40:11A-6. Powers and purposes of authority

(1) Every parking authority shall constitute a public body corporate and politic and a political subdivision of the State with the same territorial boundaries as the boundaries of the municipality or county creating the authority, exercising public and essential governmental functions, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate its corporate purposes and the purposes and provisions of this act.

(2) The purposes of every parking authority shall be the construction, provision or operation of offstreet parking projects within its area of operation and, subject to the provisions of R.S. 39:4-202, shall include, to the extent authorized by the governing body of the municipality, the management and operation of onstreet and other parking meters and related facilities and enforcement of the applicable law, ordinances and regulations as to the parking of vehicles in such municipality, and the consequent promotion of free movement of traffic and relief of traffic congestion on the streets of said area or municipality and improvement of conditions affecting the public safety and welfare therein.

(3) Every parking authority is hereby authorized to plan, design, construct, reconstruct, enlarge, improve, manage, maintain, repair, operate and use such parking project or projects as in the opinion of the authority will provide an effective and satisfactory method for promoting the purposes of the authority.

(4) Every parking authority shall have perpetual succession and have the following powers in addition to any others herein granted:

(a) To sue and be sued; to have a seal and to alter the same at pleasure; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority; and to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this act, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority.

(b) To conduct research respecting parking and the possibility or necessity of fulfillment of public needs in relation thereto.

(c) To acquire by gift, purchase, lease, devise or otherwise and hold and use, and to construct, improve, maintain, operate, own, manage, or lease either in a capacity of lessor or lessee parking projects and any land, franchise, property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, or any interest therein, meters, equipment or facilities to be devoted to the parking or storage of vehicles of any kind or which in the opinion of the authority are necessary or useful and convenient in connection therewith or with the promotion of free movement of traffic, subject to the provisions of R.S. 39:4-202.

(d) Subject to the provisions of paragraph 5 of this section, to lease as lessor any real property, parking project or portion or portions of parking projects for any business, commercial or other use to any person for such consideration and for such period or periods of time and upon such other terms and conditions as it may fix and agree upon. Any such lease may be upon condition that the lessee shall or may construct or provide any building or buildings or other facilities on such real property, parking project or projects or portions thereof, including space for business, commercial or other uses, all upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon.

(e) To sell, transfer and dispose of any property or interest therein at any time acquired by it upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, with or without public bidding.

(f) To fix, alter, charge and collect rents, rates and other charges at reasonable rates to be determined exclusively by it, for the use of the facilities and projects of the authority and for all services sold, furnished or supplied directly or indirectly by the authority through said facilities and projects, which shall, together with any grants, receipts, contributions or income from other sources, be sufficient to provide for the payment of the expenses of the authority, repair, maintenance and operation of its facilities and projects, and payment of the principal of and interest on, and any premiums upon the redemption of, its bonds and other obligations, and to fulfill the terms and provisions of any agreements made with the purchasers or holders of any such bonds or other obligations.

(g) To invest any funds held in reserve or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control.

(h) To borrow money and accept grants from and to enter into contracts, leases or other transactions with the State of New Jersey, any Federal agency, any person, or any municipality, county or other public body.

(i) To mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber all or any of its property or assets then existing or thereafter acquired or coming into existence, including real and personal property donated to it by a municipality or county.

(j) To enter into contracts with the State of New Jersey or any municipality, county or governmental agency for the use of any project of the authority.

(k) To do and perform any acts and things authorized by this act under, through or by means of its own officers, agents and employees, or by contract with any person.

( l ) To enter into and perform any and all contracts, execute any and all instruments, and do and perform any and all acts and things necessary or useful and convenient for the purposes of the authority or to carry out any of the powers expressly granted to it by this act or any other acts subject to P.L.1971, c. 198 "Local Public Contracts Law" (C. 40A:11-1 et seq.).

(5) No parking authority shall engage directly in the sale of gasoline or accessories for, or in the repair or other servicing of, automobiles and other motor vehicles except in emergency, or shall engage directly in the sale of any commodity of trade or commerce, but any authority may include in any parking project, and provide and lease as lessor, structures, buildings, space or accommodations (whether constructed by the authority or by a lessee) for any business, commercial or other use, including the sale of gasoline or accessories for, or the repair or other servicing of, automobiles and other motor vehicles, if, in the opinion of the authority, such inclusion, provision and proposed leasing is necessary to assist in defraying the expenses of the authority and make possible the operation of the parking facilities of such project at reasonable rates and will increase the facilities for offstreet parking which can be feasibly included, financed, constructed and operated as part of such project.

L.1948, c. 198, p. 981, s. 6. Amended by L.1954, c. 138, p. 626, s. 4; L.1958, c. 22, p. 59, s. 3, eff. April 22, 1958; L.1973, c. 268, s. 1, eff. Nov. 29, 1973; L.1975, c. 96, s. 1, eff. May 16, 1975.