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Township of Cedar Grove, NJ
Essex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A. 
Off-street parking space shall be provided as specified herein and in Article VII, District Regulations. All such space shall be deemed to be required space on the lot on which it is situated and shall not thereafter be encroached upon or reduced in any manner.
B. 
Off-street parking areas shall be oriented to and within a reasonable walking distance of the buildings they are intended to serve. Parking spaces shall be provided with necessary passageways and driveways and full, unencumbered vehicular turnaround space must be provided on each site.
C. 
Except as specifically permitted by this chapter, no commercial repair work or service of any kind shall be conducted in any parking area, and no lot or driveway shall be used for parking of dismantled or unregistered vehicles.
D. 
The term "parking," as used in this chapter, does not include parking for an aircraft of any nature or design.
A. 
No person shall park any motor vehicle on a front yard in any residential district or on a side yard where the property is bounded by two streets, except on an established driveway surface. An "established driveway surface" shall mean that area which has been paved, or otherwise prepared for the acceptance of motor vehicles and which is not utilized or maintained as grass lawn, or a shrubbed or otherwise vegetated area customarily associated with lawns or gardens.
B. 
Driveways and parking areas in single-family residential zones shall be set back from property lines, as follows:
Zoning District
Minimum Setback
(feet)
R-8
2
R-10
2
R-15
4
R-18
4
R-30
6
R-40
6
R-5A
6
C. 
The number of parking spaces required is pursuant to the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1 et seq. (See chart at the end of this chapter.) A portion of this requirement shall be provided by garage parking spaces of a minimum of nine feet by 18 feet, as follows:
Zoning
Minimum Number of Garage Parking Spaces
R-8
1
R-10
1
R-15
1
R-18
2
R-30
2
R-40
2
R-5A
2
D. 
Driveway backup space for garages for noncommercial vehicles must equal or exceed 24 feet of clear and unencumbered space.
E. 
No commercial vehicle, commercial trailer or storage vehicle shall be parked outdoors on private property overnight in any residential zone. Only commercially licensed passenger automobiles, station wagons, vans, and pickup trucks which satisfy all of the following conditions are permitted to park overnight in a residential zone:
(1) 
Automobiles and vans shall have a fully enclosed single chassis, nonsegmented body with driver's seating area not physically separated from other passenger or cargo area (except trunk), four wheels, not more than 20 feet long and seven feet high and not exceeding 6,000 pounds registered gross vehicle weight.
(2) 
Pickup trucks shall have a gross vehicle weight of less than 18,000 pounds and not more than six wheels. Any truck featuring an enclosed box compartment is specifically excluded.
(3) 
Lettering or advertising with not more than three-inch characters shall be limited to the front door space.
(4) 
No equipment, ladders or other accessories which are not an integral part of the vehicle shall be permitted on the vehicle when parked overnight in a residential area.
(5) 
Only one commercially licensed vehicle, meeting all of the above criteria, shall be permitted to park overnight on a residential lot.
(6) 
This subsection shall be enforced by either the Zoning Officer, Township Construction Official/Code Enforcement Officer or Police Department. The Zoning Officer, Township Construction Official/Code Enforcement Officer and Police Department shall have the authority to adopt administrative procedures for the enforcement of this subsection.
[Amended 10-4-2021 by Ord. No. 21-881]
F. 
Outdoor parking and storage of recreational vehicles, travel trailers, and boats shall be permitted in single-family residential zones in accordance with the following limitations:
(1) 
Such vehicles shall not exceed a length of 24 feet and shall be parked only on established driveways or similarly prepared surfaces. Vehicles such as boats, jet skis, or campers, which are situated upon trailers, shall be exempt from this requirement, and such trailers shall be excluded from the measurement of length.
(2) 
Only one such vehicle, inclusive of a supporting trailer, may be so stored or parked at any given time.
(3) 
The parking/storage area shall be screened from view on any side which adjoins or faces premises used or zoned for residential purposes. Such screening shall be by fence or wall, by existing intervening building or other on-site structure, by landscaping, or by any combination of such components adequate to generally obscure the view of the vehicle and minimize the visual impact to the neighboring residential property.
(4) 
No such vehicular parking/storage shall be permitted in a front yard, or in the case of a corner lot, in the front yard or side yard facing on the adjoining street.
(5) 
Such vehicles shall not be used for temporary or permanent living quarters while situated on the lot.
A. 
The owners of parking lots for nonresidential and multifamily residential uses shall grant the municipality enforcement powers under Title 39 of New Jersey Statutes.
B. 
The Planning Board may permit the developer to bank or reserve parking spaces for future development if the need arises. The developer must provide documentation that the spaces to be banked are not immediately needed. It shall be the Zoning Officer's determination when the banked spaces are needed. The area proposed for the banked spaces shall be fully engineered at the time of the application, and shall remain undisturbed or landscaped at the discretion of the reviewing board.
C. 
Outdoor overnight parking restrictions apply to commercial vehicles as defined in Article II and any additional vehicle types as limited by the Planning Board.
(1) 
No outdoor overnight parking of commercial vehicles or trailers is permitted in conjunction with any use permitted in the Multifamily Residential or Senior Living/Care Zoning Districts.
(2) 
Outdoor overnight parking of commercial vehicles is permitted in the Office, Restricted Commercial and Retail Shopping Districts as follows: one commercial vehicle less than 20 feet in length (not including trailers, tanker trucks, dump trucks or other construction equipment) shall be permitted for each 10,000 square feet of lot area, or part thereof, provided that such parking shall be situated a minimum of 50 feet from any property used or zoned for residential purposes and shall be screened from view via fence or wall, and landscaping as required by the Board. Any such commercial parking shall be restricted to vehicles used in connection with the business or office use that occupies the site.
(3) 
Outdoor overnight parking of commercial vehicles (excluding tanker trucks) is permitted in the Office/Warehouse Zones as follows: one commercial vehicle less than 26 feet in length shall be permitted for each 10,000 square feet of lot area, or part thereof, provided that such parking shall be situated a minimum of 50 feet from any property used or zoned for residential purposes and shall be screened from public view via fence or wall, and landscaping as required by the Board. Except as specifically provided, any such commercial parking shall be restricted to vehicles used in connection with the use that occupies the site.
(a) 
In addition to the outdoor overnight parking permitted in Office/Warehouse Zones, as set forth above, outdoor overnight parking of commercial vehicles unrelated to the principal use is permitted in the M-1 Office/Warehouse Zone, provided that such vehicles (excluding tractor trailers, semi-trailers, tanker trucks, earth-moving vehicles, and construction equipment) shall not exceed 20 feet in length, shall be situated a minimum of 50 feet from any property used or zoned for residential purposes and shall be screened from view via fence or wall, and landscaping as required by the Board. Open trailers attached to such commercial vehicles for purposes of carrying equipment, materials, or supplies related to the commercial use shall be excluded from the measurement of length of such vehicles. No such parking shall be permitted during the hours of operation of the permitted principal use.
(4) 
The Planning Board, at its option, may additionally limit and restrict outdoor overnight parking or vehicle storage on any site, at its discretion.
D. 
The design of parking facilities shall conform to the following criteria:
(1) 
No parking facilities shall be permitted in any required front yard.
(2) 
Driveway clearance in parking lots for noncommercial vehicles must equal or exceed:
Parking Angle
Clear Aisle Space
(feet)
90º
24
60º
18
45º
13
30º
12
(3) 
Driveway backup space for garages for noncommercial vehicles must equal or exceed 24 feet of clear and unencumbered space.
(4) 
Commercial vehicle parking shall require a minimum 12 foot by 35 foot long rectangular area, or larger, as may be required at the discretion of the Planning Board.
(5) 
Paving. All parking lots and driveways shall be curbed and surfaced with asphaltic concrete, portland cement concrete, brick pavers or approved equivalent. Curbs shall be Belgian block, or poured concrete, at the discretion of the reviewing board. Each space shall be identified by painted lines on the pavement. All parking lots shall be provided with an interior network of drains as required upon site plan review. Construction and design shall be subject to Board approval.
(6) 
Illumination. All parking lots and pedestrian surfaces shall be lighted during nondaylight hours. Such lighting shall not exceed an intensity of five footcandles, nor shall it be less than 0.5 footcandle at pavement level, nor shall it be more than 0.2 footcandle at the property line. Such lighting shall be so arranged and shielded as to reflect the light downward and away from adjoining streets, residential zones or residential uses. Light poles shall be no higher than 20 feet. It is the intention of the above standards that minimal lighting be provided sufficient to provide for safety and security. In the event that the lighting as constructed proves to be more intensive than necessary, or creates any detrimental effect upon neighboring properties, the owner may be required by the Township to reduce the intensity below the approved intensity and/or provide additional shielding. In the event that a problem of the nature described arises, and it cannot be resolved between municipal officials and the property owner, the matter shall be referred to the Board that approved the site plan application for a decision as to the intensity and shielding issues.
(7) 
Parking setback. No parking shall be permitted within any required landscaped buffer area. Unless a greater distance is required by this chapter, all parking areas and drives shall be located at least five feet from any property line except where joint, contiguous parking facilities are permitted by this chapter.
(8) 
Setback from buildings. In any multifamily, commercial, industrial, or multi-use development, no parking shall be permitted within 10 feet of any building. If open-air parking is required and interior roads or access drives in the development are used for curb parking, the width of such parking spaces shall be added to the widths of the required right-of-way and paving for such roads and drives.
(9) 
Landscaped islands. Any parking area containing more than 15,000 square feet shall provide landscaped islands between parking bays placed end to end. Such islands shall have a minimum overall width of six feet.
(10) 
Water quality protection. All parking areas shall be installed with such water quality protection devices as recommended by the Township Engineer and/or required by the reviewing board to prevent oil, grease and other undesirable materials from being washed or deposited off of the parking area into the street, sewer system, watercourses, landscaped areas or any other place. Such devices shall be properly maintained by the owner of the property.
(11) 
Parking lot screening. All off-street parking areas, with the exception of points of physical ingress/egress, shall be screened on any side which adjoins or faces premises used or zoned for residential purposes. Such screening shall be by fence, wall or a berm and landscaping. Any fence or wall used for screening shall not be less than four feet nor more than six feet in height and shall be maintained in good condition. In addition to, or in substitution of, any wall or fence proposed by the applicant, the Board may require landscaped screening.
It is the intent of this section to encourage parking plazas and contiguous rear thoroughfares to minimize access to parking areas through main public streets.
A. 
The minimum fixed parking space requirements (not related to areas) for any listed and approved (nonresidential) site use may be reduced by half at the discretion of the Planning Board if, in its judgment, the availability of contiguous rear yard thoroughfares or contiguous parking plazas make adequate parking available on adjacent sites. Contiguous rear yard thoroughfares and parking plazas must have legal deed restrictions applicable to all the property in question to assure unlimited direct access now and in the future to each and all of the available outdoor parking spaces of all the properties in question which benefited in or approved of reduced parking space requirements. Copies of all the deeds showing the referenced site plans must be on file with the Planning Board before parking space limitations may be reduced.
B. 
Each parking area on a site must still have access to the main street, and parking must still comply with the area parking requirements applicable to each approved use. Contiguous parking areas must provide for direct, safe and unencumbered access through the adjacent properties. A minimum unencumbered transit width of 20 feet is required between properties.
C. 
Wherever feasible, contiguous parking plazas and thoroughfares in the B and RC Zoning Districts shall be provided with safe, unencumbered pedestrian access (situated between buildings, if necessary) to the main street that the subject buildings front upon. Such access shall incorporate appropriate surface materials suitable for pedestrian usage and shall be lighted in accordance with the standards of this chapter. At the discretion of the reviewing board, pedestrian accessways may encroach upon accessory structure setback requirements, and/or, with establishment of appropriate access easements, may straddle shared property lines (in which case, property line light intensity limitations may also be waived).
A. 
Parking spaces shall be provided for each approved use, regardless of the zone in which it is located, in accordance with the standards herein. Where a lot contains more than one use, the required number of spaces shall be the aggregate of that for each individual use.
(1) 
Apartments, garden apartments and townhouses. The number of parking spaces required is pursuant to the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1 et seq. (See chart at the end of this chapter.)
(2) 
Banks. One space per 300 square feet of gross floor area.
(3) 
Boardinghouses. The number of parking spaces required is pursuant to the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1 et seq.
(4) 
Bowling alleys. Four parking spaces per each lane.
(5) 
Catering/banquet facilities. One space for every three seats in the dining area and one space for every 300 square feet of food preparation area. Additionally, one parking space will be required for every two members of the maximum number of serving staff based on the maximum capacity of the facility. At least 25% of the required parking for the facility must be designated as self-parking area.
[Added 7-18-2011 by Ord. No. 11-729[1]]
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former Subsection A(5) through (37) as Subsection A(6) through (38).
(6) 
Child-care centers. One parking space per employee plus one additional parking space for every eight children. In addition, adequate space shall be provided for safe, on-site pickup and discharge of children from vehicles accessing the center.
(7) 
Churches, synagogues, and like places of worship. See "houses of worship."
(8) 
Clubs and lodges. One outdoor space for each 200 square feet of total floor area or part thereof.
(9) 
Convalescent homes. See "long-term care facilities."
(10) 
Eleemosynary institutions. See "hospitals."
(11) 
Florist. One parking space per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, or part thereof.
(12) 
Funeral homes. See "mortuary."
(13) 
Garden apartments. See "apartments."
(14) 
Gymnasiums, health clubs, and recreational facilities. One parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area.
(15) 
Hospitals and eleemosynary institutions. Twenty-five parking spaces minimum plus one space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area, plus one garage for commercial vehicles for each use and 2,500 square feet of total building area. One commercial road vehicle less than 26 feet in length (not including trailers, storage vans or construction equipment) may be parked outdoors overnight for each 10,000 square feet of lot size. It must be more than 50 feet from the nearest residential (including apartment and mixed use) lot line. No overnight outdoor parking is permitted for any vehicle over 26 feet in overall length or having more than four tires.
(16) 
Houses of worship. One parking space for each three seats of maximum capacity. Seating with benches or pews shall be deemed to have a capacity of one person for each 24 inches in length.
(17) 
Industrial buildings. See "manufacturing, warehouses."
(18) 
Institutions. See "hospitals."
(19) 
Lodges. See "clubs."
(20) 
Long-term care facilities. One parking space for every two beds.
(21) 
Manufacturing facilities. One parking space per 2,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(22) 
Medical clinics and medical offices. One parking space per 200 square feet of gross floor area.
(23) 
Mortuaries and funeral homes. Twenty-five outdoor parking spaces minimum, plus one outdoor space for each 100 square feet of total floor area, plus one commercial vehicle garage space for each 1,500 square feet of total building area. One commercial road vehicle less than 26 feet in length (not including trailers, storage vans or construction equipment) may be parked outdoors overnight for each 10,000 square feet of lot size. It must be more than 50 feet from the nearest residential (including apartment and mixed use) lot line. No overnight outdoor parking is permitted for any vehicle over 26 feet in overall length or having more than four tires.
(24) 
Motor vehicle service station parking.
(a) 
There shall be a minimum of five parking spaces, plus one space for each 250 square feet of total building area, plus one space for each service bay. Except as otherwise permitted in this subsection, overnight parking in such parking spaces shall be limited to vehicles with no more than four tires and which are no more than 26 feet in length. Such vehicles must be vehicles which are being repaired at the station, and no such vehicles shall be permitted to park overnight for more than three consecutive nights.
(b) 
One commercial road vehicle less than 26 feet in length (but excluding trailers, tankers, storage vans, dump trucks, construction or earthmoving vehicles or equipment) may be parked outdoors overnight for each 10,000 square feet of lot size. Any such vehicle must be one used in connection with the operation of the station and shall be limited to no more than six tires. Outdoor parking for any such vehicle shall be in one of the parking spaces required in Subsection A(23)(a) above.
(c) 
Additionally, a maximum of seven recreational or commercial road vehicles shall be permitted to be parked overnight on the property subject to the following conditions:
[1] 
No vehicle shall exceed 35 feet in length or have more than six tires.
[2] 
No trailers, tankers, dump trucks, construction or earthmoving vehicles or equipment shall be permitted.
[3] 
All such vehicles shall be fully operable at all times.
[4] 
Such parking is in designated spaces which shall be in addition to the spaces required in Subsection A(23)(a) above.
[5] 
The parking shall be fully screened from adjacent residential use by fences, walls, and/or evergreen plantings, which shall be at least the height of the parked vehicles.
(d) 
All parking shall be set back a minimum of five feet from any property line and 50 feet from any street right-of-way.
(e) 
No overnight parking shall be permitted except as specifically set forth in this subsection.
(25) 
Nursing homes. See "long-term care facilities."
(26) 
Offices.
Gross Floor Area
(square feet)
Number of Spaces per 1,000 Square Feet Gross Floor Area
Under 49,999
4.5
50,000 - 99,999
4.0
100,000 or more
3.5
(27) 
Public buildings. See "hospitals."
(28) 
Research buildings. See "offices."
(29) 
Restaurants. One space for every three seats in the dining area and one space for every 300 square feet of food preparation area of which a minimum of no less than three additional parking spaces be required for staff. Additionally, one parking space will be required for every two members of the maximum number of serving staff based on the maximum capacity of the facility.
[Amended 7-18-2011 by Ord. No. 11-729]
(30) 
Retail sales and retail service shops. As required for those specifically designated herein (i.e., florist, restaurant); all others one parking space per 250 square feet of gross floor area.
(31) 
Retail shopping center. The minimum number of parking spaces shall be the aggregate of that required for each of the individual uses that occupy the shopping center.
(32) 
Rooming houses. See "boardinghouses."
(33) 
Schools. One space per teacher and staff member, or as listed below, whichever is the greater:
School Level
Spaces per Classroom
Elementary
2
Intermediate
1.5
Secondary
2.5
(34) 
Semipublic buildings. See "hospitals."
(35) 
Shops: antique, art, and gift. See "retail sale and retail service shops."
(36) 
Theaters. One parking space per each three seats devoted to patrons.
(37) 
Townhouses. See "apartments."
(38) 
Warehouse. One parking space per 5,000 square feet of gross floor area.
A. 
All nonresidential land uses which have a building gross floor area of 7,500 square feet or more shall be required to provide off-street truck loading spaces at the rear of the building in accordance with the following schedule. Corner lots shall have the loading area in either or both of the two yards not facing a street.
Gross Floor Area
(square feet)
Minimum Number Loading Spaces
7,500 to 25,000
1
25,000 to 40,000
2
40,000 to 100,000
3
Each additional 60,000
1 additional space
B. 
Each loading space shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width, 35 feet in length, and 14 feet in clearance height. It shall also be accessible for the size vehicles anticipated and designed in accordance with generally accepted engineering principles.
C. 
Loading areas shall be screened and buffered to the same extent as required for parking lots. Loading may be provided within a building.
D. 
No loading space for vehicles over 10 tons capacity shall be closer than 100 feet to any residential district.
Sight triangle easements shall be required at the intersection of a street with another street and at the intersection of a street with a driveway providing ingress and/or egress to a nonresidential or multifamily residential development. Within the triangular area determined as provided in this section, no wall, fence, structure or other object shall be erected to a height in excess of 30 inches; no vehicle, object or other obstruction of a height in excess of 30 inches shall be permitted within the corner clearance area; and no hedge, shrub or other growth shall be maintained at a height in excess of 30 inches, except trees whose branches are trimmed to a height of at least seven feet above the curb level shall be permitted.
A. 
Such triangular area or sight triangle is defined as that area bounded by the intersecting street lines or driveway cartway lines and the straight line connecting sight points, one each located on the two intersecting street and/or driveway center lines.
(1) 
Sight points on driveways shall be 15 feet from the edge of pavement of the intersecting roadway.
(2) 
At the intersection of streets with no stop controls, the sight point for each street shall be 90 feet from the intersection of the center lines.
(3) 
In the instance of street intersections with stop controls for each street, the sight points shall be 75 feet from the intersection of the center lines.
(4) 
For partially stop-controlled intersections and for intersections of driveways with streets, the required dimension of the sight triangle shall depend upon the established speed limit of the uncontrolled street (or for future streets, the proposed design speed) in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE). Clear sight lines shall be provided, as follows, for a driver situated at 15 feet from the edge of pavement of the uncontrolled street or driveway:
Speed Limit of Uncontrolled Street
(miles per hour)
Minimum Required Sight Distance
(feet)
25
250
30
300
35
350
40
400
45
450
50
500
B. 
No object or other obstruction shall be so located along any straight or curved roadway as to reduce the line of sight along said road to less than 400 feet.