720 S Blue Bell Rd, FRANKLIN TWP, NJ 08322

Residential Agricultural District

To conserve and preserve environmentally sensitive land, including but not limited to those areas containing unique and sensitive natural features such as woodlands consisting of mature stands of forest, steep slopes, streams, floodplains and wetlands, by preventing development thereon; To safeguard supplies of drinking water and preserve water quality by promoting residential density in the Township consistent with groundwater recharge rates; To provide greater design flexibility and efficiency for developers in the siting of services and infrastructure, including the opportunity to reduce the length of new roads, utility runs, and the amount of paving required for residential development; To reduce erosion and sedimentation by the retention of existing vegetation, and the minimization of development on steep slopes; To implement municipal policies to conserve a variety of irreplaceable and environmentally sensitive resource lands as set forth in the Township's Open Space Plan and Master Plan, including provisions for reasonable incentives to create open space for the benefit of present and future residents; To implement sound land uses policies, as identified in Franklin Township's Masterplan and as permitted by the Municipal Land Use Law; To protect areas of the municipality with productive agricultural soils for continued or future agricultural use, by conserving blocks of land large enough to allow for efficient farm operations; To create neighborhoods with direct visual access to open land, with amenities in the form of neighborhood open space, and with a strong neighborhood identity; To provide for the conservation and maintenance of open land within the municipality to achieve the above-mentioned goals and for active or passive recreational use by Township residents; To conserve the municipality's rural character, and to minimize perceived density, by minimizing views of new development from existing roads.