Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Neptune City, New Jersey

Borough of Neptune City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, erection, or alteration of any structure inside Neptune City borough.

  • A zoning permit must first be secured.
  • The permit fee must accompany each building-permit application.
  • A building permit expires one year after issuance if substantial construction has not commenced.

  “Building permits shall hereafter be secured from the Construction Official and the Building Department prior to the construction, erection or alteration of any structure, but only after a zoning permit has first been secured.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of a structure or premises inside Neptune City borough after creation, location, erection, change, conversion, or enlargement.

  • The certificate must be issued by the Construction Official and Building Department.
  • The certificate requires compliance with the Building Code and law and, where applicable, land-use ordinances and Land Use Board requirements.
  • Each unit in a multi-unit building or project requires a certificate, and common areas and appurtenances must be completed first.

  “It shall be unlawful to use or permit the use of any structure or premises or part thereof hereafter created, located, erected, changed, converted or enlarged wholly or partly until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Construction Official and the Building Department of this borough certifying compliance with all provisions of the Building Code and law.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Neptune City borough; the borough publishes Chapter 139, Zoning, including zone regulations and a Schedule of Area, Yard and Building Requirements.

  “§ 139-33 R-1 Single Family Residential Zone. § 139-34 R-2 High Density Residential Zone. § 139-35 R-1T Single Family Residential/Townhouse Zone.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Neptune City borough.

  • The opened code identifies R-1, R-2, R-1T, R-2T, R-2M, RLC, RC, HC, C, I, and MU-O zoning districts or zones.
  • Dimensional requirements vary by district and use.

  “§ 139-33 R-1 Single Family Residential Zone.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and other wastewater-disposal facilities inside Neptune City borough.

  • The prohibition is subject to the code's phrase 'Except as hereinafter provided.'

  “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building-sewer connection permits inside Neptune City borough.

  • Residential and commercial or industrial connections have separate fees.
  • The fee is paid when the application is filed.
  • The owner bears all incidental installation and connection costs.

  residential sewer connection and inspection fee: 400 USD per connection · commercial or industrial sewer connection and inspection fee: 500 USD per connection

  “A connection and inspection fee of $400 for each residential sewer connection and $500 for each commercial or industrial sewer connection shall be paid to the borough at the time the application is filed.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning, building, and conditional-use permit process inside Neptune City borough.

  • Zoning permits precede building permits.
  • Conditional-use applications require an original and 10 copies of the application and supporting documents, 10 copies of a site plan, and a $100 fee.
  • The reviewing board must approve the site plan before a conditional-use permit may issue.
  • Zoning and building permits expire after one year if use or substantial construction has not commenced.

  conditional-use permit fee: 100 USD

  “Application for any conditional use permit as permitted shall be made by filing with the Building Department an original and 10 copies of the application form and supporting documents, together with 10 copies of a site plan pursuant to the Site Plan Review Ordinance and a fee in the amount of $100.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Neptune City

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Neptune City's R-1 Single Family Residential Zone.

  • The cited minimum is for the principal dwelling's minimum usable floor area.

  minimum usable floor area of principal dwelling: >= 1600 square feet

  “(11) Minimum usable floor area of principle dwelling: 1,600 square feet. [Added 2-25-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-08]”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Neptune City's R-1 Single Family Residential Zone.

  • Aggregate side-yard width must be 20 feet, with no less than eight feet per side.

  minimum front setback: >= 25 feet · minimum side yard aggregate: >= 20 feet (no less than eight feet per side) · minimum rear yard: >= 15 feet

  “(5) Minimum front setback: 25 feet. (6) Minimum side yard - Aggregate of 20 feet; no less than eight feet per side. (7) Minimum rear yard: 15 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Neptune City's R-1 Single Family Residential Zone.

  • Building coverage and lot coverage are separately stated.

  maximum building coverage: <= 40 percent · maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent

  “(9) Maximum building coverage: 40%. [Amended 2-25-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-08] (10) Maximum lot coverage: 60%. [Amended 2-25-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-08]”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Neptune City's R-1 Single Family Residential Zone.

  maximum height: <= 30 feet

  “(8) Maximum height: 30 feet. [Amended 10-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-15]”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from construction permits inside Neptune City borough.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Neptune City borough.
• Living in an RV — Residential or long-term occupancy of recreational vehicles inside Neptune City borough.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Neptune City borough.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Neptune City 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 Neptune City 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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