Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey

Village of Ridgewood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building construction and development inside Ridgewood village.

  • Building permits are administered under N.J.A.C. 5:23-1 et seq.
  • Plans and intended uses must conform to Village requirements or be legally nonconforming or covered by a valid current variance.
  • A grading and stormwater plan is required before permits for development increasing impervious surface by at least 200 square feet.
  • Flood-hazard-area and site-plan or subdivision approvals may be required first.

  impervious surface increase threshold: >= 200 square feet (Before issuance of a building permit for applicable development)

  “Building permits shall be required and shall be administered in accordance with the requirements of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23-1 et seq., adopted pursuant to the State Uniform Construction Code Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Ridgewood village through the Village's State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency.

  • The enforcing agency operates under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and applicable state qualifications.

  “There is hereby established in the Village of Ridgewood a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Department of Building and Inspections," consisting of a Construction Official, Building Subcode Official, Plumbing Subcode Official, Electrical Subcode Official, Fire Protection Subcode Official and such other subcode officials for such additional subcodes as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey, shall hereafter adopt as part of the State Uniform Construction Code.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of land or buildings inside Ridgewood village when the applicable provisions require a certificate of occupancy.

  • No permit may issue until applicable Village, state, board, council, and site-plan requirements are satisfied.

  “The use or occupancy of land or buildings shall require the issuance of building, zoning or other permits and/or certificates of occupancy in accordance with the following provisions:”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the Village of Ridgewood.

  • Uses and construction must conform to the regulations for the applicable zone district and other applicable Village regulations.

  “No land or premises may be used and no building or structure may be erected, raised, moved, extended, enlarged, altered or used for any purpose other than a purpose permitted by this chapter for the zone district in which the land, premises, building or structure is located.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and new-lot formation inside Ridgewood village.

  • A subdivision may not impair applicable zoning requirements.
  • A new lot must not create front-, side-, or rear-yard noncompliance.

  “Whenever a new lot is formed from a part of any other lot or lots, the assembly or separation shall be effected in such a manner as not to impair any of the requirements of this article. No subdivision shall be permitted which results in a change in a front, side or rear yard that fails to comply in every respect with the required provisions of the zone in which it falls.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in a flood hazard area inside Ridgewood village.

  • Application must be written on the Floodplain Administrator's form.
  • The application must identify the development and land, state intended use and occupancy, include site and construction documents, state valuation, and be signed.
  • A floodplain development permit or approval may be required in addition to a building permit.

  permit commencement deadline: 180 days (Permit becomes invalid if development is not commenced; written extensions may be granted)

  “Any person, owner or authorized agent who intends to conduct any development in a flood hazard area shall first make application to the Floodplain Administrator and shall obtain the required permit. Depending on the nature and extent of proposed development that includes a building or structure, the Floodplain Administrator may determine that a floodplain development permit or approval is required in addition to a building permit.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Development and zoning applications inside Ridgewood village.

  • The applicable fee is specified in Chapter 145 or the applicable fee schedule; exact building and septic amounts were not extracted.

  “An application for a zoning permit shall include a completed application form obtained from the Zoning Officer, the application fee specified in Chapter 145 and all plans and other information necessary to determine compliance with the applicable zoning regulations.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-permit applications inside Ridgewood village.

  • Applications require the Village form, fee, plans, and other information needed to determine compliance.
  • The Zoning Officer issues or denies a zoning permit within 10 business days after receipt.
  • Site-plan, subdivision, or conditional-use approval must precede issuance when required.

  zoning permit decision period: 10 business days (After receipt of the application)

  “An application for a zoning permit shall include a completed application form obtained from the Zoning Officer, the application fee specified in Chapter 145 and all plans and other information necessary to determine compliance with the applicable zoning regulations. Such plan information may, at the discretion of the Zoning Officer, be required to include a current survey. The Zoning Officer shall issue or deny a zoning permit within 10 business days of the receipt of an application therefor.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Ridgewood village.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Ridgewood village.
• Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Ridgewood village.
• Setbacks — Residential districts inside Ridgewood village.
• Building height — Residential districts inside Ridgewood village.

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 Village of Ridgewood 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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