40:56-65. Legislative findings; public policy

a. The Legislature finds: (1) increases in population and automobile usage have created conditions of traffic congestion in business districts of New Jersey municipalities; (2) such conditions constitute a hazard to the safety of pedestrians and impede the movement of police and fire equipment, ambulances and like emergency vehicles; (3) streets in such districts that now accommodate both sidewalks and vehicular rights-of-way cannot be further widened without taking valuable buildings and improvements, thereby substantially impairing the primary function of such streets, that of being primarily pedestrian facilities, and impairing municipal ratables, the primary source of tax revenue; and (4) limitation on the use of such streets by private vehicles may be found by the governing body of any such municipality to be in the public interest of the municipality and State, to be of benefit to adjoining properties and to be essential to the effective use of such streets for street purposes.

b. The Legislature further finds: (1) that district management corporations may assist municipalities in promoting economic growth and employment within business districts; (2) that municipalities should be encouraged to create self-financing special improvement districts and designated district management corporations to execute self-help programs to enhance their local business climates; and (3) that municipalities should be given the broadest possible discretion in establishing by local ordinance the self-help programs most consistent with their local needs, goals and objectives.

c. It is the public policy of the State of New Jersey to permit the governing body of any municipality to protect the public welfare and health and the interests of the public in the safe and effective movement of persons and to preserve and enhance the function and appearance of the business districts of such municipalities by the adoption of ordinances as in this act authorized.

L.1972, c. 134, s. 1, eff. Aug. 17, 1972. Amended by L.1984, c. 151, s. 2, eff. Sept. 10, 1984.