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

Harding Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction improvements inside Harding Township.

  • Ordinary repair or maintenance is excepted.
  • The Township recommends contacting the Construction Office because permit requirements depend on the project.

  “In short a construction permit is required for everything that is not considered an ordinary repair or maintenance.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Harding Township through the Township Uniform Construction Code Enforcing Agency.

  • The agency administers the State Uniform Construction Code and applicable Harding Township requirements.

  “There is hereby established in the Township of Harding a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction and improvements inside Harding Township.

  • Inspections are scheduled through the Construction Office.
  • Inspection timing depends on inspector availability and project conditions.

  “Call the office and get the inspections. No penalty will be then incurred. If you are cited for not obtaining final inspections the penalty will be $2000.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Harding Township.

  • The Township Zoning Official administers compliance with the Harding Township Land Development Ordinance.

  “The Zoning Official is responsible for ensuring all construction within the township is in compliance with the Harding Township Land Development Ordinance.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Main dwelling in the R-1 Residence Zone.

  • Livable floor area is measured at the first-floor level.
  • Porches and garages are excluded.

  minimum livable floor area: >= 1200 square feet (exclusive of porches and garages)

  “Minimum square feet in the main dwelling: 1,200 square feet of livable floor area space measured at the first-floor level, exclusive of porches and garages.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Main dwelling in the RR Rural Residential Zone, whose bulk requirements are the same as R-1.

    “All other bulk requirements and restrictions shall be the same as the R-1 Zone, except that frontage requirements for flag lots shall be modified as provided in § 225-153.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  RR Rural Residential Zone.

  • Lot-averaged subdivision provisions in § 225-154 may permit different lot sizes, subject to the stated density and deed-restriction requirements.

  minimum lot area: >= 5 acres (except under § 225-154 lot-averaged subdivision provisions)

  “Minimum lot size: five acres, except in accordance with provisions for lot-averaged subdivisions in § 225-154.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Affordable accessory residences in the R-1 and RR zoning districts and qualifying existing spaces in any zoning district.

  • In R-1 and RR, the lot must be at least five acres.
  • All Article XXXVI and Article XLI requirements must be satisfied.
  • The unit must comply with New Jersey statutes, local building codes, potable-water and sewage-disposal adequacy, separate outdoor access, and affordability restrictions.
  • A qualifying existing unoccupied space may be converted in any zoning district if all article requirements are met.

  minimum lot size in R-1/RR: >= 5 acres (not applicable to qualifying existing unoccupied space under § 225-166(B)) · affordability restriction: >= 10 years from certificate of occupancy (rented only to a qualified very-low-, low-, or moderate-income household)

  “An affordable accessory residence, as defined in this chapter, shall be a permitted accessory use in the R-1 and RR Zoning Districts on lots comprised of at least five acres”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Septic regulation and administration inside Harding Township.

  • Harding Township's Board of Health administers the regulations.
  • The Board of Health obtains public-health services through a shared-services arrangement with Morris County's Division of Public Health.

  “The Board of Health contracts for Shared Services for Public Health Services with the County of Morris, Division of Public Health. The Health Department administers the health regulations in Harding Township, including septic and well regulations”

• Well permitLimited

  Private well construction, repair, and sealing inside Harding Township.

  • The Township Health Department administers well regulations.
  • The official fee schedule lists separate charges for new wells, repairs, and sealing.

  new well: 375 USD · well repair: 175 USD · well sealing: 375 USD

  “New Well $375 Well Repair $175 Well Sealing $375”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Construction and health-related permits inside Harding Township.

  • Construction fees are composed of subcode fees, plan review fees, demolition or sign fees where applicable, and a surcharge.
  • The Health Department states that its posted fees are a guideline and that official fees are in § 422 of the Township Code.
  • Extra charges may accrue for additional work.

  new-construction septic permit/plan review: 1200 USD · new well: 375 USD

  “The fee for a construction permit shall be the sum of the subcode fees listed in Subsection A(1) through (3) hereof and shall be paid before the permit is issued.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Construction-permit processing inside Harding Township.

  • Zoning approval is required before construction permits for structures outside the existing building footprint.
  • Other approvals may be required from Health, Engineering, NJDEP, or Historic Preservation.
  • A location survey must accompany building-permit applications.

  “Prior to issuance of any construction permits, zoning approval is required for any structure being located outside the existing building footprint.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from construction permitting inside Harding Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Harding Township.
• Living in an RV — Residential or long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Harding Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Harding Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Harding 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 Harding 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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