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

Berkeley Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction in Berkeley township, administered by the Berkeley Township Construction Department under the State Uniform Construction Code

  • The state code is administered locally; subcodes are enforced by the township construction official and subcode officials.

  “there is hereby established in the township a state uniform construction code enforcing agency, to be known as the "berkeley township construction department,"”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Berkeley township's limits; the Township of Berkeley adopts and administers its own zoning under Chapter 35 Land Development, Article XI

  • Zoning districts are listed in Article XI (§ 35-86 onward); Schedule 1 (§ 35-95) and Schedule 2 (§ 35-95a) are attachments to Chapter 35.

  “for the purpose of this chapter, the township of berkeley is divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Berkeley township's limits

  • The list includes R-31.5, R-50, R-60, R-64, R-100, R-125, R-150, R-200, R-400, R-400 PRRC, R-4F, R-TH, R-LR, R-MF, NB, HB, LI, GI, RC, BC, BR and overlay zones. Zoning map is a separate attachment to Chapter 35.

  “for the purpose of this chapter, the township of berkeley is divided into the following zoning districts: r-31.5 r-50 r-60 r-64 r-100 r-125 r-150 r-200 r-400 r-400 prrc”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  One-family detached dwelling in the R-4F residential one- to four-family zone (§ 35-96.6), inside Berkeley township

  • Corner lots in the R-31.5, R-50, R-60 and R-64 zones need 50% greater lot area than the schedule of requirements (§ 35-89.5); that is a separate district rule.
  • The Schedule 1 values for R-31.5, R-50, R-60 and R-64 were not opened.

  minimum lot area, one-family residence: 3150 square feet · minimum lot frontage, one-family residence: 45 feet

  “one-family two-family three-family four-family residences minimum lot area (square feet) 3,150 5,000 6,300 10,000 minimum lot frontage (feet) 45 50 90 70”

• SetbacksSpecified

  One-family detached dwelling in the R-4F residential one- to four-family zone (§ 35-96.6) inside Berkeley township

  • Accessory buildings in the same zone: rear setback 5 feet and side setback 5 feet.

  minimum front setback: >= 20 feet · minimum rear setback: >= 10 feet · minimum side setback: >= 5 feet · minimum both sides: >= 15 feet

  “minimum front setback (feet) 20 20 20 20 minimum rear setback (feet) 10 20 20 20 minimum side setback (feet) 5 7 10 15 minimum both sides (feet) 15 18 30 30”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  One-family dwelling in the R-4F residential one- to four-family zone (§ 35-96.6) inside Berkeley township

  maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

  “one-family two-family three-family four-family residences minimum lot area (square feet) 3,150 5,000 6,300 10,000 minimum lot frontage (feet) 45 50 90 70 minimum front setback (feet) 20 20 20 20 minimum rear setback (feet) 10 20 20 20 minimum side setback (feet) 5 7 10 15 minimum both sides (feet) 15 18 30 30 maximum lot coverage (%) 35 35 35 35”

• Building heightSpecified

  One-family dwelling in the R-4F residential one- to four-family zone (§ 35-96.6) inside Berkeley township

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “maximum building height (feet) 35 35 35 35”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Single-family and other dwellings in the R-4F residential one- to four-family zone (§ 35-96.6) inside Berkeley township

  • The requirement is stated as a zone standard for the R-4F zone; it is not a general township-wide rule.
  • Water connection was not verified in Chapter 18 and is not stated here.

  “connection to a central sewerage system in a manner acceptable to the berkeley sewerage authority is required.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building, plumbing, electrical and other subcode permit fees in Berkeley township

  • Fees are set in § 11-1.3; the schedule opened shows building, plumbing and electrical fees.
  • Fee amendments after the legislation date on the table of contents were not checked.

  new construction permit fee, use groups R-1 to R-5 and U: 0.04 USD per cubic foot of volume (minimum fee $75)

  “use groups r-1, r-2, r-3, r-4, r-5 and u per cubic foot of volume: 0.040 minimum fee: $75.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in Berkeley township
• Inspections — Inspections of new homes in Berkeley township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Berkeley township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Berkeley township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Berkeley 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 Berkeley 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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