Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey

Upper Deerfield Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Upper Deerfield township's limits (Township of Upper Deerfield, Cumberland County)

  • Zoning is the township's own Chapter 405, Zoning and Development, which includes a schedule of district regulations.
  • Only the Article VI and Article VII headings and the general provisions were read; the full district schedule was not retrieved.

  “the schedule of district regulations is included at the end of this chapter”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts of Upper Deerfield township

  • The cited ordinance names only the R1, R2, R3 and R4 residential zones in Attachment 2.
  • The full zone list and the schedule of district regulations were not retrieved.

  “attachment 2 (schedules of district regulations district for the r1, r2, r3 and r4 residential zones)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential units in Upper Deerfield township

  • Applies unless otherwise specifically specified in Chapter 405; district-specific overrides were not checked because the district schedule was not retrieved.

  minimum habitable floor area, 1-story dwelling: >= 900 square feet (unless otherwise specifically specified in this chapter) · minimum habitable floor area, split-level dwelling: >= 1200 square feet (unless otherwise specifically specified in this chapter) · minimum habitable floor area, 2-story dwelling: >= 1500 square feet (unless otherwise specifically specified in this chapter)

  “unless otherwise specifically specified in this chapter, the minimum habitable floor area for residential units shall be as follows: type of unit minimum habitable floor area (square feet) 1-story dwelling 900 split-level dwelling 1,200 2-story dwelling 1,500”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots within 1,000 feet or less of any river, lake, pond or stream in Upper Deerfield township

  • Applies notwithstanding the schedule of district regulations.
  • The planning board may waive this requirement when public sanitary sewer and potable water supply are to be installed to service the lot(s) and the environmental threat is found to be nonexistent or minimal.
  • Where a lot straddles the municipal boundary, the requirements are met by the portion of the lot within Upper Deerfield (Section 405-15e).
  • Adjoining lots of record in single ownership with continuous frontage are treated as one undivided parcel and may not be divided to leave a lot below the required width or area (Section 405-15b).

  minimum lot size: >= 1 acre (lots within 1,000 feet or less of any river, lake, pond or stream; planning board waiver when public sanitary sewer and potable water are installed)

  “the minimum lot size for use or construction shall be one acre when said lot is located within 1,000 feet or less of any river, lake, pond or stream. the planning board may waive this requirement when public sanitary sewer and potable water supply are to be installed to service said lot(s)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential accessory structures other than swimming pools in the R1, R2, R3 and R4 zones of Upper Deerfield township

  • Setbacks for principal buildings in R1 through R4 were not retrieved.
  • Where an accessory structure exceeds 10 feet in height, the side and rear setbacks must be increased at a minimum to the height of the structure.
  • Ordinance 830 states that all other provisions of Chapter 405 remain unchanged; its final adoption is shown as October 2021 in the ordinance text.

  side yard setback, accessory structure 10 ft or less: >= 10 feet (R1, R2, R3, R4; increased to structure height if taller than 10 feet) · rear yard setback, accessory structure 10 ft or less: >= 10 feet (R1, R2, R3, R4; increased to structure height if taller than 10 feet)

  “side yard1 10’ 10’ 10’ 10’ rear yard1 10’ 10’ 10’ 10’”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential accessory structures other than swimming pools in Upper Deerfield township's R1 through R4 zones

  • Coverage limits for principal buildings and total lot coverage were not retrieved.
  • The ordinance table lists the coverage row as '% coverage'; the value is applied as the percentage of the lot covered by accessory structures.

  accessory structure coverage, R1 and R2: <= 3.5 percent (R1 and R2 zones) · accessory structure coverage, R3 and R4: <= 2 percent (R3 and R4 zones)

  “is revised to adjust the minimum setback and maximum height requirements for all residential accessory structures except swimming pools as follows.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential accessory structures other than swimming pools in the R1, R2, R3 and R4 zones of Upper Deerfield township

  • Principal-building height limits in R1 through R4 were not retrieved.
  • Structures over 10 feet tall must meet larger side and rear setbacks (see setback claim).

  maximum height, residential accessory structure: <= 25 feet (excludes swimming pools; R1, R2, R3, R4)

  “is revised to adjust the minimum setback and maximum height requirements for all residential accessory structures except swimming pools as follows.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Upper Deerfield township

  • Former Chapter 87 subdivision regulations were deleted in 1980 by Ord. 227; current subdivision provisions sit inside Chapter 405.
  • Contiguous lots in single ownership cannot be divided to leave a lot below required width or area unless subdivision approval was obtained (Section 405-15b).
  • Approval procedure, fees and submission details were not retrieved.

  “current provisions are located within this ch. 405, zoning and development.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit for construction in Upper Deerfield township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for Upper Deerfield township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in Upper Deerfield township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in Upper Deerfield township
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land in Upper Deerfield 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 Upper Deerfield 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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