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City of Rahway, NJ
Union County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (3) Index Notes (1)
Public Documents
Legislation (3)
A. 
The City of Rahway is hereby divided into the zones or districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map and listed below:
[Amended 10-12-2021 by Ord. No. O-40-21]
R-1
Low-Density Single-Family Residential Zone
R-2
Medium-Density Single-Family Residential Zone
R-3
Low-Rise Multifamily Residential Zone
R-4
High-Rise Multifamily Residential Zone
B-1
Neighborhood Business Zone
B-2
Regional Business Zone
B-3
Highway Business Zone
B-4
Service Business Zone
B-5
Central Business Zone
M-X
Mixed-Use Zone
O-R
Office-Research Zone
I-L
Light Industrial Zone
I-H
Heavy Industrial Zone
O
Open Space Zone
H
Hospital Zone
FPO
Flood Prevention Overlay Zone
HPO
Historic Preservation Overlay Zone
WGO
West Grand Avenue Overlay Zone
B. 
For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise specified, all development shall be subject to the regulations of both the zoning districts and the overlay zoning districts in which they are located. Where the provisions of the zoning district conflict with the provisions of the overlay zoning district, the provisions of the overlay zoning district shall take precedence.
C. 
Whenever a use is permitted in a particular zone by reference to another zone, said use shall be subject to all the requirements of the particular zone in which the use is located or to be located.
A. 
The boundaries of said zones are hereby established as shown on the "Official Zoning Map, City of Rahway, Union County, New Jersey" which accompanies and, which with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby adopted and made a part of this chapter. Said Map, indicating the latest amendments, shall be kept in the offices of the Building Inspector and Zoning/Construction Official for the use and benefit of the public.
B. 
The Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Mayor attested by the City Clerk, together with the date of the adoption of this chapter.
C. 
Any change or amendment to the Official Zoning Maps shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the statutes of New Jersey and shall be entered on the Zoning Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the Mayor and Council, which amendment shall be signed by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk, along with the date of the adoption of the amendment and the ordinance number by which such amendment was adopted.
D. 
Unauthorized and intentional changes of any kind to the Zoning Map or to the matter shown thereon shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or 90 days in jail, or both.
A. 
Historic district and streetscape. The location and boundaries of the historic district and the historic streetscape are hereby established as shown on the document entitled "The Official Zoning Map of the City of Rahway, Union County, New Jersey" as the "Historic Preservation Overlay Zone." That portion of the historic preservation overlay zone which is shown on Westfield Avenue is designated as the "Westfield Avenue Historic Streetscape," and that portion of the historic preservation overlay zone shown as encompassing downtown Rahway on the Zoning Map is designated as the "Downtown Historic District."
B. 
Historic structures. The buildings existing at the date of the passage of this chapter on the properties listed by their street address below are hereby designated as "historic structures":
Street Address
County Historic
Survey Number
Historic Name
537 Bramhall Road
201313
McKenzie House
104 West Emerson Avenue
201303-1
688 and 692 East Grand Avenue
201325
466 West Grand Avenue
201301-1
First United Methodist Church
561 West Grand Avenue
201301-2
994 Hamilton Street
201325-a
829 Hamilton Street
201325-b
809 Hamilton Street
201325-c
806 Hamilton Street
201325-d
593 West Hazelwood Avenue
201318-a
647 West Hazelwood Avenue
201328
1597-1600 Irving Street
201305-2
Union County Arts Center
1670 Irving Street
201301-3
Claude Reed Center
800 Jacques Avenue
201332
860 Jacques Avenue
201331
616 Jefferson Avenue
201337
541 West Lake Avenue
201341
1019 West Lake Avenue
201340
1067 West Lake Avenue
201339
Westfield Avenue
201315
Rahway Water Works
1797 Lenington Street
201316-a
Housman House
656 West Lincoln Avenue
201343
532 Linden Avenue
201316
Tingley House
1134 Midwood Drive
201353
2062 Price Street
201317
Cladek House
651 River Road
201301-6
Archibald Jardine House
701 St. Georges Avenue
201367
1276 St. Georges Avenue
201366
1500 St. Georges Avenue
201314
Mershon House
537 Union Street
201301-5
Terrill House
2100 Whittier Street
201372
Whenever an uncertainty or ambiguity exists as to the true location of any boundary line of any zone shown on the Map, the following shall apply. Questions concerning the exact location of zone boundary lines shall be decided by the Building Inspector/Zoning Officer and may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
A. 
Center lines. Boundary lines indicated as following or approximately following streets, highways or other public or private ways shall be construed to follow the center lines thereof.
B. 
Platted lines. Boundaries indicated as following or approximately following platted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines as the same appear on the Tax Map of the City of Rahway, as revised.
C. 
Municipal lines. Boundaries indicated as following or approximately following municipal lines shall be construed as following such municipal lines.
D. 
Waterway lines. Boundaries indicated as following streams, rivers or other bodies or water shall be construed as following the center lines thereof.
E. 
Parallels and extensions. All distances between parallel or concentric lines or extensions or prolongations of features indicated in Subsection D above shall be construed to be at right angles in the case of parallel lines or radial in the case of concentric lines.
Following the effective date of this chapter:
A. 
Conformity of buildings and structures. No building or structure shall be erected, moved, altered, rebuilt or enlarged, except as specified elsewhere in this chapter, nor shall any land or building be used, designed or arranged to be used for any purpose or in any manner, except in conformity with all regulations, requirements, and/or restrictions specified in this chapter for the zone in which such building or land is located.
B. 
Uses prohibited. Any use which is not expressly permitted in this chapter shall be prohibited.
C. 
Yards, open spaces, off-street parking or loading spaces. No yard or part thereof or any other open space or off-street parking or loading space required about or in connection with any building for the purpose of complying with this chapter shall be included as part of a yard, open space or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other building.
D. 
Lots forming parts of other lots. No lot shall be formed from part of a lot already occupied by a building unless such building, all yards and open spaces connected therewith, and the remaining lot comply with all requirements prescribed by this chapter for the zone in which said lot is located. No permit shall be issued for the erection of a building on any new lot thus created unless such building and lot comply with all the provisions of this chapter.
E. 
Reduction in dimensions of area below minimum requirements. No yard, lot, open space, parking or loading area or other areas required by this chapter that existed at the time of passage of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this chapter.
F. 
Yards and courts to be free of all structures. Except as hereinafter specified in this chapter, required yards and courts shall be entirely free of structures or parts thereof.
The schedule entitled "Schedule of Lot, Height and Yard Requirements," supplemented by Article VI, Supplementary Lot, Height and Yard Requirements, and by other sections of this chapter, sets forth the minimum and/or maximum area, height, yard and coverage requirements for all lots and buildings in the City of Rahway.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Schedule of Lot, Height and Yard Requirements is included at the end of this chapter.
A. 
If, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the Revised Statutes of the State of New Jersey, changes are made in the zone boundaries or other matters portrayed in the Map by the City Council, such changes shall be made thereon promptly by the Department of Planning after such amendment has taken effect as provided by law. For each such change in the Map, a note shall be made thereof, in the revision box, of the date of revision, the zone affected by the revision and a brief identifying description of the revision. These changes are to be endorsed upon the Map on the effective date of the amendment.
[Amended 4-11-2005 by Ord. No. O-11-05]
B. 
Unauthorized and intentional changes of any kind on the Map or matter shown thereon shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or 90 days in jail, or both.