46:3B-20 - Claimant deemed to have elected remedy - New Jersey Statutes

46:3B-20.    Claimant deemed to have elected remedy 
     11. a. For purposes of a claim filed by a claimant for damages arising out of the failure of fire retardant treated plywood pursuant to this act, the claimant shall be deemed to have elected a remedy pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1977, c.467 (C.46:3B-9) upon the filing of a claim with the commissioner pursuant to section 2 or section 6 of this act. However, such an election of remedy shall not be deemed to have occurred for a claim filed pursuant to section 6 of this act if the assignment of the claim is declined by the Attorney General pursuant to paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection b. of section 6 of this act, or if the relief required for the assignment of the claim pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection b. of section 6 of this act is denied by the court.  In such instance the claimant may continue to pursue the civil action for damages arising out of the failure of fire retardant treated plywood. 

    b.   For purposes of this section, a "claim" means a claim filed pursuant to this act by an owner, a warranty guarantor, a builder, or jointly by an owner and builder for the remediation of damages to any portion of the affected structure or structures arising out of the failure of fire retardant treated plywood.  For purposes of this section, the claim shall be deemed to include all portions of the structure or structures which contain fire retardant treated plywood, whether or not the claimant or the joint claimant has sought remediation of all the affected structure or structures. 

    c.   The provisions of section 9 of P.L.1977, c.467 (C.46:3B-9), shall not be deemed to preclude the Attorney General from filing, maintaining, or continuing a legal action against potential responsible parties regarding a claim which the Attorney General has accepted for assignment pursuant to this act. 

    L.1991,c.202,s.11. 
 
46:3C-1.Short title
1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the "New Residential Construction Off-Site Conditions Disclosure Act."

L.1995,c.253,s.1.
 
46:3C-2.Findings, declarations relative to purchase of residential real estate
2. The Legislature finds and declares that the purchase of a residence involves a substantial portion of the average household's net worth, and the decision to purchase a particular residence requires consideration of a wide range of factors concerning the area in which the residential real estate is located; that the professionals who engage in the business of selling newly-constructed residential real estate can facilitate prudent decision-making with respect to the purchase of residences by advising purchasers of the availability of  information concerning factors which can reasonably be determined to exist and which may affect the value of the residence; that the due diligence responsibilities of purchasers and the disclosure duties of sellers of residential real estate are mutually interdependent and, therefore, ambiguity in the definition and assignment of the sellers' disclosure duties may inadvertently diminish the due diligence efforts of purchasers, or unnecessarily increase the costs of residential real estate transactions; and that there currently exists ambiguity concerning the disclosure duties of the sellers of residential real estate.

The Legislature therefore determines that it is in the public interest to define the entirety of the disclosure duties of the sellers of newly constructed residential real estate and to create a public repository of relevant off-site conditions which may be accessed by purchasers of such real estate.

L.1995,c.253,s.2.
46:3C-3.Definitions
3. As used in this act:

"Newly constructed" means any dwelling unit not previously occupied, excluding dwelling units constructed solely for lease and units governed by the "National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974," 42 U.S.C.5401 et seq.

"Off-site conditions" mean those conditions which may materially affect the value of the residential real estate property and shall be limited to the following:

(1) The latest Department of Environmental Protection listing of sites included on the National Priorities List pursuant to the "Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980," 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.;

(2) The latest sites known to and confirmed by the Department of Environmental Protection and included on the New Jersey master list of known hazardous discharge sites, prepared pursuant to P.L.1982, c.202 (C.58:10-23.15 et seq.);

(3) Overhead electric utility transmission lines conducting 240,000 volts or more;

(4) Electrical transformer substations;

(5) Underground gas transmission lines as defined in 49 C.F.R.192.3;

(6) Sewer pump stations of a capacity equal to, or in excess of 0.5 million gallons per day and sewer trunk lines in excess of 15 inches in diameter;

(7) Sanitary landfill facilities as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-3);

(8) Public wastewater treatment facilities; and

(9) Airport safety zones as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1983, c.260 (C.6:1-82).

"Person" means an individual, firm, corporation, limited liability corporation, partnership, association, trust or other legal entity or any combination thereof.

"Property" means a lot or plat upon which a residence has been, or will be, constructed.

"Project" means the development site upon which residential real estate for one or more purchasers is being constructed.

"Public wastewater treatment facility" means a structure or land involving the collection, conveyance, storage, reduction, recycling, reclamation, disposal, separation or other treatment of wastewater or sewage sludge.

"Purchaser" means a buyer of newly constructed residential real estate.

"Residential real estate" means a property or structure or both which will serve as a residence for the purchaser.

"Seller" means a real estate broker, real estate salesperson and real estate broker-salesperson as defined in R.S.45:15-3 or a builder as defined in section 2 of P.L.1977, c.467 (C.46:3B-2) who is engaged in the sale of newly constructed residential real estate.

L.1995,c.253,s.3.
 
46:3C-4.Off-site conditions, municipal lists
4. The municipal clerk of each municipality shall receive and make available, in the form and manner specified by the Commissioner of Community Affairs after consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, lists identifying the location of off-site conditions existing within the boundaries of the municipality.

L.1995,c.253,s.4.
 
46:3C-5.Providing municipal clerk with lists of off-site conditions
5.  a.  Every person who owns, leases, or maintains any off-site condition, as defined in paragraph (3), (4), (5), (6), or (8) of section 3 of P.L.1995, c.253 (C.46:3C-3), located in this State, shall provide the municipal clerk of each municipality in which those off-site conditions are located,  a list in the form and manner specified by the Commissioner of Community Affairs, of the location of the off-site conditions within the boundaries of the municipality.  The provisions of this subsection shall apply whether or not the person provides any service within a municipality in which an off-site condition exists.

b. Every person subject to the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall submit the required lists within one year of the effective date of this act and shall update the lists, as necessary, as of August 31 of every year.

The person providing the lists pursuant to this section shall also send to the municipal clerk of each municipality receiving the list a statement as follows:

"This list identifies [insert type] off-site conditions owned, leased or maintained by [insert name and address of provider] as defined in the "New Residential Construction Off-Site Conditions Disclosure Act," P.L.1995, c.253 (C.46:3C-1 et seq.), which as of [date] have been identified as existing within [name of municipality]."

L.1995,c.253,s.5.
46:3C-6.Lists from the Commissioner of Environmental Protection
6.  a.  The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall provide the municipal clerk of each municipality with lists, in the form and manner specified by the Commissioner of Community Affairs, after consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, of the location of all off-site conditions, as defined in paragraphs (1), (2) and (7) of section 3 of P.L.1995, c.253 (C.46:3C-3), located within the boundaries of the municipality.

b. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall submit the lists within one year of the effective date of this act and shall update the lists, as necessary, as of August 31 of every year.  The department shall also send to the municipal clerk of each municipality receiving the lists a statement as follows:

"This list identifies [insert type] off-site conditions as defined in the "New Residential Construction Off-Site Conditions Disclosure Act," P.L.1995, c.253 (C.46:3C-1 et seq.), which as of [date] have been identified and listed by the Department of Environmental Protection as existing within [name of municipality]."

L.1995,c.253,s.6.