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

Borough of Lake Como’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction-code enforcement inside Lake Como borough.

  • The municipal enforcing agency administers the State Uniform Construction Code.

  “State Uniform Construction Code Enforcing Agency”

• InspectionsRequired

  New structures or additions with a building footprint of 400 square feet or greater inside Lake Como borough.

  • Two copies of a grading and drainage plan prepared and sealed by a New Jersey licensed engineer are required.
  • A $500 escrow fee is required.
  • Plans are reviewed and inspections are conducted by the Borough Engineer.

  building footprint threshold: >= 400 square feet · escrow fee: 500 USD

  “inspections conducted by the Borough Engineer.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Lake Como borough; the borough adopts and administers zoning regulations in Chapter 17.

  • Uses and structures must conform to the regulations prescribed for the applicable zone.

  “No building or premises shall be used, and no building shall be erected or altered except in conformity with the regulations prescribed for the zone in which such buildings or premises are located.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Lake Como borough.

  • The zoning map is dated November 12, 2010 and is on file in the borough offices.
  • The code states that district standards apply to every structure, lot and use within each district.

  “For the purpose of this chapter, the Borough is hereby divided into five (5) districts as follows: 1. Residential R-60 2. Residential R-50 3. Residential R-40 4. Multi-Family MF 5. General Business: GB [...] The boundaries of these zoning districts are established on the map entitled "Zoning Map of the Borough of Lake Como, Monmouth County, New Jersey" dated November 12, 2010, which amends the zoning map dated July 21, 2009, prepared by Birdsall Engineering, Inc., accompanied by Ordinance No. 2009-832, and is hereby made part of this chapter and will also be made part of the Master Plan of the Borough of Lake Como. The map may be found on file in the Borough offices.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sanitary disposal for occupied structures located along the line of a public sewer in Lake Como borough.

  • The property must be along the line of a public sewer.
  • After notice to connect and hook up, connection to the sewage system is required within 30 days.

  connection deadline after notice: 30 days

  “The owner of every existing house, building or structure, and the owner of every house, building or structure hereafter to be constructed or acquired, which may be occupied or used by human beings, located on a property along the line of any public sewer created pursuant to the provisions of the Sewerage Authority Law N.J.S.A. 40:14A, now or hereafter constructed or acquired in the Borough, shall, within 30 days after the date on which notice has been given to connect and hook-up, connect and hook-up the sewerage facilities emanating from such house, building or structure to the sewage system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses, buildings and structures inside Lake Como borough located on a property along the line of a public sewer.

  • Connection is required within 30 days after notice to connect and hook up.
  • Industrial and commercial properties must follow rules and regulations on file with the South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority.
  • The quoted provision establishes mandatory sewer connection; it does not establish a general mandatory public-water connection for every property.

  connection deadline after notice: 30 days

  “The owner of every existing house, building or structure, and the owner of every house, building or structure hereafter to be constructed or acquired, which may be occupied or used by human beings, located on a property along the line of any public sewer created pursuant to the provisions of the Sewerage Authority Law N.J.S.A. 40:14A, now or hereafter constructed or acquired in the Borough, shall, within 30 days after the date on which notice has been given to connect and hook-up, connect and hook-up the sewerage facilities emanating from such house, building or structure to the sewage system.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Lake Como

Borough of Lake Como 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

  R-40 single-family residential district inside Lake Como borough.

  • The table also specifies 40-foot frontage, 40-foot width and 100-foot depth.

  minimum lot area: >= 4000 square feet

  “Principal Building | Minimum Requirements R-60 R-50 R-40 Lot Area | 6,000 sq. ft. 5,000 sq. ft. 4,000 sq. ft. Lot Frontage | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Width | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Depth | 100 feet 100 feet 100 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-60 single-family residential district inside Lake Como borough.

    “Principal Building | Minimum Requirements R-60 R-50 R-40 Lot Area | 6,000 sq. ft. 5,000 sq. ft. 4,000 sq. ft. Lot Frontage | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Width | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Depth | 100 feet 100 feet 100 feet”

  • Specified — R-50 single-family residential district inside Lake Como borough.

    “Principal Building | Minimum Requirements R-60 R-50 R-40 Lot Area | 6,000 sq. ft. 5,000 sq. ft. 4,000 sq. ft. Lot Frontage | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Width | 60 feet 50 feet 40 feet Lot Depth | 100 feet 100 feet 100 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-60, R-50 and R-40 single-family residential districts inside Lake Como borough.

  • Coverage includes the principal building, accessory buildings and decks.

  maximum building area coverage: <= 40 percent of total lot area

  “Building area coverage shall be limited to a maximum of 40% of the total lot area for buildings, including the principal building, accessory buildings and decks.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in Lake Como borough, including the R-60, R-50 and R-40 residential districts.

  • Flat roofs have a maximum height of 30 feet.
  • Other roof types have a maximum height of 35 feet.
  • Buildings are generally limited to two and one-half stories.
  • For undersized-width lots, maximum height is reduced proportionally to the lot-width deficiency.

  maximum height flat roof: 30 feet · maximum height other roof: 35 feet · maximum stories: 2.5 stories (unless otherwise noted)

  “shall mean the vertical dimension of a building measured from curb grade at the center point of the street frontage or, in the absence of a curb, measured from the curb grade closest to the center point of the street frontage to the highest point of the roof. Maximum height for flat roofs shall be 30 feet and zero (0) inches and maximum height for all other roof types shall be thirty-five (35) feet and zero (0) inches. All buildings shall be a maximum of two and one-half (2 1/2) stories in height unless otherwise noted.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders seeking an exemption from Lake Como borough construction requirements.
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles inside Lake Como borough.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Lake Como borough.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Lake Como borough.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Lake Como 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 Lake Como 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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