Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey

At a glance

Zoning

Set by the borough's own land development ordinance; six districts¹⁵

Building permit

Required under the state Uniform Construction Code²

Who handles permits

West Deptford Township staff under a shared-services agreement with the borough³

Septic permit

Gloucester County Environmental Health⁴

Owner-builder

Owner-built homes still need permits; an affidavit is required before a certificate of occupancy⁶

Limited Industrial lots

At least 20,000 sq ft and 100 ft frontage⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Does Woodbury Heights, NJ have zoning?

Yes. The Borough of Woodbury Heights adopts and administers its own land development and zoning ordinance, Chapter 70 of the borough code; it is not a county rule¹. New Jersey counties have no zoning power, so Gloucester County does not zone Woodbury Heights land⁸.

The ordinance divides the borough into six districts: Residential, Residential Multifamily, Community Commercial, Highway Commercial, Limited Industrial and an Affordable Housing Overlay⁵. There is no agricultural district on that list, so this is a built-out suburban borough rather than rural land⁵.

Any use not expressly permitted in the chapter is prohibited¹. That matters for RVs, tiny homes and accessory dwellings: we could not confirm what the district use tables allow, so ask the zoning officer before you buy.

What are the lot size, setback and height rules in Woodbury Heights?

Rules differ by district, and we could confirm the commercial and industrial ones. In the Limited Industrial district a principal building needs at least 20,000 square feet of lot area and 100 feet of frontage⁷, with 30-foot front, side and rear yards⁹. Combined building coverage is capped at 50 percent¹⁰, and height at 35 feet unless the ordinance allows more¹¹.

In the Community Commercial district the minimum lot is 7,500 square feet¹²; in Highway Commercial it is 12,500 square feet¹³. Highway Commercial yards are 10 feet at the side, 30 feet in front and 25 feet at the rear¹⁴.

We could not confirm the Residential district's lot, setback or minimum dwelling-size standards. Ask the zoning officer for the figures for your specific lot.

Do you need a building permit in Woodbury Heights, and who issues it?

Yes, for construction covered by the state code. New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code makes it unlawful to construct, enlarge, repair, renovate, alter or demolish a structure without first filing an application and getting a permit; ordinary maintenance is exempt².

The borough's own website says Woodbury Heights has a shared-services agreement with West Deptford Township for construction and code inspection and enforcement, and for zoning official services³. In practice you deal with West Deptford's construction office, but the permit is for a Woodbury Heights property. We could not confirm the borough's own fee schedule or application steps; the borough code lists a construction permit fee chapter we did not read.

Before a permit issues, state, county and local approvals must all be in place¹⁵.

How do septic permits work in Woodbury Heights?

Gloucester County Environmental Health reviews septic plans for individual homes and facilities, and newly built systems need a License to Operate before use⁴. State law also requires the board of health to certify the sewage facilities before a building permit can issue¹⁶.

We could not confirm whether the borough's own sewage-disposal chapter or a public sewer connection requirement changes this for a particular lot, so ask the construction office whether your address is on public sewer. County fees for new construction are listed on the county's wells and septic page¹⁷.

A septic system must be inspected by the board of health before it is covered¹⁸.

Building a home in Woodbury Heights: the steps, in order

1. Ask the zoning officer, through the construction office, whether your use and lot fit the district rules¹.
2. If a subdivision is involved, the borough's ordinance regulates it¹⁹ and Gloucester County reviews subdivisions too²⁰.
3. Confirm sewer or septic with Gloucester County Environmental Health⁴.
4. Apply for the construction permit through the construction office³.
5. Expect periodic inspections, including footings, rough plumbing and electrical, and framing²¹.
6. An owner who builds their own home must file an affidavit with the construction official before a certificate of occupancy can issue⁶.

What stays with Gloucester County, and what to check before you buy

Gloucester County handles septic plan review⁴ and reviews subdivisions²⁰. Land outside the borough follows different local rules; see the Gloucester County page.

Before you buy, confirm the lot's zoning district with the zoning officer, ask whether public sewer serves it, and check floodplain mapping, since we could not confirm the borough's flood rules. Gloucester County's effective property tax rate is²² percent, with a median bill of about $7,964 a year²³.

Watch-outs

• Contact details on the borough's page list West Deptford staff, so call the shared-services construction office rather than expecting a counter at borough hall³.
• Under the borough's ordinance, any use not expressly permitted is prohibited, so RV living, tiny homes and accessory dwellings should be cleared with the zoning officer first¹.

Sources

1. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article III: Establishment of Districts; Map; Boundaries (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
2. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
3. Woodbury Heights construction office (West Deptford Township staff) (bwhnj.com)
4. Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health (gloucestercountynj.gov)
5. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article III: Establishment of Districts; Map; Boundaries (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
6. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
8. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
10. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
11. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
12. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
13. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
14. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article IV: district regulations (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
15. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Submission Requirements for Wells & Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
18. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Chapter 70 Land Development, Article I: Title; Purposes; Interpretation of Provisions (Woodbury Heights) (Borough of Woodbury Heights), quoted and re-checked
20. Land Development Review & Approval Committee, quoted and re-checked
21. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.