The purpose of this chapter shall be to provide rules, regulations and standards to guide land subdivision in the Township of Springfield in order to promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the Township. It shall be administered to ensure the orderly growth and development, the conservation, protection and proper use of land and adequate provisions for circulation, utilities and services.
The provisions of this chapter shall be administered by the Planning Board, and in appropriate cases, the Zoning Board of Adjustment in accordance with the Municipal Land Use Law of 1975, as amended.
For the purpose of this chapter, the terns used herein are defined as follows:
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER - The Secretary of the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Adjustment, as the case may be.
ADT (AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC) - The average number of cars per day that pass over a given point.
AISLE - The traveled way by which cars enter and depart parking spaces.
ALLEY - A public or private street primarily designed to serve as secondary access to the side or rear of those properties whose principal frontage is on some other street.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT - The application form and all accompanying documents required by ordinance for approval of a subdivision plat or site plan.
APPROVING AUTHORITY - The Planning Board of the Township of Springfield, unless a different agency is designated by ordinance when acting pursuant to the authority of the Municipal Land Use Law.
ASCE - The American Society of Civil Engineers.
ASTM - The American Society for Testing Materials, Philadelphia.
BARRIER CURB - A steep-faced curb intended to prevent encroachments.
BELGIAN BLOCK CURB - A type of paving stone generally cut in a truncated, pyramidal shape, laid with the base of the pyramid down.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT - The Zoning Board of Adjustment established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-69.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM - A proposed schedule of all future projects listed in order of construction priority, together with cost estimates and the anticipated means of financing each project.
CARTWAY - The actual road surface area from curbline to curbline, which may include travel lanes, parking lanes and deceleration and acceleration lanes. Where there are no curbs, the cartway is that portion between the edges of the paved, or hard surface, width.
CENTER LINE OFFSET OF ADJACENT INTERSECTIONS - The gap between the center line of roads adjoining a common road from opposite or same sides.
CHANNEL - The bed and banks of a natural stream which convey the constant or intermittent flow of the stream.
CHANNELIZATION - The straightening and deepening of channels and/or the surfacing thereof to permit water to move rapidly and/or directly.
COMMON OPEN SPACE - An open space area within or related to a site designated as a development, and designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents and owners of the development. Common space may contain such complementary structures and improvements as are necessary and appropriate for the use or enjoyment of residents and owners of the development.
CUL-DE-SAC - A local street with only one outlet and having the other end for the reversal of traffic movement.
CULVERT - A structure designed to convey a watercourse not incorporated in a closed drainage system under a road or pedestrian walk.
CURB - A vertical or sloping edge of a roadway. See also belgian block curb, barrier curb, mountable curb.
DAYS - Calendar days.
DEDICATION - An act conveying property or an interest thereto.
DESIGN FLOOD - The relative size or magnitude of a major flood of reasonable expectancy, which reflects both flood experience and flood potential and is the basis of the delineation of the floodway, the flood hazard area and the water surface elevations.
DETENTION BASIN - A man-made or natural water collector facility designed to collect surface and subsurface water in order to impede its flow and to release the same gradually, at a rate not greater than that prior to the development of the property, into natural or man-made outlets.
DEVELOPER - The legal or beneficial owner or owners of a lot or of any land proposed to be included in a proposed development, including the holder of an option or contract to purchase, or any other person having enforceable proprietary interest in such land.
DEVELOPMENT - The division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels; the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation or enlargement of any building or other structure, or of any mining excavation or landfill; and any use or change in the use of any building or other structure, land or extension of use of land.
DEVELOPMENT REGULATION - A zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance, site plan ordinance, official map ordinance or other Township regulation of the use or development of land, adopted pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law.
DRAINAGE - The removal of surface water or groundwater from land by drains, grading or other means. This includes control of runoff during and after construction or development to minimize erosion and sedimentation to assure the adequacy of existing and proposed culverts and bridges, to induce water recharge into the ground where practical, to lessen nonpoint pollution, to maintain the integrity of stream channels for their biological functions as well as for drainage and the means necessary for water supply preservation or prevention or alleviation of flooding.
DRAINAGE FACILITY - A component of the drainage system.
DRAINAGE SYSTEM - The system through which water flows from the land, including all watercourses, water bodies and wetlands.
DRIVEWAY - A paved or unpaved area used for ingress or egress of vehicles, and allowing access from a street to a building or other structure or facility.
EASEMENT - A right-of-way granted, but not dedicated, for limited use of private land for a public or quasi-public purpose and within which the owner of the property shall not erect any permanent structures.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS - Features, natural resources or land characteristics that are sensitive to improvements and may require conservation measures, the application of creative development techniques to prevent degradation of the environment, limited development or in certain instances may preclude development.
EROSION - The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice and gravity.
ESCROW - A deed, bond, money or a piece of property delivered to a third person to be delivered by him/her to the grantee only upon fulfillment of a condition.
EXEMPT SUBDIVISION - See subdivision.
FENCE - An artificially constructed barrier of wood, masonry, stone, wire, metal or any other manufactured material or combination of materials.
FINAL APPROVAL - The official action of the Planning Board taken on a preliminary approved major subdivision or site plan after all conditions, engineering plans and other requirements have been completed or fulfilled and the required improvements have been installed or guarantees properly posted for their completion, or approval conditioned upon the posting of such guarantees.
FINAL PLAT - The final map of all or a portion of a subdivision which is presented to the approving agency for final approval in accordance with these regulations, as well as the New Jersey Map Filing Law, and which, if approved, shall be filed with the proper County Recording Officer.
FRONTAGE - See lot frontage.
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - A plan outlining general, rather than detailed, development intentions. It describes the basic parameters of a major development proposal rather than giving full engineering details. As such, it allows general intentions to be proposed and discussed without the extensive costs involved in submitting a detailed proposal.
GRADE - The slope of a street or other public way specified in percentage terms.
GUTTER - A shallow channel, usually set along a curb or the pavement edge of a road, for purposes of catching and carrying off runoff water.
HISTORIC DISTRICT - One or more historic site and intervening or surrounding property significantly affecting or affected by the quality and character of the historic site or sites.
HISTORIC SITE - Any real property, man-made structure, natural object or configuration, or any portion or group of the foregoing, which has been formally designated in the Master Plan as being of historical, archaeological, cultural, scenic or architectural significance.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE - A surface that has been compacted or covered with a layer of material so that it is highly resistant to infiltration by water.
IMPOUNDMENT - A body of water, such as a pond, confined by a dam, dike, floodgate or other barrier.
IMPROVED PUBLIC STREET - For subdivision purposes or site plan, any street which complies in width and construction with Township standards.
IMPROVEMENT - Any man-made, immovable item which becomes part of, placed upon or is affixed to real estate.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM - A septic tank, seepage tile sewage disposal system or any other approved sewage treatment device serving a single unit.
ISLAND - In street design, a raised area usually curbed, placed to guide traffic, separate lanes or used for landscaping, signing or lighting.
ITE - The Institute of Transportation Engineers.
LAND - Real property, including improvements and fixtures on, above or below the surface.
LOT - A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.
LOT AREA - The size of a lot measured within the lot lines and expressed in terms of acres or square feet.
LOT FRONTAGE - That portion of a lot extending along a street line.
MAINTENANCE BOND - Any security that is acceptable to the Township Council to assure the maintenance of approved installations by developers.
MAINTENANCE GUARANTEE - Any security, other than cash, that may be accepted by the Township for the maintenance of any required improvements.
MAJOR SITE PLAN - Any site plan not classified as a minor site plan.
MAJOR SUBDIVISION - Any subdivision not classified as a minor subdivision.
MANHOLE - An inspection chamber whose dimensions allow easy entry and exit and working room for a person inside.
MANNING EQUATION - A method for calculating the hydraulic capacity of a conduit to convey water.
MARGINAL ACCESS STREET - A service street that runs parallel to a higher-order street which, for purposes of safety, provides access to abutting properties and separation from through traffic. It may be designed as a residential access street or subcollector as anticipated daily traffic dictates.
MASTER PLAN - A composite of one or more written or graphic proposals for the development of the Township as set forth and adopted by the Planning Board pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-28.
MINOR SITE PLAN - A site plan which consists of minor additions, modifications, renovations or changes in use which do not entail a change in the drainage system, an impact on any county facility or the addition of off-street parking pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 215, Zoning, and is in accordance with the definition of minor site plan set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-5.
MINOR SUBDIVISION - Any subdivision containing not more than two new lots and a remainder, with all lots fronting on an existing improved street, not involving a planned development or a new street or road or the extension of Township facilities, not adversely affecting the development of the remainder of the parcel or adjoining property and not in conflict with any provision or portion of the Master Plan, Official Map, Chapter 215, Zoning, or this chapter. If a parcel or tract of land has been granted a minor subdivision approval, it may not be further subdivided as a minor subdivision for a period of two years from the date of the previous minor subdivision approval.
OFFICIAL MAP - A map adopted by ordinance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-32 et seq. Such map shall be deemed to be conclusive with respect to the location and width of the streets, public parks and playgrounds and public drainageways shown thereon.
OFF-SITE - Located outside the lot lines of the lot in question but within the property, of which the lot is a part, which is the subject of a development application, or within a contiguous portion of a street or right-of-way.
OFF-STREET PARKING SPACE - A temporary storage area for a motor vehicle that is directly accessible to an access aisle, and that is not located on a dedicated street right-of-way.
OFF-TRACT - Not located on the property which is the subject of a development application nor on a contiguous portion of a street or right-of-way.
ON-SITE - Located on the lot in question.
ON-STREET PARKING SPACE - A temporary storage area for a motor vehicle which is located on a dedicated street right-of-way.
ON-TRACT - Located on the property which is the subject of a development application or on a contiguous portion of a street or right-of-way.
OPEN SPACE - Any parcel or area of land or water essentially unimproved and set aside, dedicated, designated or reserved for public or private use or enjoyment or for the use and enjoyment of owners and occupants of land adjoining or neighboring such open space; provided that such areas may be improved with only those buildings, structures, streets and off-street parking and other improvements that are designed to be incidental to the natural openness of the land.
PARKING LANE - A lane usually set on the sides of streets, designed to provide on-street parking for vehicular traffic.
PARKING SPACE - An area provided for the parking of a motor vehicle.
PAVEMENT - See cartway.
PERC TEST (PERCOLATION TEST) - A test designed to determine the ability of ground to absorb water, and used in determining the suitability of a soil for drainage or for the use of a septic system.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE - Any security, including cash, which may be accepted by the Township to ensure installation of required subdivision and/or site plan improvements; provided that the Township shall not require more than 10% of the total performance guarantee in cash.
PERVIOUS SURFACE - Any material that permits full or partial absorption of stormwater into previously unimproved land.
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT - Planned unit development, planned unit residential development, residential cluster, planned commercial development or planned industrial development.
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT (PDOD) - The planned development overlay districts as shown on the Zoning Map, as amended; where planned unit residential development and residential clusters are permitted and where the clustering of development between noncontiguous parcels is authorized. [Added 3-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT - An area with a specified minimum contiguous acreage of 10 acres or more, to be developed as a single entity according to a plan, containing one or more residential clusters or planned unit residential developments and one or more public, quasi-public, commercial or industrial areas, in such ranges of ratios of nonresidential uses to residential uses as shall be specified in the Chapter 215, Zoning.
PLANNED UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT - A form of planned development to be developed as a single entity according to a plan containing one or more residential clusters, which may include public or quasi-public uses. [Amended 3-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
PLANNING BOARD - The Township Planning Board established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-23.
PLAT - A map or maps of a subdivision or site plan.
POTABLE WATER SUPPLY - Water suitable for drinking or cooking purposes.
PRELIMINARY APPROVAL - The conferral of certain rights pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-46, 40:55D-48 and 40:55D-49 prior to final approval after specific elements of a development plan have been agreed upon by the Planning Board and the applicant.
PRELIMINARY FLOOR PLANS AND ELEVATIONS - Architectural drawings prepared during early and introductory stages of the design of a project illustrating in a schematic form its scope, scale and relationship to its site and immediate environs.
PRELIMINARY PLAT - The preliminary map indicating the proposed layout of the subdivision which is submitted to the Planning Board for preliminary approval and meeting the requirements of this chapter.
PUBLIC DRAINAGEWAY - The lands reserved or dedicated for the installation of stormwater sewers or drainage ditches, or required along a natural stream or watercourse for preserving the biological as well as drainage function of the channel and providing for the flow of water to safeguard the public against flood damage, sedimentation and erosion, to assure the adequacy of existing and proposed culverts and bridges, to induce water recharge into the ground, where practical, and to lessen nonpoint pollution.
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE - An open space area conveyed or otherwise dedicated to the Township, Township agency, Board of Education, state or county agency or other public body for recreational or conservational uses.
PUD - See planned unit development.
RATIONAL METHOD - A method of runoff calculation.
RESIDENTIAL ACCESS STREET - The lowest order of residential street. Provides frontage for access to private lots, and carries traffic having destination or origin on the street itself. Designed to carry traffic at slowest speed. Traffic volume should not exceed 250 ADT at any point of traffic concentration. The maximum number of housing units should front on this class of street. See also street hierarchy.
RESIDENTIAL CLUSTER - A form of planned residential development to be developed as a single entity according to a plan and containing residential housing units that have a private or public open space area as an appurtenance. [Added 3-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
RESIDENTIAL COLLECTOR STREET - The highest order of residential street. Conducts and distributes traffic between lower-order residential streets and higher-order streets, arterials and expressways. Since its function is to promote free traffic flow, access to homes and parking should be prohibited. Collector streets should be designed to prevent use as shortcuts by nonneighborhood traffic. Total traffic volume should not exceed 3,000 ADT. See also street hierarchy.
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY - The number of dwelling units per gross acre of residential land area, including streets, easements and open space portions of a development.
RESIDENTIAL SITE IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS (RSIS) - The New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, as amended. [Added 3-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
RESIDENTIAL SUBCOLLECTOR STREETS - Middle order of residential streets. Provides frontage for access to lots and carries traffic to and from adjoining residential access streets. Traffic should have origin or destination in the immediate neighborhood. Traffic volume should not exceed 500 ADT at any point of traffic concentration. See also street hierarchy.
RESUBDIVISION -
A. The further division or relocation of lot lines of any lot or lots within a subdivision previously made and approved or recorded according to law; or
B. The alternation of any streets or the establishment of any new streets within any subdivision previously made and approved or recorded according to law, but does not include conveyances so as to combine existing lots by deed or other instruments.
RETAINING WALL - A structure erected between lands of different elevation to protect structures and/or to prevent the washing down or erosion of earth from the upper slope level.
RETENTION BASIN - A pond, pool or basin used for the permanent storage of water runoff.
RIGHT-OF-WAY - A strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a street, crosswalk, railroad, road, electric transmission line, gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or storm sewer main, shade trees or for another special use.
RURAL PLANNING DISTRICTS - Five delineated areas of the municipality identified by differing characteristics such as preserved farmland, environmental constraints, transportation routes and/or historic settlement patterns that give each area a distinct identifiable character and which separate the municipality into traditionally accepted communities. [Added 3-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-7]
SCS - The Soil Conservation Service.
SEDIMENTATION - The deposit of soil that has been transported from its site of origin by water, ice, wind, gravity or other natural means as a product of erosion.
SEPTIC SYSTEM - An underground system with a septic tank used for the decomposition of domestic wastes.
SEPTIC TANK - A watertight receptacle that receives the discharge of sewage.
SETBACK - The distance between the street right-of-way line and the front line of a building, or any projection thereof, excluding uncovered steps.
SHOULDER - The graded part of the right-of-way that lies between the edge of the main pavement (main traveled way) and the curbline.
SIDEWALK - A paved path provided for pedestrian use and usually located at the side of a road within the right-of-way.
SIGHT TRIANGLE - A triangular shaped portion of land established at street intersections in which nothing is erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow in such a manner as to limit or obstruct the sight distance of motorists entering or leaving the intersection.
SITE PLAN - A development plan of one or more lots of which is shown:
A. The existing or proposed conditions of the lot, including, but not necessarily limited to, the topography, vegetation, drainage, floodplains, marshes and waterways.
B. The location of all existing and proposed buildings, drives, parking spaces, walkways, means of ingress and egress, drainage facilities, utility services, landscaping, structures and signs, lighting and screening devices.
C. Any other information that may reasonably be required in order to make an informed determination pursuant to Chapter 164, Site Plan Review, review and approval of site plans by the Planning Board, adopted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-12.
SKETCH PLAT - The sketch map of a subdivision of sufficient accuracy to be used for the purpose of discussion and classification and meeting the requirements of § 185-18.
STORM SEWER - Any pipe conduit used to collect and carry away stormwater runoff from the generating source to detention/retention facilities or receiving streams.
STORMWATER DETENTION - A provision for storage of stormwater runoff and the controlled release of such runoff during and after a flood or storm.
STORMWATER RETENTION - A provision for storage of stormwater runoff.
STREET -
A. Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, land, parkway, viaduct, drive or other way:
(1) Which is an existing state, county or municipal roadway; or
(2) Which is shown upon a plat heretofore approved pursuant to law; or
(3) Which is approved by official action; or
(4) Which is shown on a plat duly filed and recorded in the office of the County Recording Officer prior to the appointment of a Planning Board and the grant to such Board of the power to review plats; and
B. Includes the land between the street lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, parking areas and other areas within the street lines. For the purpose of this chapter, streets shall be classified as follows:
(1) ARTERIAL STREETS - Those which are used primarily for fast or heavy traffic.
(2) COLLECTOR STREETS - Those which carry traffic from minor streets to the major system of arterial streets, including the principal entrance streets of a residential development and streets for circulation within such a development.
(3) MINOR STREETS - Those which are used primarily for access to the abutting properties.
(4) MARGINAL ACCESS STREETS - Streets which are parallel to and adjacent to arterial streets and highways and which provide access to abutting properties and protection from traffic.
(5) ALLEYS - Minor ways which are used primarily for vehicular service access to the back or side of properties otherwise abutting a street.
STREET HIERARCHY - The conceptual arrangement of streets based upon function. A hierarchical approach to street design classifies streets according to function, from high traffic arterial roads down to streets whose function is residential access. Systematizing street design into a road hierarchy promotes safety, efficient land use and residential quality.
STREET, LOOP - A street that has its only ingress and egress at two points on the same subcollector or collector street.
STUB STREET - A portion of a street for which an extension has been proposed and approved. May be permitted when development is phased over a period of time, but only if the street in its entirety has been approved in the preliminary plan.
SUBDIVISION -
A. The division of a lot, tract or parcel of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land for sale or development. The following shall not be considered subdivisions if no new streets are created:
(1) Divisions of land found by the Planning Board to be for agricultural purposes where all resulting parcels are five acres or larger in size.
(2) Divisions of property by testamentary or intestate provisions.
(3) Divisions of property upon court order, including, but not limited to, judgments of foreclosure.
(4) Consolidation of existing lots by deed or other recorded instrument.
(5) The conveyance of one or more adjoining lots, tracts or parcels of land, owned by the same person or persons and all of which are found and certified by the administrative officer to conform to the requirements of the Township development regulations and are shown and designated as separate lots, tracts or parcels on the Tax Map.
B. The term subdivision shall also include the term resubdivision.
SUBGRADE - The natural ground lying beneath a road.
TRIP - A single or one-way vehicle movement to or from a property or study area. Trips can be added together to calculate the total number of vehicles expected to enter and leave a specific land use or site over a designated period of time.
ULI - The Urban Land Institute.
USCGS (ALSO USC&G AND USC&GS) - The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
VARIANCE - Permission to depart from the literal requirements of the zoning ordinance, pursuant to Subsection b of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-40 and Subsections c and d of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70.
