9. a. Prior to the effective date of P.L.2021, c.197, the governing body of a qualifying municipality may apply for designation as an enterprise zone, the municipal governing body shall cause a preliminary zone development plan to be formulated, either by a zone development corporation or by the governing body, with the assistance of those officers and agencies of the municipality as the governing body may see fit. For a municipality with a zone development plan that was approved more than five years prior to the effective date of P.L.2021, c.197, the governing body of the municipality shall submit an updated preliminary zone development plan pursuant to this section. In formulating an updated preliminary zone development plan pursuant to this section, a zone development corporation or the governing body of the municipality shall consult with representatives of diverse Statewide or regional business organizations that represent the interests of minority businesses, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1986, c. 195 (C. 52:27H-21.18), which organizations shall have no less than 30 days to review a proposed preliminary zone development plan and submit comments to the zone development corporation or governing body. Each preliminary zone development plan shall set forth the boundaries of the enterprise zone and include findings of fact concerning the economic and social conditions existing in the enterprise zone, and the municipality’s policy and intentions for addressing these conditions, and may include proposals respecting:

(1) Utilizing the powers conferred on the municipality by law for the purpose of stimulating investment in and economic development of the zone;

(2) Utilizing State assistance through the provisions of P.L.1983, c.303 (C. 52:27H-60 et seq.) relating to State tax benefits and enterprise zone assistance funds;

(3) Securing the involvement in, and commitment to, zone economic development by private entities, including zone neighborhood associations, voluntary community organizations supported by residents and businesses in the zone;

(4) Utilizing the powers conferred by law to revise municipal planning and zoning ordinances and other land use regulations as they pertain to the zone, in order to enhance the attraction of the zone to prospective developers;

(5) Increasing the availability and efficiency of support services, public and private, generally used by and necessary to the efficient functioning of commercial and industrial facilities in the area, and the extent to which the increase or improvement is to be provided and financed by the municipal government or by other entities.

b. (1) The governing body of a municipality may request from the UEZ Authority an amount not to exceed 10 percent of the municipality’s zone assistance fund allocation or $125,000, whichever is greater, to fund, in whole or in part, the costs associated with formulating a preliminary zone development plan, which amount the governing body may use to pay employees, or to retain a consultant, to formulate the plan. Prior to soliciting a consultant to formulate the plan with these funds, the governing body of a municipality shall submit to the UEZ Authority the proposed solicitation.

(2) The UEZ Authority shall review the proposed solicitation and may provide recommended modifications to the proposed solicitation. The governing body of a municipality or a zone development corporation may incur expenses related to the preparation of the preliminary zone development plan for potential reimbursement at a later time by the UEZ Authority from the municipality zone assistance fund account, provided the authority determines the expenses are reasonable. The governing body of a municipality or a zone development corporation shall complete a preliminary zone development plan with assistance from the UEZ Authority, as needed, in accordance with a timeline established by the authority pursuant to rules, regulations, or guidelines adopted by the authority.

(3) Within 14 days of receipt, unless the authority finds material deficiencies in a preliminary zone development plan, the authority shall approve and certify the preliminary zone development plan as the zone development plan. The zone development plan shall be the plan according to which the Urban Enterprise Zone program shall be administered in that zone, and certification of the plan shall enable the municipality to access assistance from the enterprise zone assistance fund described in section 10 of P.L.2021, c.197 (C. 52:27H-88). Should the authority find deficiencies with a preliminary zone development plan, it shall provide a corrective action plan to the municipality.

c. If no zone development plan is in place, upon petition of the zone development corporation or governing body of the municipality, the UEZ Authority may grant a distribution from that municipality’s zone assistance fund account for an eligible project that responds to an impact of a public health emergency or state of emergency declared by the Governor. A zone development corporation or governing body of a municipality without a zone development plan in place, which can demonstrate to the UEZ Authority an actionable and feasible plan to carry out a project eligible for zone assistance funds, and which can demonstrate a reliance on zone assistance funding, may petition the authority for a distribution from that municipality’s zone assistance fund account prior to the authority’s approval of an updated preliminary zone development plan.

d. No zone development plan shall remain in force once it has been certified by the UEZ Authority for more than five years. The governing body of a municipality or zone development corporation shall follow the process enumerated in subsections a. and b. of this section to ensure a zone development plan remains current to protect against lapse of enterprise zone designation.

e. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, a qualified business in an enterprise zone having such qualified status immediately preceding the effective date of P.L.2021, c.197, and which is qualified under P.L.2021, c.197, shall remain eligible for the exemptions from the tax imposed under the “Sales and Use Tax Act,” P.L.1966, c.30 (C. 54:32B-1 et seq.), pursuant to sections 20 and 21 of P.L.1983, c.303 (C. 52:27H-79 and C. 52:27H-80), and shall be eligible for the exemption under section 8 of P.L.2021, c.197 (C. 52:27H-79.1) even if the municipality in which the business is located fails to submit a zone development plan in accordance with this section; provided, however, a municipality failing to submit a zone development plan under this section shall not be eligible for loans, grants, and other assistance from the UEZ Authority, and shall not be allowed a distribution from that municipality’s zone assistance fund, except as provided for in subsection c. of this section, until a revised zone development plan is submitted and approved by the UEZ Authority.

L.1983, c.303, s.9; amended 1983, c.539; 2021, c.197, s.4.