Zoning Questions

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

Our town has a college that is located within a historic district that is officially listed on the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places. It has been proposed that a "college zone" be established that will encompass the area of the college. If this takes place, would the historic district rules be overthrown, thereby letting the college have the right to make changes within its zone without review by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Officer? Or would the historic Register laws still be in effect in this college zone?

Also, is the main purpose of a college zone to limit the extent the college can encroach on its surroundings, or enable the college to have MORE leeway within its own zone? Or could it be either way?

If anyone knows the answer to these zoning questions I would appreciate it. Thank you.

-Miriam in New Jersey

[HomeGuru]

Please direct your questions to the local zoning dept.

Unfortunately our town is very backward and is not very knowledgeable about the fine points of special zones like college zones, etc. I would doubt very much they would have the slightest idea what would take precedence over what when it came to a college zone vs. a historic district. This is a town that can't even see the big picture enough to allow a short tax exemption (not even an abatement) to allow a much-needed development to take place.

I have spoken to someone at the state level as of yesterday (through the State Historic Preservation Office) who said that they believe the historic district rules would still apply at the state and federal level but that the local ordinance would need to be written in such a way that it specified that historic district review would still take place in the college zone.