Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bordentown Township, New Jersey

Bordentown Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction within Bordentown township limits; the state uniform construction code is enforced locally by the township construction code enforcement agency.

  • Township editor's note: ord. no. 2008-12 rescinded ord. no. 2008-06 and retained local jurisdiction for administration and enforcement of the uniform construction code.
  • Subcodes adopted by the State Commissioner (building, plumbing, electrical, energy, elevator, fire protection) also apply in the township.

  “the state uniform construction code has been established by the state of new jersey, new jersey commissioner of community affairs, pursuant to new jersey state statutes and has a force and effective role in the township.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building, plumbing, electrical and fire work inside Bordentown township, enforced by the township construction code enforcement agency.

  • Inspection is by township subcode officials appointed by the Township Committee (§ 240-2 b through e).
  • Whether specific inspection stages apply to a new home was not established in this research (Chapter 500 Article X and the state code were not opened).

  “the inspection, review and approval of buildings, housing, other applicable structures and construction to ensure that all work conforms to the requirements of approved plans, building and construction subcodes, and the regulations of the state uniform construction code.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Bordentown township (Chapter 500, Article IV), inside township limits.

  • The district list below is taken from the Article IV table of contents; the township zoning map was not opened.

  “§ 500-407 r-10: medium density residential; r-8: high density residential; r-7: high density residential; r-6: high density residential.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Detached single-family dwelling units in the R-40 low density residential district (§ 500-403), inside Bordentown township.

  • Lot area is 40,000 square feet where public water and sewerage are available.
  • Lot area is a minimum of 60,000 square feet where either public water or sewerage facilities are not available (table note 1).
  • The 40,000 sq ft figure is in the detached dwelling units column of the R-40 table.

  minimum lot area, detached dwelling units, public water and sewer available: >= 40000 square feet (60,000 sq ft where either public water or sewerage is not available)

  “notes: (1) lot area required where either public water or sewerage facilities are not available is a minimum of 60,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal detached single-family dwellings in the R-40 low density residential district (§ 500-403), inside Bordentown township.

  • Front yard 50 feet for detached dwellings (table note 2 allows front yards staggered between 35 feet and 50 feet to break up a monotonous view; setbacks are set at preliminary subdivision approval).
  • Side yard (one) 30 feet; aggregate side yard 50 feet; rear yard 35 feet.
  • Accessory building minimums are also in the R-40 table (side 10 feet, rear 6 feet, distance to other building 10 feet); not separately recorded here.

  front yard setback, detached dwelling: 50 feet (may be staggered between 35 and 50 feet per table note 2) · side yard setback (one), detached dwelling: 30 feet · side yard setback (aggregate), detached dwelling: 50 feet · rear yard setback, detached dwelling: 35 feet

  “side yard (one) 30 feet 50 feet 75 feet (aggregate) 50 feet 100 feet 150 feet front yard 50 feet (2) 75 feet 150 feet rear yard 35 feet 75 feet 75 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Detached dwelling units in the R-40 low density residential district (§ 500-403), inside Bordentown township.

  • Figures are for the detached dwelling units column of the R-40 table.
  • Density is 1.0 per acre in the same table.

  maximum building coverage of principal building: <= 20 percent · maximum impervious surface ratio: <= 0.4 ratio

  “maximum: building coverage of principal building 20% 10% 8% impervious surface ratio 0.40 0.50 0.50 density 1.0 per acre”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the R-40 low density residential district (§ 500-403), inside Bordentown township.

  • Churches may exceed this limit up to 50 feet in height.
  • Further exceptions are stated in § 500-602, which was not opened.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (churches not to exceed 50 feet; see § 500-602) · maximum building height: <= 2.5 stories (churches not to exceed 50 feet; see § 500-602)

  “no building shall exceed 35 feet in height and 2.5 stories, except that churches shall not exceed 50 feet in height, and except further as provided in § 500-602.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Dwellings and other buildings inside Bordentown township located on a street where a public sanitary sewer is or will be constructed.

  • Connection is required where a sanitary sewer is in the street the building is on (§ 381-1 and § 381-2 a).
  • For new buildings on a street that already has sewer, connection must be made before a certificate of occupancy is issued (§ 381-2 b(1)).
  • If the owner fails to connect, the township may do the work and recover costs by suit or as a first lien on the property (§ 381-3).
  • Connections are subject to regulations of the Bordentown Sewerage Authority (§ 381-4); those regulations were not opened.
  • No distance-based availability rule was found in Chapter 381. Water connection requirements were not researched.

  “the connection of such building or other dwelling with the sanitary sewer shall be made either: (1) prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, in the event that the dwelling or other building is hereinafter constructed upon any street in which a sanitary sewer then exists;”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bordentown Township or Burlington County directly.

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Bordentown township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Bordentown township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Bordentown township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Bordentown township.
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Bordentown township.

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 Bordentown Township 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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