Please be advised that Manchester Township recently adopted Ordinance #22-15 that encourages Electrical Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and make ready parking spaces to establish associated regulations and standards.

 

This original Statewide Municipal Electric Vehicle (EV) Ordinance published by DCA on September 1, 2021, was written with support from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Board of Public Utilities (BPU), to comply with P.L. 2021, c. 171, which Governor Phil Murphy signed into law on July 9, 2021.

 

This law requires that Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready parking spaces be designated as a permitted accessory use in all of our zoning and/or use districts and establishes associated installation and parking requirements related to EVSE in New Jersey.

 

The permitting process for this installation is quite simple and is hereby outlined below;

 

(3) Approvals and Permits

(a)     An application for development submitted solely for the installation of EVSE or Make-Ready parking spaces shall be considered a permitted accessory use and permitted accessory structure in all zoning or use districts and shall not require a variance pursuant to C.40:55D-70.

(b)    EVSE and Make-Ready Parking Spaces installed pursuant to Section (4). below in development applications that are subject to site plan approval are considered a permitted accessory use as described in (a). above.

(c)     All EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces shall be subject to applicable local and/or Department of Community Affairs permit and inspection requirements.

(d)    The Administrative Officer shall enforce all signage and installation requirements described in this ordinance. Failure to meet the requirements in this ordinance shall be subject to the same enforcement and penalty provisions as other violations of the Township of Manchester’s land use regulations.

(e)     An application for development for the installation of EVSE or Make-Ready spaces at an existing gasoline service station, an existing retail establishment, or any other existing building shall not be subject to site plan or other land use board review, shall not require variance relief pursuant to C.40:55D-1 et seq. or any other law, rule, or regulation, and shall be approved through the issuance of a zoning permit by the administrative officer, provided the application meets the following requirements:

[1]   the proposed installation does not violate bulk requirements applicable to the property or the conditions of the original final approval of the site plan or subsequent approvals for the existing gasoline service station, retail establishment, or other existing building;

[2]   all other conditions of prior approvals for the gasoline service station, the existing retail establishment, or any other existing building continue to be met; and

[3]   the proposed installation complies with the construction codes adopted in or promulgated pursuant to the “State Uniform Construction Code Act,” P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.), any safety standards concerning the installation, and any State rule or regulation concerning electric vehicle charging stations.

(f)     An application pursuant to Section (e). above shall be deemed complete if:

[1]   the application, including the permit fee and all necessary documentation, is determined to be complete,

[2]   a notice of incompleteness is not provided within 20 days after the filing of the application, or

[3]   a one-time written correction notice is not issued by the Administrative Officer within 20 days after filing of the application detailing all deficiencies in the application and identifying any additional information explicitly necessary to complete a review of the permit application.

(g)     EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces installed at a gasoline service station, an existing retail establishment, or any other existing building shall be subject to applicable local and/or Department of Community Affairs inspection requirements.

(h)    A permitting application solely for the installation of electric vehicle supply equipment permitted as an accessory use shall not be subject to review based on parking requirements.

(4)  Requirements for New Installation of EVSE and Make-Ready Parking Spaces

(a)     As a condition of preliminary site plan approval, for each application involving a multiple dwelling with five or more units of dwelling space, which shall include a multiple dwelling that is held under a condominium or cooperative form of ownership, a mutual housing corporation, or a mixed-use development, the developer or owner, as applicable, shall:

[1]   prepare as Make-Ready parking spaces at least 15 percent of the required off-street parking spaces, and install EVSE in at least one-third of the 15 percent of Make-Ready parking spaces;

[2]   within three years following the date of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, install EVSE in an additional one-third of the original 15 percent of Make-Ready parking spaces; and

[3]   within six years following the date of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, install EVSE in the final one-third of the original 15 percent of Make-Ready parking spaces.

[4]   Throughout the installation of EVSE in the Make-Ready parking spaces, at least five percent of the electric vehicle supply equipment shall be accessible for people with disabilities.

[5]   Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to restrict the ability to install electric vehicle supply equipment or Make-Ready parking spaces at a faster or more expansive rate than as required above.

 

To view the EVSE Ordinance in its entirety, please click on the following link;

EVSE Ordinance  

 

To submit the Zoning Permit Application for the EVSE installation, please access the following link;

Zoning Application Revised for EVSE