The bill amends the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) in New Jersey to improve the efficiency and transparency of the land development application process. Key provisions include the introduction of model forms and checklists for development applications, which municipalities can adopt to standardize procedures. It allows for informal reviews of concept plans by planning boards or boards of adjustment, with fees for these reviews credited toward application fees. The bill also establishes specific timelines for municipal agencies to certify applications as complete and respond to resubmissions, mandating a response within 30 days for initial submissions and 15 days for subsequent ones. If a municipal agency fails to respond, applicants can take legal action to compel a response and recover costs.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes financial accountability by requiring municipal employees to submit monthly statements to the chief financial officer, who must provide regular accounting of escrow accounts. Professionals rendering services to municipalities are mandated to submit annual statements detailing their charges, which must be posted online. The bill also modifies the dispute resolution process for professional fees, allowing applicants to directly submit disputes to the county construction board of appeals and extending the timeframe for disputing charges if an informational copy of the professional's voucher has not been received. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline the development process, reduce costs, and enhance clarity in financial transactions related to land use.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40:55D-2, 40:55D-10.1, 40:55D-10.3, 40:55D-22, 40:55D-40.5, 40:55D-53.2, 40:55D-69.1