N.J. Admin. Code § 7:70-3.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 7:70-3.2 - Application process

(a) The Executive Director shall prepare an outreach program. The outreach program shall, at a minimum:

1. Provide information and training on the availability of the Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program to: all municipalities and counties within the Highlands Region, all State agencies, and to charitable conservancies that are known to operate or have funding assigned to be expended within, or immediately adjacent to, the Highlands Region.

2. Provide notice of each application round through publication in the Highlands Council's official newspapers posted on the Highlands Council's website http://www.nj.gov/njhighlands/.

(b) Requirements for acceptance of applications are as follows:

1. Partnership entities shall complete and sign an application form, prepared by the Executive Director, which includes the submission requirements in (b)2 below.

2. The following information must be submitted with any application for partnership funding under this chapter:

i. Name and address of the applicant;

ii. Where the applicant is a charitable conservancy:

(1) Documentation indicating that the entity is exempt from Federal income taxation under paragraph (3) of the subsection (c) of section 501 of the Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ( 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)); and

(2) Documentation indicating that the entity's purpose includes the acquisition and preservation of lands in a natural, scenic, or other open condition;

iii. Where the applicant is a county or local government, a copy of an adopted resolution authorizing the submission of the application for the property in question;

iv. A description of property including:

(1) Tax block(s) and lot(s);

(2) Street address;

(3) Acreage of the property;

(4) List of any structures or other improvements on the property;

(5) If the acquisition of part of a lot is proposed, both the area (in acres) of the part to be acquired and the area of the remainder shall be denoted;

(6) Any significant environmental, recreational, structures, or other resources, and/or access issues;

(7) The location and area of all known existing easements, road right-of-ways, encroachments, and similar features, with the source of such information identified, and any proposed area(s) to be excepted from the property; and

(8) Any adjacent properties proposed for preservation;

v. Current owner's name and mailing address;

vi. List of all proposed funding sources including:

(1) Commitment letters or other available proof of these sources;

(2) Any adopted resolutions from government entities authorizing or approving funding; and

(3) Any time limits or other restrictions related to the specific funding sources;

vii. A copy of the proposed conservation easement language; and

viii. Valuation of the property as follows:

(1) Where appraisals have already been prepared, copies of such must be submitted;

(2) Where no appraisals have been prepared, an estimated total cost must be submitted;

(3) Where a specific valuation has already been negotiated, that valuation must be submitted; or

(4) Where a contract of sale has been agreed upon, copies of the contract must be submitted.

(c) The Highlands Council shall approve deadlines for the submission of applications.

(d) Completeness reviews of applications shall be performed as follows:

1. The Executive Director shall conduct a completeness review for each application which shall be deemed complete upon receipt of all information required pursuant to (b)2 above. The Executive Director shall provide written notice to the applicant when an application is deemed complete.

2. If the application is not deemed complete, the Executive Director shall provide written notice to the applicant. Applicants shall have 60 days after notification of an incomplete application to provide any missing information to complete the application.

3. The Executive Director may provide an additional 60-day extension to the applicant to supply the necessary information where deemed appropriate by the specific conditions of the application.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:70-3.2

Adopted by 48 N.J.R. 631(a), effective 4/18/2016