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Clark Township Council introduces broad zoning-code rewrite, schedules Dec. 16 public hearing
Summary
Council introduced Ordinance 24-15 to amend Chapter 195 (land use and development), aiming to streamline reviews, add a development-review committee, update floodplain and stormwater standards, and revise height-variance rules; a public hearing is set for Dec. 16.
The Clark Township Council on Nov. 18 introduced Ordinance 24-15, a comprehensive amendment and restatement of Chapter 195 (land use and development) that the council says consolidates more than a year of planning work to streamline application reviews and update technical standards.
Township official Jim described the ordinance as the product of 18 months of work with two planners, the township attorney, the planning-board attorney and the engineer. “What we have in front of you is a culmination of a lot of hours and hard work to get there,” he said, adding the update is intended to reduce the number of matters that must go to the planning or zoning board by formalizing pre‑application review and clarifying approval processes.
Why it matters: the rewrite changes procedures for nonconformity certificates and appeals, establishes a formal Development Review Committee (DRC) that would include planner, engineer, police and fire to identify issues before an application reaches a board, and updates floodplain‑waiver language to reflect current DEP requirements. The ordinance also revises stormwater management rules and clarifies height‑variance treatment; the township official said the new variance allowance is “10 feet or 10% of the maximum permitted height” to provide flexibility for safety equipment and other design needs.
Council members asked questions about scope and timing. Councilman Mazzarella said the document is large and that he would follow up with specific questions over the coming month; the ordinance will return on next month’s agenda for final consideration. Councilman Smith asked whether the height‑variance change would affect property owners; township staff replied it is intended to allow limited flexibility for unique designs without expanding habitable floors.
The ordinance will have a public hearing and further consideration at the council meeting on Dec. 16. Council members were asked to review the published summaries and to submit questions in writing to staff ahead of that date.
