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

Borough of Ridgefield’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Ridgefield borough under the State Uniform Construction Code administered by the Borough's enforcing agency.

  • The Borough established a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency and Department of Building Inspection.

  “There is hereby established in the Borough of Ridgefield a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency, to be known as the "Department of Building Inspection,"”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Ridgefield borough.

  • The published district list includes District A Single-Family Residence, District B Two-Family, District C Multiple-Family, R-TH Townhouse Residential, R-SR and TH Senior Citizens Housing and Townhouse Residential, O-TH Office and Townhouse, District D Retail Business/Commercial/Office, O-LR, O-C, C, O-5-MR, O-7-MR, C-H, OMH, NB, MF, District E, District F, District G, District H, District I and OAR-A.

  “Single-Family Residence Zone - District A Two-Family Zone - District B Multiple-Family Zone - District C R-TH Townhouse Residential Zone R-SR and TH Senior Citizens Housing and Townhouse Residential Zone O-TH Office and Townhouse Zone Retail Business, Commercial or Office Zone - District D O-LR Office Low-Rise Zone O-C Office Commercial Zone C Commercial Zone O-5-MR Office Mid-Rise Zone O-7-MR Office Mid-Rise Zone C-H Commercial and Hotel Zone OMH Office/Mid-Rise Hotel Zone NB Neighborhood Business Zone MF Medium Density Multifamily Zone Light Manufacturing Zone - District E Heavy Manufacturing Zone - District F Public Use Zone - District G Marshland Zone - District H Public Utility Zone - District I A – Overlay Residential One (OAR – A) Zoning District”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction or development, including manufactured-home placement, within any Ridgefield borough area of special flood hazard established in § 390-211.

  • A development permit must be obtained before construction or development begins.
  • Applications may require scaled duplicate plans, elevations, floodproofing information, professional certification for nonresidential floodproofing, and watercourse-alteration information.
  • The Zoning Officer or designee administers the article.

  “A development permit (as a form of a zoning permit) shall be obtained before construction or development begins, including placement of manufactured homes, within any area of special flood hazard established in § 390-211.”

• Short-term rentalsProhibited

  Renting or leasing a dwelling unit for residential occupancy for 30 days or less inside Ridgefield borough.

  • The provision was added September 21, 2016 by Ordinance No. 2310 and incorporates Ordinance No. 2310-2016.

  maximum permitted residential rental period: > 30 days (Renting or leasing for 30 days or less is not a permitted use)

  “Notwithstanding any other contrary provisions as contained in this chapter, the renting or leasing of a dwelling unit for residential occupancy for a period of 30 days or less is not a permitted use by or within the Borough of Ridgefield as more specifically provided in Ordinance No. 2310-2016, as appears in the Ridgefield Code, the terms and provisions of which are incorporated into this provision of the Zoning Ordinance.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits and related certificates inside Ridgefield borough.

  • The fee section was amended through Ordinance No. 2540 on 2026-06-08.
  • Residential UCC certificates of occupancy are charged $125; nonresidential certificates are 10% of the permit fee.
  • Temporary certificate initial issuance has no fee; subsequent renewals are $50.
  • Plan review is 20% of the permit fee and nonrefundable.

  residential certificate of occupancy fee: 125 USD (New construction or rehabilitation) · nonresidential certificate of occupancy fee: 10 percent of permit fee · plan review fee: 20 percent of permit fee (Nonrefundable) · temporary certificate initial issuance: 0 USD · temporary certificate renewal: 50 USD (Each subsequent renewal)

  “Certificate of occupancy, UCC Residential (new construction or rehabilitation) $125 Nonresidential $10% of permit fee Certificate of Continued Occupancy, UCC, applicant requested $125 Temporary certificate of occupancy Initial issuance No fee Subsequent renewals, each $50 Plan review: none refundable, percentage of permit fee 20%”

• Permit processPartial

  Construction and flood-hazard development permit administration inside Ridgefield borough.

  • The Department of Building Inspection administers the State Uniform Construction Code.
  • Flood-hazard development permits are obtained before construction or development in special flood-hazard areas.
  • Flood permit applications may require scaled plans, elevations, floodproofing certification and watercourse-alteration information.

  “A development permit (as a form of a zoning permit) shall be obtained before construction or development begins, including placement of manufactured homes, within any area of special flood hazard established in § 390-211.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Ridgefield

Borough of Ridgefield does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  District A Single-Family Residence Zone inside Ridgefield borough.

  • The source identifies District A as the Single-Family Residence Zone.

  minimum lot size: >= 5000 square feet

  “The following regulations apply to District A: Minimum lot size: 5,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  District A Single-Family Residence Zone inside Ridgefield borough.

  • Corner lots may use a minimum total side-yard width of seven feet only if a minimum thirteen-foot setback is maintained on any side yard facing a street.
  • Minimum one-side-yard width is seven feet.

  minimum front yard setback: >= 25 feet · minimum total width of side yard: >= 15 feet (Corner lots may have seven feet if a thirteen-foot street-side setback is maintained.) · minimum width of one side yard: >= 7 feet

  “Minimum front yard setback: 25 feet. Minimum total width of side yard: 15 feet. Corner lots shall be permitted a minimum total side yard width of seven feet, so long as a minimum thirteen-foot setback is maintained on any side yard facing a street. Minimum width of one side yard: seven feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  District A Single-Family Residence Zone inside Ridgefield borough.

  • Accessory buildings have a separate maximum height.
  • Basement height and roof-height provisions also apply.

  maximum principal building height: <= 32 feet (Two and one-half stories maximum) · maximum accessory building height: <= 15 feet

  “Maximum height of buildings: two and one-half (2 1/2) stories, but not to exceed 32 feet. Maximum height of accessory buildings: 15 feet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — General building-permit requirement for construction inside Ridgefield borough.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ridgefield borough.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Ridgefield borough.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Ridgefield borough residential districts.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on land inside Ridgefield 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 Ridgefield 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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