[Amended 9-18-1978 by Ord. No. 78-22]
A. 
Isolated lot in residential zone.
[Repealed 1-4-1979 by Ord. No. 79-1]
B. 
Lot width. On regularly shaped lots, the minimum lot width of any lot shall be measured at the front property line and minimum front yard setback line as required for the zone in which it is located and shall be maintained for a distance of 40 feet to the rear of the required front yard setback line. In cases of lots on a cul-de-sac, the lot frontage measured at the street right-of-way line shall not be less than 40% of the required minimum lot width.
C. 
Corner lots. At all street intersections, no obstruction to vision exceeding 30 inches in height above the established grade of the street at the property line shall be erected or maintained on any lot within the area bounded by the line drawn between points along such street lines or their extension thereof 30 feet distant from their intersection or at a distance determined by the Township Engineer.
[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]
D. 
Flag lots. Flag lots shall not be permitted in any zone district in the Township of Bridgewater.
[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33[1]; amended 4-5-2004 by Ord. No. 04-05]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance is also repealed former Subsection D, Through lots.
E. 
Required area of space not to be reduced. The area or dimension of any lot, yard, parking area or other space shall not be reduced to less than the minimum required by this Part 12, and if already existing as less than the minimum required by this Part 12, said area or dimension may be continued and shall not be further reduced.
F. 
Frontage upon a street. Every principal building shall be built upon a lot with the minimum lot width fronting upon an improved and approved street in accordance with the roads standards established by the Township of Bridgewater or on a private road shown on an approved site plan.
G. 
Construction of a new dwelling on a lot and removal of old dwelling. An existing single-family dwelling may continue to be occupied while a new dwelling is being constructed on the same lot, provided the resulting new dwelling will not violate any bulk provisions of the Land Use Ordinance. The new building must be completed and ready for occupancy within one year of issuance of a building permit. After a certificate of occupancy is issued for the new dwelling, the original dwelling must be removed within 60 days of the issuance of that certificate. As assurance for the removal of the original dwelling, the applicant shall post a bond of 8% of the assessed value of the dwelling to be removed and the certificate of occupancy shall be temporary in nature (for 90 days only). Ninety percent of this bond shall be in the form of a ninety-day surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit with the remaining 10% in cash. This bond shall be posted at the time the temporary certificate of occupancy for the new dwelling is issued. A permanent certificate of occupancy will only be issued after removal of the original dwelling to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer, Township Health Officer and Chief Construction Official.
[Added 7-7-2005 by Ord. No. 05-45]
A. 
General application. No building or structure shall have a greater number of stories or greater number of feet than is permitted in the zone where such building or structure is located.
B. 
Permitted exceptions.
(1) 
Height limitations stipulated elsewhere in this Part 12 shall not apply to churches, spires, belfries, cupolas and domes, monuments, historic edifices, freestanding chimneys, flagpoles, private radio and telephone antennas, towers, fire towers, tanks, water towers and standpipes, all attached to the principal structure, and essential services. All freestanding exceptions shall be considered as accessory structures.
(2) 
Mechanical appurtenances, such as condensers, elevator penthouses, exhaust fans, air-conditioning equipment and other similar equipment, are exempt from these height restrictions, provided that they do not extend more than 10 feet above maximum height limitation, cover no more than 5% of the roof area and are properly shielded.
[Amended 6-6-1983 by Ord. No. 83-12]
[Amended 9-18-1978 by Ord. No. 78-22]
The following general yard regulations shall be observed:
A. 
General.
(1) 
Required yards shall be open to the sky, unobstructed except for the ordinary projection of parapets, windowsills, doorposts, rainwater leaders, cornices, canopies, eaves, bay windows, stairways and similar ornamental or structural fixtures which may not project more than two feet into such yards except as given in Subsection A(5) below.
[Amended 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]
(2) 
Chimneys or flues may be erected within any yard, provided that they do not exceed 15 square feet in aggregate cross-sectional area.
(3) 
On-grade patios or outdoor barbecues may be located in any side or rear yard, provided that they are not closer than five feet to any property line.
(4) 
Self-supporting walls and fences may project into any required yard, provided that any accessory retaining wall or fence shall not obstruct sight distances.
(5) 
Canopies not exceeding 15 feet in width may be erected in the HIC Zone districts protruding into front, side or rear yards.
[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]
(6) 
Covered walks not exceeding 10 feet in width may be erected in the HIC Zone districts protruding into front, side or rear yards.
(7) 
Porches and overhangs over the front door of a single-family detached dwelling shall be permitted, even if the porch and overhang (roof) traverses the front yard setback line. Porches are limited to six feet wide and a six feet projection out from the dwelling. The overhang (roof) is limited to no more than one foot longer than the porch along either side of the width or projection.
[Added 5-16-2022 by Ord. No. 22-02]
B. 
Front yard requirements affected by Official Map or Master Plan. Where any lot is situated on a street right-of-way which is proposed to be widened as indicated on the Official Map of the Township or in the Master Plan of the Township or Master Plan of Somerset County or by the State of New Jersey, as adopted by the appropriate agency pursuant to law, all minimum required yards shall be measured from such proposed future right-of-way line.
C. 
Side yard exceptions.
(1) 
Corner lot. Any corner lot shall provide a street setback line which shall be the same as the minimum front yard required on any adjoining lot fronting on the side street. The Zoning Officer can permit front yard setbacks to conform to prevailing setbacks in the neighborhood, provided that all other yard and area requirements are met.
(2) 
In the case of lots upon which an existing structure is located, the combined total side yard requirements may be reduced by six inches for each foot by which a lot is less than the minimum width requirement for the zone in which located. In any case, the side yard width for either side shall not be reduced to less than 50% of the requirement of said zone, and the combined side yard separation between adjacent residential structures shall not be less than 15 feet.
[Added 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]
D. 
Open decks.
[Added 5-16-2022 by Ord. No. 22-02]
(1) 
In all single-family residential zones, open decks, attached to the rear of the first floor of a dwelling, shall be permitted to extend 12 feet into the minimum required rear yard setback for the principal dwelling in the zone in which the property lies. Principal structure additions which will also intrude into the minimum rear yard setback, are not included in this exception.
[Amended 4-4-2005 by Ord. No. 05-12; 10-4-2010 by Ord. No. 10-31; 3-7-2016 by Ord. No. 16-05]
A. 
The maximum improved lot coverage on each lot shall not be greater than is permitted in the zone where such building or structure is located. The maximum improved lot coverage shall include all impervious surfaces, such as buildings, structures, driveways, tennis courts and patios.
B. 
All building, gravel and/or other stone surfaces used for parking, driveways, or walkways shall be counted as improved lot coverage. Stone patios shall be computed as part of the overall lot coverage. Decks (without roofs and with earth underneath and serving residential structures) and landscaping/decorative stone areas shall not be included in the determination of lot coverage or building coverage. However, such decks must meet all setback requirements for the principal building, whether or not the deck is attached to the principal building. In zones R-10A and R-10B, the setbacks for decks may be reduced to 10 feet from a rear property line. Swimming pools, as measured from interior wall to interior wall, shall not be counted toward improved lot coverage, nor shall children 's play equipment.
[Amended 12-5-2005 by Ord. No. 05-55]
There shall not be more than one principal structure on any lot in any single-family zone. In any other zone, applicants seeking to develop more than one principal structure on each lot shall comply with the provisions of the Site Plan Ordinance and submit for Planning Board approval a site plan showing existing, proposed and all future development for the site.
[Amended 9-18-1978 by Ord. No. 78-22; 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33]
A. 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Part 12, no development shall be permitted within 50 feet of the flood hazard area, except in conformance with Article XXXVII, Stormwater Control, and Article XXXVIII, Site Plan and Permit Requirements in Floodplain Areas. In addition, a drainage/conservation easement for the flood hazard area, plus not less than 50 feet along each side or edge of the flood hazard area shall be provided. Where the Planning Board and the Department of Environmental Protection permit fall within the flood fringe, the easement shall be measured from the revised flood hazard area and shall be for drainage only and extend only 15 feet from the flood hazard area. [See § 126-296B(1).] No development shall be permitted within the drainage/conservation easement except with Planning Board approval.
B. 
Conservation easements for wetlands. A conservation easement shall be provided to contain all wetland areas and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection required buffer around the wetland area.
C. 
Conservation easements for ridgelines. A conservation easement may be required by the Board to ensure compliance with § 126-265A(7) in perpetuity.
[Amended 6-6-1983 by Ord. No. 83-12; 9-19-1985 by Ord. No. 85-28; 11-18-1991 by Ord. No. 91-33; 4-3-2006 by Ord. No. 06-18]
A. 
Minimum conservation easement distance requirements are to include the following. Where a single-family residential zone abuts or is adjacent or across from a multifamily zone, planned unit residential development zone or any nonresidential zone or where any nonresidential use is adjacent to land in a residential zone, a conservation easement shall be provided in the multifamily or nonresidential area for the minimum distances established below. These easements, as spelled out in Part 8, Site Plan Review, shall be in addition to any required minimum yard requirements and shall be measured from the property line. The Planning Board may require that additional plantings, berms, fencing or other materials be provided to supplement the existing natural condition within such easement. Disturbance or encroachment within the easement area shall be discouraged. These buffers, as spelled out in Part 8, Site Plan Review, shall be in addition to any required minimum yard requirements, except as noted in the NOTE below.
[Amended 5-1-2006 by Ord. No. 06-23; 9-18-2006 by Ord. No. 06-37; 7-15-2015 by Ord. No. 15-09; 8-17-2015 by Ord. No. 15-31; 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 17-02; 10-16-2017 by Ord. No. 17-21]
Zone
Minimum Buffer/Easement Required
(feet)
R-40 MDU-1*
75
R-40 PURD*
75
C-1
50
C-1A
25
C-2
100
C-3
75
C-3A
25
C-3B
25
C-4
50
C-5
50
C-6
25
C-7
50
GCM
100
M-1
100
M-2
100
M-3
100
M-1A, M-1B
100
SED
100
R-10.C
25
LC
50
HIC
**
BRCC
30
OR/D
75
* NOTE: Where the applicant proposes to include single-family detached housing as part of any R-40 MDU-1 or R-40 PURD and proposes to locate the single-family detached housing between any multifamily uses and the adjacent single-family zone, the required buffer area may be waived by the Planning Board if, in its opinion, the objectives of this section are fulfilled.
** NOTE:
A.
Minimum buffer distance from the zone boundary to the off-street parking area: 75 feet.
B.
Minimum buffer distance from the zone boundary to an accessory building: 75 feet.
C.
Minimum buffer distance from the zone boundary to any principal building: 125 feet.
B. 
Minimum setbacks of commercial or multifamily residential uses, other than two-family dwellings, shall be required for outdoor recreational equipment, recreation areas and parking lot areas and driveways serving such facilities, including jungle gyms, teeter-totters, sandboxes and play fields as measured from residential property lines as follows.
Lot Size
(acres)
Distance
(feet)
Lots up to 2
25
Lots of 2.1 to 5
50
Lots over 5
100