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

Borough of River Edge’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building, remodeling, additions and listed work inside River Edge borough.

  • Permits must be obtained before work starts.
  • Zoning review and approval is required before a building-permit application is submitted.
  • Contractors must provide proof of State of New Jersey registration before permit issuance.

  “PERMITS ARE REQUIRED PRIOR TO ANY WORK BEING STARTED”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction-code enforcement inside River Edge borough.

  • The Borough enforces the State Uniform Construction Code through its Construction Code Enforcement Office.

  “There is hereby established in the Borough of River Edge a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Construction Code Enforcement Office," 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

  Sale, rental or tenant occupancy of dwelling houses and dwelling units inside River Edge borough.

  • A certificate is required before sale of a dwelling unit.
  • A certificate and permit are required before renting, leasing or allowing tenant occupancy.
  • A certificate is issued by the Construction Official.
  • Rental applications require written application and inspection consent.

  “No person shall rent, lease or permit any tenant to occupy any dwelling house, dwelling unit or any portion of the premises occupied for a separate and distinct commercial use unless such a person first obtains from the Construction Official a certificate of occupancy and permit authorizing any of the foregoing:”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside River Edge borough; Borough Code Chapter 416 is its zoning chapter.

  • The code states that uses, height, yards, lot area and building-location regulations apply by zoning district.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of River Edge 12-22-1986 by Ord. No. 923 (Ch. XV of the 1975 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of River Edge

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

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Individual septic systems serving property inside River Edge borough.

  • New Jersey develops the septic standards.
  • Municipal and county Boards of Health implement and enforce them.
  • The particular health department having jurisdiction for a River Edge parcel was not identified in the reviewed official materials.

  “The regulations are implemented and enforced by municipal and county Boards of Health. However, most Boards of Health contract local health departments to assist with local onsite wastewater management, which involves implementation of N.J.A.C. 7:9A, septic plan reviews, permitting and enforcement of health and environmental violations in accordance to the code.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic systems serving property inside River Edge borough, including systems being abandoned or disconnected for public sewer hookup.

  • Inspection is by the health department having jurisdiction.
  • Before a certificate of occupancy for a building using septic, the construction official requires a health-department Certificate of Compliance.

  “Subsurface sewage disposal (septic) systems, including those that are abandoned without and associated hookup to a public sewer system, are to be inspected by the health department having jurisdiction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from construction permits inside River Edge borough.
• Living in an RV — Long-term or residential RV occupancy on private land inside River Edge borough.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside River Edge borough.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside River Edge borough.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside River Edge 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 River Edge 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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