West Windsor planning board advances modernized site-plan and subdivision checklist, removes school-impact requirement

David Novak of Purchase Associates told the West Windsor Planning Board on Feb. 25 that the township’s site-plan and subdivision checklist ordinance had not been substantially updated in about 20 years and needs modernization to reflect changes in technology, resources and the municipal land use law’s “time-of-decision” rule. “It’s been about 20 years since the township has updated its site plan and subdivision checklist ordinance,” Novak said, framing the draft as the tool that tells applicants what materials they must submit and what the board can reasonably request.

The memo and draft forms Novak presented reorganize requirements by application type — concept plans, minor site plans and preliminary/final submissions — and include new, downloadable checklist forms with separate checkboxes for applicants and township reviewers to make completeness clearer. Novak said the consultants rewrote the forms so applicants can electronically mark items and the township can track which items are waived or still required.

Board members and staff spent much of…