On August 21, 2007, Governor Jon Corzine continued the the promotion of green building initiatives in the Garden State by signing into law A-2853, which prohibits homeowners’ associations from instituting a ban on the installation of solar collectors on the roofs of single family dwellings and townhouse units which are part of a planned community with commonly-owned property managed by an association. 

The law, which is an amendment to the Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act, N.J.S.A. 45:22A-21 et seq., does permit an association to to restrict the aggregate size or coverage or the total number of solar collectors, provided that the regulations imposed by the association do not inhibit the solar collectors from functioning at maximum efficiency.  Additional regulations relating to aesthetics, such as concealing supportive structures and piping and harmonizing colors with the color of structures and landscaping in the community, are also allowed under the new law.

In another bill signed into law the same day, A-3983, the Governor required the State to replace all incandescent light bulbs in buildings owned by the State with compact fluorescent bulbs over the next three years and for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“BPU”) to undertake a public information campaign regarding the benefits of using compact fluorescent bulbs.  The bill authorizes the BPU to utilize both electronic and print media as well as other appropriate methods.  All informational flyers sent out by the BPU will, undoubtedly, be printed on recycled paper.