Outdoor spaces, extension of business premises, other than sale of alcoholic beverages, application filing, municipal zoning officer.
N.J. Stat. § 40:55D-166
in effect3. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the owner or operator of a restaurant that does not sell alcoholic beverages and the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license may use, for purposes other than selling alcoholic beverages in such spaces as authorized pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-165), outdoor spaces as an extension of their business premises that they own or lease and that are located either on their business premises contiguous to the business premises, or in a non-contiguous location. b. The owner or operator of a restaurant that does not sell alcoholic beverages and the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license seeking to utilize, for purposes other than selling alcoholic beverages in such spaces as authorized pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-165), outdoor spaces as an extension of their businesses shall file an application with the municipal zoning officer. The application to the municipal zoning officer shall include: (1) a plan, sketch, picture, or drawing that depicts the design, dimensional boundaries, and placement of tents, canopies, umbrellas, tables, chairs, and other fixtures of the outdoor spaces; and (2) a plan for the control of litter, the removal and storage of garbage, and the cleaning of fixtures and grounds. If a business premises' parking lot is used for the service and sale of either food or beverages, or both, the owner or operator of a restaurant that does not sell alcoholic beverages and the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license shall not encumber more than 75 percent of the lot's total parking spaces for service and sale, unless the parking lot contains less than eight parking spaces, and shall maintain at least one handicapped parking space in the parking lot. c. A municipality may require that an applicant provide one or more of the following: (1) written consent of the owner of the premises, if other than the applicant; (2) an insurance certificate naming the municipality as an additional insured, with general liability on an occurrence with a limit of liability of at least $1,000,000, with respect to losses arising solely from the operation of the outdoor dining facility; or (3) an indemnification agreement with the municipality with respect to losses arising solely from the operation of the outdoor dining facility. d. (1) The zoning officer shall issue an approval to the applicant within 15 business days of the application being submitted and deemed complete provided that the applicant meets and abides by all qualifications and requirements of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-164 et al.), with the exception that the zoning officer may deny an application based on current violations of any other health, safety, fire, permitted use, or zoning regulation or upon any applicable law permitting the denial of a zoning permit. An application under this section shall not be considered a variance under the "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.). (2) A municipality may deny, revoke, or temporarily suspend the permit of any applicant or permittee that violates, or is not in compliance with, any provision of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-164 et al.) or any provision of a law, ordinance, or regulation related to health, safety, fire, permitted use, zoning, or the consumption or control of alcoholic beverages not otherwise under the jurisdiction of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and may also deny, revoke, or temporarily suspend the permit of any applicant or permittee based on any action taken against the applicant or permittee by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control related to the division's enforcement of any law or regulation related to the consumption or control of alcoholic beverages under its jurisdiction. (3) An appeal to any approval, denial, revocation, or suspension may be filed through the municipal clerk with the governing body of the municipality. The governing body, or its designee, shall conduct a hearing and render a decision within 30 days of the filing of the appeal. The governing body may designate a municipal official or an attorney licensed in the State of New Jersey to serve as a hearing officer in place of the governing body for the purpose of conducting said hearing and rendering said decision. Nothing in P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-164 et al.) shall be construed to restrict the right of any party to obtain a review by any court of competent jurisdiction, according to law. e. A permit issued pursuant to this section to a restaurant without an alcoholic beverage retail license shall be subject to annual renewal. f. A municipality that approves an application for the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license shall submit its endorsement to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-165). g. The owner or operator of a restaurant that does not sell alcoholic beverages and the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license who held a temporary permit issued by the municipality prior to the effective date of this act shall be entitled to convert the permit to a premises expansion permit established pursuant to this section to be used for purposes other than selling alcoholic beverages in such spaces as authorized pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-165). An owner or operator of a restaurant that does not sell alcoholic beverages and the holder of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer license or retail consumption license who held a temporary permit issued by the municipality prior to the effective date of this act and converts the permit pursuant to this subsection shall not be required to submit to the municipal governing authority an additional application pursuant to P.L.2024, c.95 (C.40:55D-164 et al.). L.2024, c.95, s.3.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026