Purpose.
The purpose of site plan review is to provide for the review and approval of development plans to ensure that land development occurs in harmony with surrounding uses, without adversely impacting neighboring parcels, property values, public facilities, infrastructure or the natural environment.

Site plan required prior to building permit or certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.
Before a building permit or certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance can be issued for any of the activities for which site plan approval is required, a site plan must be approved by the Planning Board in accordance with these and other applicable provisions.

Applicability.
The requirements set forth in this article shall apply to all activities or developments that are referred to elsewhere in this chapter as requiring a site plan approval. In addition, and supplementing such provisions, the requirements of this article shall also apply to the following actions except as to those actions specifically exempted, or for which alternative specific site plan review and approval requirements are established, elsewhere in this chapter:
A.  All new commercial, industrial or institutional development.
B.  All new multifamily housing.
C.  Any modification of existing commercial, industrial, institutional or multifamily buildings, for which no previous site plan exists.
D.  Any conversion of an existing residential structure to a nonresidential use (except as may have occurred in connection with a home occupation established in conformity with the provisions of this chapter).
E.  Any conversion of an existing nonresidential structure into a residential structure containing three or more dwelling units.
F.  Any modification to an existing residential structure which increases the number of dwelling units in the building to three or more dwelling units.
G.  Any change of an existing nonresidential building from one type of use specified in this chapter to another (e.g., conversion of a commercial structure to an industrial facility or conversion from a warehouse to a restaurant).
H.  Any other modification to any facility or structure not set forth in the preceding subsections, for which final site plan approval was or is presently required by the terms of this chapter or any modification to any previously approved site plan, except as otherwise authorized below.

In an NT-3, NT-4, NT-4u, or NT-5 zone, the New Neighborhood Code defines the types and thresholds of actions that need site plan review. (See § 272-704.)