TRENTON-Gov. Chris Christie recently signed the Time ofApplication Bill into law, effectively ending a 12-year battlebetween developers and the League of Municipalities.

The new law amends the Municipal Land Use Law to abolish, exceptin limited circumstances, the Time of Decision rule, which hadpreviously allowed municipalities to change zoning ordinances,including eliminating permitted uses, at any time prior to a finaldecision of a land use board. The new law creates a Time ofApplication standard, under which an applicant may proceed before aland use board based on the zoning ordinances in effect at the timeof filing an application without fear that a subsequent ordinanceadoption will scuttle their application. One notable exception tothe law is rezoning for public health and safety issues.

While many municipal officials and environmental groups opposedthe signing of this bill, it enjoyed widespread bipartisan supportin both houses of the Legislature and the Governor had previouslycommitted to signing some form of change to the Time of Decisionrule during his campaign.