This chapter shall be known generally and may be referred to by the short title, the "Zoning Ordinance of the Borough of Hopatcong."

This chapter is adopted pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., in order to promote and protect the public health, safety, morals and general welfare and in furtherance of the following related and more specific objectives:

A. To encourage Borough action to guide the appropriate use or development of all lands 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 the development of the Borough does not conflict with the development and general welfare of neighboring municipalities and 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.

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 environmental requirements in order to meet the needs of all citizens.

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 would 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 open space and valuable natural resources and to prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land.

K. To encourage planned development which incorporates the best features of design and relates the type, design and recreational development to the particular site.

L. To encourage senior citizen community housing construction.

M. To encourage coordination of the various public and private procedures and activities shaping land development, with a view to lessening the cost of such development and to the more efficient use of land.

A. In the interpretation and application thereof, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the Borough.

B. The provisions and requirements of this chapter shall be held paramount to any corresponding or similar but less restrictive provisions and requirements established by any law, ordinance, rule or regulation or by deed restriction, private covenant or agreement. Where this chapter imposes a greater restriction or limitation upon the use of buildings or premises or upon the height of buildings or lot coverage or requires greater lot areas or larger yards, courts or other open spaces than are presently imposed or required by existing provisions of law or ordinance, by existing rules, regulations or permits or by covenants or restrictions imposed by deed or private agreement, the provisions of this chapter shall control.

C. The Zoning Ordinance of the Borough of Hopatcong shall be viewed as a permissive chapter. In no instance after the adoption of this chapter shall any use be permitted in the Borough which is not listed as a permitted principal, permitted accessory or conditional use as specified herein.