Teaneck City Zoning Code

The location of lots to be created in relation to the entire tract by key map.

Buildings, culverts, bridges and other existing structures and wooded areas within the lot to be subdivided.

The names of the owners of the subject lot.

The Tax Map sheet, block and lot numbers of all lots shown.

Setbacks from property lines of all structures on the lot to be subdivided.

Date of original preparation and date of revisions, if any.

Streets, streams, watercourses, railroads and rights-of-way within the subdivision.

Date of drawing, all revisions noted and dated.

Key map of the entire area surrounding the subdivision.

Title of development; North arrow; scale; block and lot number; name and address of record owner; and name and address, license number, and seal of person preparing the plat. All design features shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer and existing features and boundaries shall be certified by a licensed land surveyor.

Distances, in feet and decimals of a foot, and bearings, to the nearest 10 seconds.

Names, as shown on current tax records, of all owners of property within 200 feet of the extreme limits of the subdivision, together with the block and lot numbers of said properties.

Zoning district in which the parcel is located.

Survey data, showing boundaries of the property, building or setback lines and lines of existing and proposed streets, lots, reservations, easements and areas dedicated to public use, including grants, restrictions and rights-of-way.

Reference to any existing or proposed covenants, deed restrictions, exceptions or variances covering all or any part of the subdivision.

Distances, measured along the right-of-way lines of existing streets abutting the property, to the nearest intersections with other public streets.

Locations of existing buildings and all other structures, including walls, fences, culverts and bridges, with spot elevations of such buildings and structures. Structures to be removed shall be indicated by dashed lines; structures to remain shall be indicated by solid lines.

Locations of all existing and proposed storm and sanitary drainage and sewerage lines and structures, and utility lines whether publicly or privately owned, with pipe sizes, grades and direction of flow, locations and inlets, manholes or other appurtenances and appropriate invert and other elevations. If any existing utility lines are underground, the estimated location of said utility lines shall be shown.

Existing and proposed contours, referred to United States Coast and Geodetic Survey datum, with a contour interval of one foot for slopes of less than 3% and an interval of two feet for slopes of more than 3% but less than 15%. Existing contours are to be indicated by dashed lines, and proposed contours are to be indicated by solid lines.

Locations of existing rock outcrops, high points, watercourses, depressions, ponds, marshes, wooded areas and other significant natural features; reference whether all property within 500 feet of the extreme limits of the subdivision property is within a floodplain area as delineated and determined by the standards of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Proposed streets, with profiles, indicating grading and cross sections showing width of roadway, location and width of sidewalks and location and size of utility lines conforming to the Township standards and specifications set forth in Chapter 32 and as hereinafter set forth in § 33-15.

If the approving authority requires any substantial amendment in the layout of improvements proposed by the developer that have been the subject of a hearing, a revised preliminary plat shall be submitted and proceeded upon, as in the case of the original application for development. The approving authority shall, if the proposed subdivision complies with Article V, Zoning, and the standards and specifications of § 33-15 hereof, grant preliminary approval.

Upon the submission to the secretary of the approving authority of a complete application for a subdivision of ten or fewer lots, the approving authority shall grant or deny preliminary approval within 45 days of the date of such submission or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant. Upon the submission of a complete application for a subdivision of more than 10 lots, the approving authority shall grant or deny preliminary approval within 95 days of the date of such submission or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant. Otherwise, the approving authority shall be deemed to have granted preliminary approval to the subdivision.

Preliminary approval of a major subdivision shall, except as provided in Subsection (f)(2) of this section, confer upon the applicant the following rights for a three-year period from the date of the preliminary approval:

In the case of a subdivision of an area of fifty acres or more, the approving authority may grant the rights referred to in Subsection (f)(1)a, b and c above for such period of time, longer than three years, as shall be determined by the approving authority to be reasonable, taking into consideration the number of dwelling units and nonresidential floor area permissible under preliminary approval, economic conditions and the comprehensiveness of the development. The applicant may apply for thereafter and the approving authority may thereafter grant an extension to preliminary approval for such additional period of time as shall be determined by the approving authority to be reasonable, taking into consideration the number of dwelling units and nonresidential floor area permissible under preliminary approval, the potential number of dwelling units and nonresidential floor area of the section or sections awaiting final approval, economic conditions and the comprehensiveness of the development, provided that if design standards have been revised, such revised standards may govern.

Date, name and location of the subdivision, name of owner, graphic scale and reference meridian.

Tract boundary lines, right-of-way lines of streets, street names, easements and other rights-of-way, land to be reserved or dedicated to public use, all lot lines and other site lines, with accurate dimensions, bearings or deflection angles, and radii, arcs and central angles of all curves; area of each lot.

The names, exact locations and widths of all existing and recorded streets intersecting or paralleling the plot boundaries within a distance of 200 feet.

The purpose of any easement or land reserved or dedicated to public use and the proposed use of sites other than residential.

Lot, block and street numbers as approved by the Township Engineer, including lot and block numbers of abutting property.

Minimum building setback line on all lots and other sites.

Location and description of all monuments.

Names of owners of adjoining unsubdivided land.

Certification by a licensed land surveyor and a professional engineer as to the accuracy of the details of the plat.

Certification that the applicant is the agent or owner of the land or that the owner has given consent under an option agreement.

When approval of a plat is required by any other officer or body of a municipality, county or state, such approval shall be certified on the plat, or evidence shall be submitted that an application has been made for such approval.

A statement of the Township Engineer that he is in receipt of maps showing the position of all stormwater drains, sanitary sewer mains and all utilities in exact location and elevation, together with any other data required, and indicating the estimated cost of the installation of all public improvements required to be installed by the applicant.

Proposed final grades of all streets to a scale of one inch equals five feet vertical and one inch equals fifty feet horizontal, on sheets 24 inches by 36 inches, and drawings shall include both plans and profiles and shall show elevations of all monuments referred to United States Coast and Geodetic Survey bench marks, and such elevations shall be shown in feet and hundredths of feet.

Certification from the Township Tax Collector that all taxes are paid to date. Certification from the Township Zoning Officer that zoning was not violated at the time of preliminary plat approval.

Written proof that the lands set aside or shown for easement, public use or streets are free and clear of all liens and encumbrances.

The nature of the improvements to be required as a condition of final approval.

The estimated value of the improvements installed or to be installed.

The nature and amount of performance guaranties, if any, to be required as a condition of final approval.

The provisions of open space reservation or dedication and the standards for open space organizations.

The effects, if any, of valuation, assessment and taxation of the Farmland Assessment Act.[1]

The findings and compliance of all provisions under planned development status.

The amounts to be deposited, if any, to reimburse the approving authority and Township for costs incurred or to be incurred by the Township for legal, engineering, planning and other professional services, for recording fees and for any other costs anticipated by the approving authority.

Any other conditions upon which final approval will be granted or conditioned.

Failure of the approving authority to act within the period prescribed shall constitute final subdivision approval, and a certificate of the administrative officer as to the failure of the approving authority to act shall be issued on request of the applicant.

The developer may be required to submit the following as a condition precedent to final subdivision approval, including an approval gained by default under the time limitations imposed by statute:

The Mayor and the Township Clerk on behalf of the Township are authorized to sign and attest developer's agreements prepared and approved in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

Arrangement. The arrangement of streets not shown on the Official Map shall be such as to accommodate an extension of existing streets, if relevant, or at least conform to existing street patterns and topography.

Right-of-way widths. The right-of-way width of streets in subdivisions shall be measured from front lot line to front lot line and shall not be less than the following, unless said street constitutes an extension of an existing street of greater width or already has been shown on the Official Map at a greater width:

Grades. Longitudinal grades on all local streets shall not exceed 10% nor 4% on primary, secondary and collector streets. No street shall have a longitudinal grade of less than 0.5%. Maximum grades within intersections shall be 4%. The maximum slope of the roadway from the center line to the curbline or edge of the paving shall be 2%. Where the roadway on a primary, secondary or collector street is banked to facilitate a curve in the street segment, the slope toward the curbline or shoulder shall conform to accepted engineering practice. All changes in the grade of streets shall be connected by vertical curves of sufficient radius to provide a smooth transition and proper sight distance.

Intersections. Street intersections in subdivisions shall be as nearly at right angles as is possible and in no case shall be less than sixty degrees measured at the center line of the street. The block corners at intersections shall be rounded at the curbline with the curve having a radius of not less than twenty feet.

Jogs. Street jogs in subdivisions with center-line offsets of less than 125 feet shall be prohibited.

Deflections in connecting streets. When connecting street lines in subdivisions deflect from each other at any one point by more than 10° and not more than 45°, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius of not less than 100 feet for minor streets and 300 feet for arterial and collector streets.

Reverse curves. A tangent at least 100 feet long shall be introduced between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets in subdivisions.

Dead ends. Where dead-end (cul-de-sac) streets are utilized, they shall conform to the following standards:

Street names. No street shall have a name which will duplicate or so nearly duplicate in spelling or phonetic sound the names of existing streets so as to be confusing therewith. Whenever possible, street names shall be chosen to reflect the historical, topographical or natural features of the site.

Design of local streets. Local streets shall be designed to discourage through traffic.

Reserve strips on service roads. Subdivisions abutting primary arterial streets shall provide a marginal service road or reverse frontage with a buffer strip of planting or some other means of separation of through and local traffic, as the approving authority may determine appropriate. No subdivision showing reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be approved except where the control and disposal of land comprising such strips has been dedicated under conditions approved by the approving authority.

Construction specifications. Streets shall be constructed in accordance with the standards and specifications set forth in Chapter 32 of this Code.

Size. Lot dimensions and area of lots in subdivisions shall not be less than the requirements of Article V, Zoning. Each lot in a subdivision shall front upon an improved street with a width conforming to the minimum requirements of Subsection (b)(2) hereof entitled "Right-of-way widths."

Side lot lines. Insofar as is practical, side lot lines of lots in subdivisions shall be at right angles to straight streets and radial to curved streets.

Setback where additional width streets are dedicated. Where extra width has been dedicated for widening of existing streets in subdivisions, lots shall begin at such extra width line, and all setbacks shall be measured from such line.

Size. Block length and width or acreage within bounding roads of subdivisions shall be such as to accommodate the size of lots required in the area by Article V, Zoning, and to provide for convenient access, circulation control and safety of street traffic. For commercial, multifamily housing or industrial uses, block size in subdivisions shall be sufficient to meet all area and yard requirements for such use.

Crosswalks in long blocks. In blocks in subdivisions over 1,000 feet long, pedestrian crosswalks may be required in locations deemed necessary by the approving authority. Such walkways shall be 10 feet wide and be straight from street to street.

Adequate provisions must be made for water supply, drainage, sewerage facilities and other utilities necessary for essential services to residents and occupants, conforming to the utility service plan element of the Master Plan.

Easements along rear property lines or elsewhere for utility installation and maintenance and for police and fire services may be required. Such easements shall be at least 15 feet wide and located in consultation with the companies and Township departments concerned.

Subject to Subsection (e)(4) hereinafter set forth, for all major subdivisions the applicant shall arrange with the serving utility for the underground installation of all utility distribution supply lines and service connections in accordance with the provisions of the applicable standard terms and conditions incorporated as part of its tariffs as the same are on file with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and shall submit to the approving authority, prior to the granting of final approval, a written instrument from each serving utility which shall evidence full compliance with the provisions of this subsection. Lots in such subdivisions which abut existing streets where overhead electric or telephone distribution supply lines have theretofore been installed on any portion of the streets involved, may be supplied with electric and telephone service from such overhead lines, but the service connections from the utilities' overhead lines shall be installed underground, subject to Subsection (e)(4) hereinafter set forth. The location of access facilities for servicing the utility in the proposed subdivision shall be developed in conjunction with, and as a part of, the complete subdivision plan.

The approving authority may, in its discretion, waive the installation of underground utilities where such installation will result in peculiar and exceptional practical difficulties to, or exceptional and undue hardship upon, the applicant by reason of exceptional topographic conditions or by reason of other extraordinary and exceptional situation or condition of the lands in such subdivision.

Whenever the utility is not installed in the public right-of-way, an appropriate utility easement not less than 20 feet in width shall be provided.

Whenever underground utilities are installed in accordance with the provisions hereof, fire alarm systems servicing the development may be required to be installed in an appropriate subsurface distribution system connecting the necessary alarm stations. The manner of installation, and number and location of alarm stations shall be in a manner approved by the Fire Department.

Sight triangles shall be required at each quadrant of an intersection of streets and streets and driveways. The area within sight triangles shall be either dedicated as part of the street right-of-way or maintained as part of the lot adjoining the street and set aside on any subdivision or site plan as a sight triangle easement. Within a sight triangle created by two intersecting streets and its extension into the street right-of-way, no grading, planting or structure shall be erected or maintained more than 3 1/2 feet above the street level measured at the curbline or in the absence of a curb at the edge of the roadway, but excluding utility poles, street name signs and official traffic regulation signs. Where any street or driveway intersection involves earth banks or vegetation, including trees, the developer shall trim such vegetation and trees, as well as establish proper excavation and grading to provide the sight triangle. The sight triangle is that area bounded by the intersecting curblines and a straight line which connects sight points located on each of the two intersecting curblines 20 feet away from the intersecting curblines, or, at the option of the property owner, the sight triangle calculated in accordance with the 2018 Edition of AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) "A Policy on Geometric Design Highways and Streets" (2018 Green Book). Property owners opting to calculate the sight triangle in accordance with the 2018 Green Book shall provide the Township Engineer and Zoning Officer with a survey showing the graphics of the sight triangle, taking into account the width of the intersecting roadways, the speed limits on such roadways, the grades of the interesting roadways, the location of any stop lines or traffic signage at the intersection and such other information required by said publication in calculating sight triangles. Any proposed development requiring site plan approval shall provide sight triangle easements at each driveway with the exit driveway being one side of the sight triangle. Its measurement shall be from the intersection of the curbline to the driver's position of a vehicle standing on the exit portion of the driveway that is immediately contiguous to the street line. The measurement along the curbline shall be as previously determined. A sight triangle easement dedication shall be expressed on the plat as follows: "Sight triangle easement subject to grading, planting and construction restrictions as provided for in Chapter 33 of the Teaneck Township Code." Portions of a lot set aside for the sight triangle may be calculated in determining the lot area and may be included in establishing the minimum setbacks required by the zoning provisions.

At intersections where signalized, no sight triangle easements shall be required.

In existing areas not controlled by sight triangle easements, no obstruction to vision shall be maintained more than 3 1/2 feet above the street level measured at the curbline or in the absence of a curb at the edge of the roadway of intersecting streets measured along the curbline a horizontal distance from the intersection as indicated in Subsection (n)(1) above.

A 100-year storm curve shall be used in computing stormwater runoff from the drainage basin to determine the impact on the drainage system under consideration.

The pipe size determined to be adequate for the runoff computed shall be increased by at least one standard pipe size for the type of pipe being used in order to provide adequate allowance for the normal accumulation of sediment and debris in the storm drainage system. In no case shall the pipe size in a surface water drainage system be less than 15 inches in diameter.

Catch basins shall be located at all intersections with inlets on both sides of the street at intervals of not more than 250 feet or such shorter distances as required to prevent the flow of surface water from exceeding 6.0 cubic feet per second at the catch basin inlet. Access manholes shall be placed at maximum 250-foot intervals throughout the system and at pipe junctions where there are no catch basins.

Storm drain pipes running longitudinally along streets shall not be located under curbing.

Specifications for manholes, inlets and storm drains shall follow the 1961 State Highway Specifications, as amended.

For both major and minor developments, blocks and lots shall be graded to secure proper drainage away from all buildings and to prevent the collection of stormwater in pools and to avoid the concentration of stormwater from each lot to adjacent lots.

Where a development is traversed by a watercourse, surface or underground drainageway or drainage system, channel or stream, a drainage right-of-way easement shall be provided and dedicated to the Township conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse with such further width as will be adequate to accommodate expected stormwater runoff in the future based upon reasonable growth potential in the Township. A minimum of 15 feet beyond the bank top on at least one side shall be provided access to the drainage right-of-way. In any event, the easement shall meet the minimum widths and location shown on any adopted Official Map or Master Plan.

The removal of trees and ground cover shall be prohibited in a conservation easement or floodplain except for the following purposes: the removal of dead or diseased trees, limited thinning of trees and growth to encourage the most desirable growth and the removal of trees to allow for structures designed to impound water or in areas to be flooded in the creation of ponds or lakes.

Buffer width. Unless otherwise specified by this chapter or the approving authority, a buffer area, from which parking is excluded, shall be no less than 25 feet in width along the rear yard boundary and no less than 15 feet in width along the side yard boundaries. Buffer areas shall be contiguous with residential property lines and shall be of uniform width. If the available buffer area is less than what is required, the applicant may be required to erect a six-foot-high privacy fence or equivalent dense evergreen planting a minimum of six feet in height within the buffer area and at a point parallel to the lot line of the abutting lot and at a distance appropriate for the landscaping treatment in the buffer area.

Requirements for screening; planting in the buffer area.