13:17-6. Powers

The commission shall have perpetual succession and shall have the following powers:

(a) To adopt and from time to time amend and repeal suitable by-laws for the management of its affairs;

(b) To adopt and use an official seal and alter the same at its pleasure;

(c) To maintain an office at such place or places within the State as it may designate;

(d) To sue and be sued in its own name;

(e) To issue bonds or notes of the commission and to provide for the rights of the holders thereof as provided in this act; provided, however, that prior to the issuance of any bonds or notes and prior to incurring any financial obligation in excess of $1,000,000.00, the commission shall employ a registered municipal accountant of New Jersey or a certified public accountant of New Jersey to inspect its accounts and certify to the State Treasurer that such bonds or such obligations may be issued or incurred by the commission without prejudice to any bonds or obligations of the commission outstanding, and that such bonds or obligations are, or may reasonably be expected to be, within the ability of the commission to meet.

(f) To enter upon any building or property in order to conduct investigations, examinations, surveys, soundings, or test borings necessary to carry out the purposes of this act, all in accordance with due process of law.

(g) To acquire in the name of the commission by purchase, lease as lessee, or otherwise, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may deem proper, or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, any land or interest therein and other property, including land under water and riparian lands, land or highways held by any municipality or other governmental subdivision of the State, or any fee simple absolute in, easements upon, or the benefit of restrictions upon abutting property, that it may determine is reasonably necessary for the performance of any of its duties under this act; provided that the power of eminent domain shall not be exercised by the commission to acquire any property owned or used by a public utility, as defined in section 48:2-13 of the Revised Statutes, in furnishing any commodity or service which by law it is authorized to furnish;

(h) To receive and accept, from any Federal or other public agency or governmental entity, grants or loans for or in aid of the planning or construction of any project or improvement, or the acquisition of any property, and to receive and accept aid or contributions from any other source, of either money, property, labor or other things of value, to be held, used and applied only for the purposes for which such grants, loans and contributions may be made, and to enter into co-operative agreements with the Federal Government or any other public or governmental agency for the performance of such acts as may be necessary and proper for the reclamation of the meadowlands and to comply with other requirements for such participation;

(i) To prepare, adopt and implement a master plan for the physical development of all lands, or a portion thereof, lying within the district; and to adopt and enforce codes and standards for the effectuation of such plan;

(j) By contract or contracts with a redeveloper or by its own employees to undertake any development or other project or improvement as it finds necessary to reclaim, develop, redevelop and improve the land within the district;

(k) To establish engineering standards for land reclamation, including the type of fill, drainage and grading, and to promulgate a building code specifying the maximum weight, size and density of all buildings and structures to be placed on any land within its jurisdiction according to the method of reclamation employed and the load-bearing quality of the reclaimed land;

(l) To recover by special assessments the cost of improvements from the increase of property values attributable to such improvements;

(m) Generally to fix and revise from time to time and to charge and collect rates, fees and other charges for the use of any facilities operated and maintained by the commission;

(n) To make such legal arrangements for the use of the property of the school fund so as to increase the capital of such fund as may be necessary or desirable;

(o) To enter into any and all agreements or contracts, execute any and all instruments, and do and perform any and all acts or things necessary, convenient or desirable for the purposes of the commission or to carry out any power expressly given in this act;

(p) To conduct examinations and investigations, hear testimony and take proof under oath at public or private hearings, of any material matter, require attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers and issue commissions for the examination of witnesses who are out of State, unable to attend, or excused from attendance;

(q) To publish and disseminate information and to make known to potential users, by advertisement, solicitation or other means, the availability for development of lands in the district;

(r) To review and regulate plans for any subdivision or development within the district;

(s) To subordinate, waive, sell, assign, or release any right, title, claim, lien, or demand however acquired, including any equity or right or redemption; to foreclose, sell, or assign any mortgage held by it, or any interest in real or personal property; and to purchase at any sale upon such terms and at such prices as it determines to be reasonable and to take title to property, real, personal, or mixed, so acquired, and to sell, exchange, assign, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of any such property, subject to such conditions and restrictions as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this act;

(t) To cause to be prepared plans, specifications, designs and estimates of costs for the construction of projects and improvements under the provisions of this act, and from time to time to modify such plans, specifications, designs or estimates;

(u) To determine the existence of renewal areas, and to undertake redevelopment projects therein;

(v) To exercise all authorized powers of the commission which shall be deemed to be for a public purpose and to acquire any property which shall be deemed for public use, which use shall be deemed superior to the public use of any municipality, county, school district, or other local or regional district, authority or agency;

(w) To provide solid waste disposal facilities for the treatment and disposal of solid waste, as hereinafter provided.

L.1968, c. 404, s. 6.