Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Hillsdale, New Jersey

Borough of Hillsdale’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Uniform construction codes administered in Hillsdale borough.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Hillsdale 12-28-1976 as Ord. No. 76-19 (Ch. 7A of the Revised Ordinances of 1972). Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Hillsdale borough; the Borough has an adopted land-use and zoning chapter.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Hillsdale 1-31-1977 by Ord. No. 77-1 (Ch. 12A of the Revised Ordinances of 1972). Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Hillsdale borough.

  • The zoning map is incorporated into Chapter 310 and district boundaries are governed by § 310-52.

  “For the purpose of this Part 4, the Borough of Hillsdale is divided into the following districts:”

• Building heightSpecified

  Building height in the R-1 Residential zoning district inside Hillsdale borough.

  maximum building height: 35 feet

  “Building Height in all R-1 zone shall be 35 feet.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary trailer or camp-car occupancy for visitation inside Hillsdale borough.

  • Temporary occupancy may not exceed seven days.
  • The trailer or camp car must be parked off the street and in the driveway of the improved lot of the home visited.
  • Prior notification must be provided to the Hillsdale Police Department.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 7 days (visitation purposes)

  “Temporary occupancy not to exceed seven (7) days of a trailer or camp car shall be permitted for visitation purposes”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Hillsdale borough flood-hazard areas.

  • The floodplain chapter was adopted by Ordinance No. 25-20 on 2025-06-17.
  • The code contains an Article IV titled Permits and a section titled Permits required.

  “Article IV Permits § 154-29 Permits required.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Construction and occupancy permit fees inside Hillsdale borough.

  • Fees are paid before permit issuance.
  • Borough permit fees may not be less than the amounts in N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.20.

  residential building permit fee: 0.04 USD per cubic foot (new buildings and additions) · plan review fee: 20 percent (included in building subcode fee for new construction, additions or renovations) · new residential structure certificate-of-occupancy fee: 10 percent (minimum $150)

  “The building permit fee shall be $0.040 per cubic foot of volume for residential buildings and structures”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Hillsdale or Bergen County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Hillsdale borough.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Hillsdale borough.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Hillsdale borough.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Hillsdale borough.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Hillsdale borough.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Hillsdale means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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