The powers of the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall be in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-69 et seq. and amendments thereto, and with the provisions of this chapter.

It is further the intent of this chapter to confer upon the Zoning Board of Adjustment as full and complete powers as may lawfully be conferred upon such Board, including, not by way of limitation, the authority, in connection with any case, action or proceeding before the Board, to interpret and construe the provisions of this chapter or any term, clause, sentence or work hereof, and the Zoning Map, in accordance with the general rules of construction, applicable to legislative enactments.

The Board may, in appropriate cases and subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, grant variances from the terms of this chapter in accordance with the general or specific rules contained herein, and with the general rules hereby laid down that equity shall be done in cases where the strict construction of the provisions of this chapter would work undue hardship, including a variance for a conditional use. The powers and duties of the Board having been delegated to and imposed upon it by statute, the Board shall in all cases follow the provisions applicable to it in said Chapter 291, P.L. 1975, or subsequent statutes in such case made and provided, and it shall from time to time furnish to any person requesting the same a copy of its rules and information as to how appeals or applications may properly be filed with the Board for its decision thereon.

Appeals to the Board of Adjustment may be taken by any interested party affected by any decision of an administrative officer of the municipality based on or made in the enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance or Official Map. Such appeal shall be taken within 20 days by filing a notice of appeal with the officer from whom the appeal is taken specifying the grounds of such appeal. The officer from whom the appeal is taken shall immediately transmit to the Board all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appeal from was taken.

Application addressed to the original jurisdiction of the Zoning Board of Adjustment without prior application to an administrative officer, shall be filed with the Zoning Officer of the Township. Four copies of the application shall be filed. At the time of filing the appeal or application, but in no event less than 10 days prior to the date set for hearing, the applicant shall also file plot plans, maps, or other papers required by virtue of any provision of this chapter or any rule of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The applicant shall obtain all necessary forms from the Zoning Officer of the Township. The Zoning Officer shall inform the applicant of the steps to be taken to initiate proceedings and of the regular meeting dates of the Board.

An appeal stays all proceedings in furtherance of the action in respect of which the decision appealed from was made, unless the officer from whom the appeal is taken certifies to the Zoning Board of Adjustment after the notice of appeal shall have been filed with him that, by reason of facts stated in the certificate, a stay would, in his opinion, cause imminent peril to life or property. In such case, proceedings shall not be stayed otherwise than by a restraining order which may be granted by the Zoning Board of Adjustment or by the Superior Court of New Jersey on application or notice to the officer from whom the appeal is taken on the due cause shown.

Hear and decide appeals where it is alleged by the applicant that there is error in any order, requirement, decision or refusal made by an administrative official or agency based on or made in the enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance.

Hear and decide requests for interpretation of the map or Zoning Ordinance, or for decisions upon other special questions upon which such board is authorized by the Zoning Ordinance to pass.

Where by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness, or shape of a specific piece of property, or by reason of exceptional topographic conditions, or by reason of other extraordinary and exceptional situation or condition of such piece of property, the strict application of any regulations in the Zoning Ordinance would result in peculiar and exceptional practical difficulties to, or exceptional and undue hardship upon the developer of such property, to grant upon application or an appeal relating to such property, a variance from such strict application, so as to relieve such difficulties or hardship; provided, however, that no variance shall be granted under this subsection to allow a structure or use in a district restricted against such structure or use; and further provided that the proposed development does not require approval by the Planning Board of a subdivision, site plan or conditional use in conjunction with which the Planning Board shall review a request for a variance pursuant to Subsection 47 of the Municipal Land Use Law of 1975.

In particular cases and for special reasons, grant a variance to allow departure from regulations pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., including but not limited to allowing a structure or use in a district restricted against such structure or use but only by affirmative vote of at least five members, in the case of a municipal board, or 2/3 of the full authorized membership, in the case of a regional board pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.

No variance or other relief may be granted under the provisions of this section unless such variance or other relief can be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and will not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the zone plan and Zoning Ordinance. Any application under any subsection of this section may be referred to any appropriate person or agency, including the Planning Board, for its report provided that such reference shall not extend the period of time within which the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall act.

Direct issuance of a permit pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-34 for a building or structure in the bed of a mapped street or public drainageway, flood control basin or public area reserved on the Official Map.

Direct issuance of a permit pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-36 for a building or structure not related to a street.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment shall have the power to grant to the same extent and subject to the same restrictions as the Planning Board, subdivision or site plan approval pursuant to Article 6 of c.291, P.L. 1975, or conditional use approval pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-67 whenever the proposed development requires approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustment of a variance pursuant to Subsection d of Section 57 of this Act (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70). The developer may elect to submit a separate application requesting approval of the variance and a subsequent application for any required approval of a subdivision, site plan or conditional use. The separate approval of the variance shall be conditioned upon grant of all required subsequent approvals by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. No such subsequent approval shall be granted unless such approval can be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without substantial impairment of the intent and purpose of the zone plan and Zoning Ordinance. The number of votes of Board members required to grant any such subsequent approval shall be as otherwise provided in this act for the approval in question, and the special vote.