[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[Repealed 1-4-1979 by Ord.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; amended 4-5-2004 by Ord. No. 04-05]
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]
[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
|