TOWER MONOPOLE MOUNT PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE FACILITY PREEXISTING TOWERS and PREEXISTING ANTENNAS RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) ENGINEER RADIO FREQUENCY RADIATION (RFR) STEALTH DESIGN TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS OR TRANSMISSION TOWER WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Man-made trees, clock towers, bell steeples, flagpoles, and similar alternative-design mounting structures that camouflage or conceal the presence of antennas or towers.
The buildings, cabinets, vaults, closures and equipment required for operation of telecommunications systems, including but not limited to repeaters, equipment housing and ventilation and other mechanical equipment, and interconnect in the cabling runs and their support structures.
Any exterior apparatus designed for telephonic, radio or television communications through the sending and/or receiving of electromagnetic waves, digital signals, analog signals, radio frequencies (excluding radar signals), wireless telecommunications signals or other communications signals. Parabolic dish antennas used for satellite communications shall not be included within this definition.
The lines that connect a provider's towers/cell sites to one or more cellular telephone switching offices, and/or long-distance providers, or the public switched telephone network.
The area surrounding telecommunications towers and ancillary facilities which lies between the tower and adjacent lot lines and/or land uses.
A company that provides wireless services.
When two or more receiving and/or transmitting facilities are placed together in the same location or on the same antenna support structure.
The Federal Aviation Administration.
The area on the ground within a prescribed radius from the base of a wireless telecommunications tower. The fall zone is the area within which there is a potential hazard from falling debris (such as ice) or collapsing material.
The Federal Communications Commission.
Cellular radio, personal communications service (PCS), enhanced specialized mobile radio, specialized mobile radio and paging, commercial land mobile radio and additional emerging technologies.
A tower which is supported or braced through the use of cables (guy wires) which are permanently anchored.
When referring to a tower, the vertical distance measured from the lowest finished grade at the base of the tower to the highest point on the tower, even if said highest point is an antenna.
A type of mount that is self-supporting with multiple legs and cross bracing of structural steel.
The type of tower that is self-supporting with a single shaft of wood, steel or concrete and a platform (or racks) for panel antennas arrayed at the top.
The structure or surface upon which antennas are mounted, including the following three types of mounts:
A facility for the provision of personal wireless services, as defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Any tower or antenna which has been lawfully erected prior to the effective date of this section, including permitted towers or antennas that have been approved but have not yet been constructed so long as such approval is current and not expired.
An engineer specializing in electrical or microwave engineering, especially the study of radio frequencies.
The emissions from personal wireless service facilities or any electromagnetic energy within the frequency range from 0.003 MHZ to 300,000 MHZ.
A telecommunications facility that is designed or located in such a way that the facility is not readily recognizable as telecommunications equipment (see "alternative tower structure").
A facility designed and used for the purpose of transmitting, receiving and relaying voice and data signals from various wireless communications devices, including transmission towers, antennas and ancillary facilities. For purposes of this section, amateur radio transmission facilities and facilities used exclusively for the transmission of television and radio broadcasts are not telecommunications facilities.
The monopole or lattice framework designed to support transmitting and receiving antennas. For purposes of this section, amateur radio transmission facilities and facilities used exclusively for the transmission of television and radio signals are not transmission towers.
Any personal wireless services as defined in the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, which includes FCC-licensed commercial wireless telecommunications services including cellular, personal communications services (PCS), specialized mobile radio (ESMR), paging, and similar amateur radio facility that is owned and operated by a federally licensed amateur radio station operator or is used exclusively for receive-only antennas, nor does it include noncellular telephone service.
B.
Purpose and intent.
(1)
The purpose of this section is to establish guidelines for the siting of wireless telecommunications towers and antennas and ancillary facilities. The goals of this section are to:
(a)
Protect residential areas and land uses from potential adverse impacts of towers and antennas;
(b)
Encourage the location of towers on municipally owned property where appropriate or in other nonresidential areas;
(c)
Minimize the total number of towers throughout the community;
(d)
Strongly encourage the joint use of new and existing tower sites as a primary option rather than construction of additional single-use towers;
(e)
Encourage the use of existing buildings, telecommunications towers, light or utility poles and/or towers, or water towers as opposed to construction of new telecommunications towers;
(f)
Encourage users of towers and antennas to locate them, to the extent possible, in areas where the adverse impact on the community is minimal;
(g)
Ensure that all telecommunications facilities, including towers, antennas and ancillary facilities, are located and designed to minimize the visual impact on the immediate surroundings and throughout the community by encouraging users of towers and antennas to configure them in a way that minimizes the adverse visual impact of the towers and antennas through careful design, siting, landscape screening, and innovative camouflaging techniques;
(h)
Enhance the ability of the providers of telecommunications services to provide such services to the community quickly, effectively and efficiently;
(i)
Consider the public health and safety of telecommunications towers; and
(j)
Avoid potential damage to adjacent properties from tower failure through engineering and careful siting of tower structures.
(2)
In furtherance of these purposes, the Village of Ridgefield Park shall give due consideration to the Village Master Plan, Zoning Map, existing land uses, and environmentally sensitive areas in approving sites for the location of towers and antennas.
C.
Applicability.
(1)
New towers and antennas. All new telecommunications towers or antennas in the Village of Ridgefield Park shall be subject to these regulations.
(3)
District height limitations. The requirements set forth in this section shall govern the location of telecommunications towers that exceed and antennas that are installed at a height in excess of the height limitations specified for each zoning district.
(4)
Public property. Antennas or towers located on property owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the governing authority shall be encouraged, provided a license or lease authorizing such antenna or tower has been approved by resolution by the governing authority. Said approved publicly owned sites utilized for the purpose of constructed towers and/or antennas shall be treated as engaging in a conditional use under this section. This section shall not govern any amateur radio station operators/receive-only antenna tower or the installation of any antenna that is under 70 feet in height and is owned and operated by a federally licensed amateur radio station operator or is used exclusively for receive-only antennas.
(5)
Satellite dish antennas. This section shall not govern any parabolic dish antennas used for transmission or reception of radio signals associated with satellites.
D.
General requirements.
(1)
Principal or accessory use. Notwithstanding any other land use regulation, a different existing structure on the same lot shall not preclude the installation of an antenna or tower on such lot. If a tower and its appurtenant structures constitute the sole use of the lot, the tower shall be deemed to be the principal use; otherwise the use shall be considered accessory.
(2)
Leased area. For purposes of determining whether the installation of a tower or antenna complies with zone regulations, including but not limited to setback requirements, lot coverage requirements, and other such requirements, the dimensions of the entire lot shall control even though the antennas or towers may be located on lease parcels within such lot.
(3)
State or federal requirements. All towers must meet or exceed current standards and regulations of the FAA, the FCC and any other agency of the state or federal government with the authority to regulate towers and antennas. If such standards and regulations are changed, then the owners of the towers and antennas governed by this section shall bring such towers and antennas into compliance with such revised standards and regulations within 90 days of the effective date of such standards and regulations, unless a different compliance schedule is mandated by the controlling state or federal agency. Failure to bring towers and antennas into compliance with such revised standards and regulations shall constitute grounds for the removal of the tower or antenna at the owner's expense.
(4)
Building codes; safety standards. To ensure the structural integrity of towers, the owner of a tower shall ensure that it is maintained in compliance with standards contained in applicable state or local building codes and the applicable standards for towers that are published by the Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association, as amended from time to time. If, upon inspection, the Village of Ridgefield Park concludes that a tower fails to comply with such codes and standards and constitutes a danger to persons or property, then, upon notice being provided to the owner of the tower, the owner shall have 30 days to bring such tower into compliance with such standards. Failure to bring such tower into compliance within said 30 days shall constitute grounds for the removal of the tower or antenna at the owner's expense.
(5)
Nonessential services. Telecommunications towers and antennas shall be regulated and permitted pursuant to this section and shall not be regulated or permitted as essential services, public utilities or provided utilities.
(6)
Inventory of existing structures. Each applicant for an antenna and/or tower shall provide to the Zoning Officer an inventory of all existing towers, antennas or sites approved for towers or antennas that are either within the jurisdiction of the Village of Ridgefield Park or within three miles of the border thereof, including specific information about the ownership, location, height and design of each tower. The Zoning Officer may share such information with other applicants applying for approvals under this section or other organizations seeking to locate antennas within the jurisdiction of the Village of Ridgefield Park; provided, however, that the Zoning Officer is not, by sharing such information, in any way representing or warranting that such sites are available or suitable.
(7)
Co-location required. The Village of Ridgefield Park mandates that carriers co-locate antennas on towers and other structures whenever possible. See Subsection G for co-location requirements.
(8)
Conditional use. All telecommunications facilities in the Village of Ridgefield Park shall be conditional uses in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-67.
(9)
Site plan required. Site plan approval shall be required for all new telecommunications facilities in the Village of Ridgefield Park, including modifications to or addition of new telecommunications facilities to preexisting towers, buildings or other structures.
(10)
County planning board approval. All site plans for new telecommunications towers or antennas located along county roads shall be submitted to the Bergen County Planning Board for review.
E.
Use regulations.
(1)
Conditional use. Wireless telecommunications facilities are permitted as conditional uses:
(a)
First, on lands owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park in the I-2 Zone west of Industrial Avenue. Any proposed telecommunications facility shall first make a request to the Village Commissions to determine if Village owned land would be available for the installation of wireless facilities.
(b)
Second, on private properties in the I,1 I-2, WR-1 and OS Zones. If it is determined that no public land is available for wireless facilities, then private land may be used in the zoning districts above.
(2)
Conditional use standards. Wireless telecommunications facilities may be permitted on the above-referenced lands, provided that:
(3)
Factors considered in granting conditional use permits.
(a)
In addition to the above standards, the approving board shall consider the following factors in determining whether to issue a conditional use permit:
[1]
Proximity of the tower to residential structures and residential district boundaries;
[2]
Nature of uses on adjacent and nearby properties;
[3]
Surrounding topography;
[4]
Surrounding tree coverage and foliage;
[5]
Design of the tower, with particular reference to design characteristics that have the effect of reducing or eliminating visual obtrusiveness, including stealth designs, which are encouraged;
[6]
Availability of suitable existing towers, alternative tower structures, other structures or alternative technologies not requiring the use of towers or structures; and
[7]
Availability of proposed tower to other potential carriers.
(b)
This list is considered to be illustrative in nature and may not include all factors to be considered.
F.
Site design standards. The following site design standards shall apply to wireless telecommunications facilities.
(1)
New towers.
(a)
Telecommunications towers may not be located closer than 200 feet to any residential zone or within 500 feet of any public or private school. Towers or antennas presently located on preexisting buildings or structures are exempt from this requirement.
(b)
Fall zone. A fall zone shall be established such that the tower is set back 75% of the height of the tower from any adjoining lot line or non-appurtenant building.
(c)
Security fencing. Towers shall be enclosed by security fencing not less than six feet in height. Towers shall also be equipped with appropriate anticlimbing measures.
(d)
Landscaping. The following requirements shall govern the landscaping of surrounding towers:
[1]
Tower facilities shall be landscaped with a buffer of plant materials that effectively screens the view of the tower compound from property used for residences or planned residences or any other area frequented by the public. The standard buffer shall consist of a landscaped strip at least 10 feet wide outside the perimeter of the compound. However, at a minimum, the facility should be shielded from public view by evergreen trees at least eight feet high at planting and planted in staggered double rows 15 feet on center.
[2]
In locations where the visual impact of the tower would be minimal, the landscaping requirement may be reduced, at the sole discretion of the approving authority.
[3]
Existing mature tree growth and natural land forms on the site shall be preserved to the maximum extent possible. In some cases, such as towers sited on large, wooded lots, natural growth around the property perimeter may be a sufficient buffer.
(e)
Ancillary buildings. Any proposed building enclosing related electronic equipment shall not be more than 10 feet in height nor more than 200 square feet in area, and only one such building shall be permitted on the lot for each provider of wireless telecommunications services located on the site. Such buildings must satisfy the minimum zoning district setback requirements for accessory structures.
(f)
Aesthetics. Towers and antennas shall meet the following requirements:
[1]
Towers shall either maintain a galvanized steel finish or, subject to any applicable standards of the FAA, be painted a neutral color so as to reduce visual obtrusiveness.
[2]
At a tower site, the design of the buildings and related structures shall, to the extent possible, use materials, colors, textures, screening and landscaping that will blend them into the natural setting and surrounding buildings.
(g)
Lighting. No lighting is permitted except as follows, which shall be subject to review and approval by the approving board as part of the site plan application:
[1]
The building enclosing electronic equipment may have one light at the entrance to the building, provided that the light is attached to the building, is focused downward and is switched so that the light is turned on only when workers are at the building; and
[2]
No lighting is permitted on a tower except lighting that specifically is required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and any such required lighting shall be focused and shielded to the greatest extent possible so as not to project towards adjacent and nearby properties.
(h)
Signs. No signs are permitted on any tower or antenna within the Village of Ridgefield Park except those required by the Federal Communications Commission, the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) and/or the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), or by law, such as warning and equipment information signs.
(2)
Antennas mounted on existing structures or rooftops.
(a)
Antennas on existing structures. Any antenna which is not attached to a tower may be attached to an existing business, industrial, office, utility or institutional structure in the 1-2 Zone west of Industrial Avenue.
[1]
Side- and roof-mounted personal wireless service facilities shall not project more than 10 feet above the height of an existing building or structure, nor project more than 10 feet above the height limit of the zoning district within which the facility is located. Personal wireless service facilities may be located on a building or structure that is legally nonconforming with respect to height, provided that the facilities do not project above the existing building or structure height.
[2]
The antenna complies with all applicable FCC and FAA regulations.
[3]
The antenna complies with all applicable building codes.
[4]
The equipment structure shall not contain more than 200 square feet of gross floor area or be more than 10 feet in height. In addition, for buildings and structures which are less than 48 feet in height, the related unmanned equipment structure is located on the roof of a building, the area of the equipment structure and other equipment and structures shall not occupy more than 10% of the roof area. Equipment storage buildings structures or cabinets shall comply with all applicable building codes.
(b)
Aesthetics. If an antenna is installed on a structure other than a tower, the antenna and supporting electrical and mechanical equipment must be of a neutral color that is identical to or closely compatible with the color of the supporting structure so as to make the antenna and related equipment as visually unobtrusive as possible.
(c)
Antennas on existing towers. An antenna may be attached to a preexisting tower in a nonresidential zone and, to minimize adverse visual impacts associated with the proliferation and clustering of towers, co-location of antennas by more than one carrier on existing towers shall take precedence over the construction of new towers, provided such co-location is accomplished in a manner consistent with the following:
[1]
A tower which is modified or reconstructed to accommodate the co-location of an additional antenna shall be of the same tower type as the existing tower, unless reconstruction as a monopole is proposed.
[2]
An existing tower may be modified or rebuilt to a taller height, not to exceed the maximum tower height established by this section.
(d)
Antennas on existing structures or towers. No antennas shall be located on any existing structures or towers if they are within 500 feet of a public school or a private school.
G.
Co-location requirements.
(1)
The Village of Ridgefield Park requires that licensed carriers share personal wireless service facilities and sites where feasible and appropriate, thereby reducing the number of personal wireless service facilities that are stand-alone facilities. All applicants for site plan approval for a personal wireless service facility shall demonstrate a good-faith effort to co-locate with other carriers. Such good-faith effort includes:
(a)
A survey of all existing structures that may be feasible sites for co-locating personal wireless service facilities;
(b)
Notification by certified mail of intent to seek site plan approval to all the other licensed carriers for commercial mobile radio services operating in the county; and
(c)
Sharing information necessary to determine if co-location is feasible under the design configuration most accommodating to co-location.
(2)
In the event that co-location is found to be not technically feasible, a written statement of the reasons for the unfeasibility shall be submitted to the Village. The Village may retain a technical expert in the field of RF engineering to verify if co-location at the site is not feasible or is feasible given the design configuration most accommodating to co-location. The cost for such a technical expert will be at the expense of the applicant. The Village may deny approval to an applicant that has not demonstrated a good-faith effort to provide for co-location.
(3)
If the applicant does not intend to co-locate or to permit co-location, plans and elevations, which show the ultimate appearance and operation of the personal wireless service facility at full build-out, shall be submitted and must also include RF design data.
H.
Location priorities. Wireless telecommunications facilities shall be located and approved in accordance with the following prioritized locations:
(1)
The first priority shall be for new towers or antennas on land or buildings owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park west of Industrial Avenue.
(2)
The second priority shall be for antennas on existing buildings in the I-2 Zone west of Industrial Avenue not owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park.
(3)
The third priority shall be for new towers and shall be on lands not owned by the Village of Ridgefield Park located within the I-2 Zone west of Industrial Avenue.
I.
Site plan submission requirements. In addition to the site plan submission requirements of the development regulations, the following information shall be submitted in conjunction with site plan approvals for all wireless telecommunications facilities:
(1)
Comprehensive service plan. In order to provide proper evidence that any proposed location of wireless telecommunications antennas (and any supporting tower and/or ancillary building enclosed related electronic equipment) has been planned to result in the fewest number of towers within the Village of Ridgefield Park, at the time full service is provided by the applicant throughout the Village the applicant shall submit a comprehensive service plan. Said comprehensive service plan shall indicate how the applicant proposes to provide full service throughout the Village, and to the greatest extent possible, said service plan shall also indicate how the applicant's plan is coordinated with the needs of all other providers of telecommunications services within the Village of Ridgefield Park. The comprehensive service plan shall indicate the following:
(a)
Whether the applicant's subscribers can receive adequate service from antennas located outside the borders of the Village of Ridgefield Park.
(b)
How the proposed location of the antennas relates to the location of any existing towers within and/or near the Village of Ridgefield Park.
(c)
How the proposed location of the antennas relates to the anticipated need for additional antennas and supporting towers within and/or near the Village of Ridgefield Park by both the applicant and by other providers of telecommunications services within the Village of Ridgefield Park.
(d)
How the proposed location of the antennas relates to the objectives of co-locating the antennas of different service carriers on the same tower.
(e)
How the proposed location of the antennas relates to the overall objective of providing full telecommunications services within the Village of Ridgefield Park while, at the same, limiting the number of towers to the fewest possible.
(2)
A scaled site plan clearly indicating the location, type and height of the proposed tower, on-site land uses and zoning, adjacent land uses and zoning (including when adjacent to other municipalities), and all properties within the applicable fall zone, adjacent roadways, proposed means of access, setbacks from property lines, elevation drawings of the proposed tower and any other structure, topography, parking and other information deemed by the approving authority to be necessary to assess compliance with this section.
(3)
Legal description of the entire tract and leased parcel (if applicable).
(4)
The setback distance between the proposed tower and the nearest residential unit and residentially zoned properties and public and private schools.
(5)
The separation distance from other towers and antennas.
(6)
A landscape plan showing specific landscape materials including, but not limited to, species type, size, spacing and existing vegetation to be removed or retained.
(7)
Method of fencing and finished color and, if applicable, the method of camouflage.
(8)
A description of compliance with all applicable federal, state or local laws.
(9)
A notarized statement by the applicant as to whether construction of the tower will accommodate co-location of additional antennas for future users.
(10)
Identification of the entities providing the backhaul network for the tower(s) described in the application and other telecommunications sites owned or operated by the applicant in the Village.
(11)
A letter of commitment to lease excess space to other potential users at prevailing market rates and conditions. The letter of commitment shall be in a form suitable for recording with the County Clerk prior to the issuance of any permit and shall commit the tower owner(s), property owner(s) and their successors in interest.
(12)
A visual impact study containing, at a minimum, a photographic simulation showing the appearance of the proposed tower, antennas, and ancillary facilities from at least five points within a three-mile radius. Such points shall be chosen by the carrier, with review and approval by the approving board or designee, to ensure that various potential views are represented.
(13)
An analysis of the RFR levels at the facility as a means of assessing compliance with the FCC RF safety criteria. This analysis shall:
(a)
Take into consideration all co-located radio transmitting antennas and/or nearby antennas that could contribute to RFR levels at the facility.
(b)
Be performed by an RF engineer, health physicist or similarly knowledgeable individual.
(c)
Follow current methods recommended by the FCC for performing such analyses.
J.
Monitoring and maintenance.
(1)
Measurements.
(a)
After the wireless telecommunications facility is operational, the applicant shall submit, within 90 days of beginning operations and at annual intervals from the date of issuance of the building permit, existing measurements of RFR from the wireless communications facility. Such measurements shall be signed and certified by an RF engineer, stating the RFR measurements are accurate and meet FCC guidelines as specified in the radio frequency standards section of this section.
(2)
The applicant and co-applicant shall maintain the personal wireless service facility in good condition. Such maintenance shall include, but shall not be limited to, painting, structural integrity of the mount and security banner, and maintenance of the buffer areas and landscaping.
K.
Abandonment or discontinuation of use.
(1)
At such time that a licensed carrier plans to abandon or discontinue operation of a personal wireless service facility, such carrier shall notify the Village Clerk by certified U.S. Mail of the proposed date of abandonment or discontinuation of operations. Such notice shall be given no less than 30 days prior to abandonment or discontinuation of operations. In the event that a licensed carrier fails to give such notice, the wireless telecommunications facility shall be considered abandoned upon discontinuation of operations.
(2)
Upon abandonment or discontinuation of use, at the option of the Borough, the carrier shall physically remove the personal wireless service facility within 90 days from the date of abandonment or discontinuation of use. "Physically remove" shall include, but not be limited to:
(a)
Removal of monopoles, antennas, mount, equipment shelters and security barriers from the subject property.
(b)
Proper disposal of the waste materials from the site in accordance with local, county and state solid waste disposal regulations.
(c)
Restoring the location of the personal wireless service facility to its natural condition, except that any landscaping and grading shall remain in the after condition.
(3)
If a carrier fails to remove a personal wireless service facility in accordance with this section, the Village shall have the authority to enter the subject property and physically remove the facility. The approving board will require the applicant to post a bond at the time of approval to cover costs for the removal of the personal wireless service facility in the event the Village must remove the facility.
(4)
The Village Engineer shall be provided with a copy of the application by the applicant at the time of the filing of the application with the Zoning Officer to estimate the cost of the removal of the facility in the event it is abandoned, which estimate shall be promptly furnished by the Village Engineer to the Building Department to determine the amount of the bond referred to in Subsection K(3) above and to the board considering the application.
L.
Violations and penalties.
(1)
Any person or entity who violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment in a place provided by the municipality for the detention of prisoners not exceeding 90 days or by a period of community service not exceeding 90 days. Any person who is convicted of violating this section within one year of the date of a previous conviction of the same section, and who was fined for a previous violation or was sentenced to a term in jail or to community service, shall be fined by the court to an additional fine or jail sentence or community service as a repeat defender. The additional penalty shall not be less than $100 and shall not exceed the sum of $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days, or the person may be required to perform community service for a term not to exceed 90 days.
(2)
In the event a person cannot pay the fine, the court may provide, in default of the payment of the fine, imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed 90 days. The person may be required to perform 90 days of community service. All penalties for a violation of this section shall be in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:49-5 and the Code of the Village of Ridgefield Park. In addition to the foregoing penalties, the municipality may enforce this Act for any violation of this section in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-18, which action shall be in the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey. Each day a provision of this section is violated shall constitute a separate and distinct violation.
§ 96-7.7 Billboards.
A.
Billboards shall be permitted as conditional uses in any industrial zone within 500 feet of any regional or state highway, including the New Jersey Turnpike, Route 80 and Route 46.
B.
No billboard shall be located within 200 feet of any residential zone district or residential use.
C.
All billboards must comply with the following conditions.
(1)
The maximum face of a billboard shall be 1,200 square feet.
(2)
The minimum lot area of the parcel proposed for the placement of a billboard shall be 1/2 acre.
(3)
The minimum setback for all billboards from any property line or right-of-way line shall be equal to the proposed height of the billboard.
(4)
No more than one billboard shall be permitted on any one tax lot. Double-faced billboards visible from opposite directions but built on a common frame shall be considered one billboard for purposes of this requirement.
(5)
The billboard, when constructed, will comply with all other provisions of this chapter that are not specifically provided herein.
(6)
No billboard shall have less than 10 feet of clear space between the bottom of the sign and the ground.
(7)
No billboard shall be constructed within 1,000 feet of an existing billboard.
(8)
No billboard shall be located within 1,000 feet of any interchange or right-of-way for any tunnel, bridge, underpass or overpass.
(9)
No billboard shall be permitted which, because of its size, shape or location, will obscure or obstruct the view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal or device.
(10)
All billboards shall be in compliance with the Roadway Sign Control and Outdoor Advertising Act, N.J.S.A. 27:5-5 et seq., as may be amended from time to time.
(11)
Landscaping shall be required around the base of the billboard and may be required elsewhere on the lot to provide a positive aesthetic effect.
(12)
No rotating or rooftop billboards are permitted.
D.
Application for approval of a billboard.
(1)
An applicant for a billboard permit shall make application to the Planning Board of the Village of Ridgefield Park if the proposal meets the conditions set forth above for the approval of a conditional use above and if the proposed billboard is located within an industrial zone. If an application does not meet the conditions for approval as set forth above or if the application is in a zone other than an industrial zone, then such application must be made to the Ridgefield Park Zoning Board of Adjustment for a use variance and is subject to submission of the proofs necessary for such variance.
(2)
All applications for billboards shall include the following information:
(a)
Map. A key map of the site with reference to the surrounding areas and existing street positions, and specifically the location sought to be utilized for the billboard.
(b)
Owner of record. The name(s) of the owner(s) of record shall be noted on the plan, together with the lot and block numbers for which application is sought, as indicated by the most recent tax records.
(c)
Property lines, contingent lots. The bearings and distances of property lines for the lot in question shall be shown in order to comply with specific limitations herein.
(d)
Setbacks. Construction setbacks shall be demonstrated on the plan.
(e)
Existing physical features. Physical features within the lot shall be designed on the plan, such as streams, trees, wetlands and other structures.
(f)
Topographic data. Topography showing existing and proposed contours at no less than five-foot intervals for slopes averaging 10% or greater and two-foot intervals for land of lesser slope. A reference bench mark shall be clearly designated.
(g)
Design details for improvement. Cross sections, design details and dimensions for improvements shall be shown on the plan.
(h)
Utilities. Location and design of the existing and/or proposed utilities shall be included in the plan.
(i)
Lighting details. Lighting details indicating the type of standard, location, radius and pattern of light, intensity and footcandles shall be shown.
(j)
Architectural sketches. Architectural prospective sketches of the proposed construction shall be included in the application.
(k)
Right-of-way; easements. The means by which access to the sign is to be located shall be demonstrated on the application plan.
(l)
Legend. In addition to the following, a legend shall be located on the plan and included in the application, to be signed by the owner of the property before submission of the plan, which shall state the following: "I hereby consent to the filing of the billboard plan with the Village of Ridgefield Park."
(m)
Visual representations. The applicant shall provide visual representations to the Board, demonstrating the visual impacts of the proposed billboard. These may be in the form of sealed diagrams or computer-generated simulations of the billboard, as proposed. These materials shall illustrate sight lines and views of the proposed billboard from adjoining properties.
(n)
Traffic safety; landscaping; environmental impact; drainage. Traffic safety, landscaping, environmental impact and drainage shall be included in the application.