Washington Township Morris County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE I
General Provisions
§ 217-1 Title.
This chapter may be cited and referred to as the "Washington Township Zoning Ordinance."[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided, in part, as follows: "The Washington Township Zoning Ordinance, as amended from time to time, and including minor revisions in the Township Zoning Map recently adopted by Ord. No. RO-13-83, is being readopted in order to replace the Township's prior Zoning Ordinance declared null and void during the trial of the consolidated cases of Albano, et al. v. Mayor and Township Committee of the Township of Washington, and Claremont Painting and Decorating Co., Inc., et al. v. Township of Washington, Docket Nos. L-45788-78P.W. and L-24425-78P.W., and to comply with the order/judgment of the Court in the aforesaid cases dated March 10, 1983."
§ 217-2 Purpose.
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter:
A.
To guide the appropriate use or development of all lands in Washington Township in a manner which will promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.
B.
To secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other natural and man-made disasters.
C.
To provide adequate light, air and open space.
D.
To ensure that land development does not conflict with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities, the county and the state as a whole.
E.
To promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and concentrations that will contribute to the well-being of persons and neighborhoods and preservation of the environment.
F.
To encourage the appropriate and efficient expenditure of public funds by the coordination of public development with land use policies.
G.
To provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of agricultural, residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses and open space, both public and private, according to their respective environment requirements.
H.
To encourage the location and design of transportation routes which will promote the free flow of traffic while discouraging location of such facilities and routes which result in congestion or blight.
I.
To promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangements.
J.
To promote the conservation of historic sites and districts, open space, energy resources and valuable natural resources and to prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land.
[Amended 12-15-1986 by Ord. No. 46-86]
K.
To encourage development which incorporates the best features of design and relate the type, design and layout of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational development to the particular site.
L.
To encourage coordination of the various public and private procedures and activities shaping land development with a view of lessening the cost of such development and to the more efficient use of land.
M.
To establish building lines and the location of buildings designed for residential, commercial, industrial, office or other uses within such lines and to fix reasonable standards to which buildings or structures shall conform.
N.
To prohibit uses, buildings or structures which are incompatible with the character of development or the permitted uses within specified zoning districts.
O.
To prevent additions to, and alterations or remodeling of, existing buildings or structures as would not comply with the restrictions and limitations imposed hereunder.
P.
To protect against hazards and to provide protection against fire, explosions, noxious fumes and other hazards in the interest of the public health, safety, comfort and the general welfare.
Q.
To conserve the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the Township.
R.
To meet the housing needs of the future citizens of the Township of Washington and the region and to assure a full range of housing types to meet all income levels.
§ 217-3 Definitions.
[Amended 6-8-1984 by Ord. No. 16-1984; 3-18-1985 by Ord. No. 5-85; 10-21-1985 by Ord. No. 34-85; 5-19-1986 by Ord. No. 14-86; 4-16-1990 by Ord. No. 12-90; 10-15-1990 by Ord. No. 34-90]
As defined under Chapter 111, Land Use Procedures, Article VI, Definitions.
