A new bill (A1907) that would extend the statewide moratorium on the collection of non-residential development fees (“NRDFs”) recently passed both the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate. It now awaits Governor Christie’s signature. If signed into law, the bill would reinstate the moratorium on the collection of NRDFs that expired July 1, 2013, extending it to December 31, 2014. Developers who paid NRDFs during that period would be eligible to seek a refund, which must be granted so long as the NRDF has not already been expended for affordable housing.

NRDFs were initially established in New Jersey by P.L. 2008, c. 46 and codified in the Municipal Land Use Law. For any non-residential development, the required NRDF is 2.5% of the equalized assessed value of land and proposed improvements. The NRDF is collected at the municipal level and paid into a state fund for the development of affordable housing.

The initial moratorium on the collection of NRDFs was contained in P.L. 2009, c. 90 and ended July 1, 2010. The second moratorium was found in P.L. 2011, c. 122, which extended the moratorium to July 1, 2013. As of July 1, 2013, municipalities were again required to impose a n NRDF on new non-residential development. No NRDFs may be assessed against projects that received site plan approval prior to July 1, 2013, provided that a construction permit is issued by July 1, 2015.

If signed into law, the re-imposition of the moratorium would be an important albeit relatively short lived, benefit to non-residential developers.