Zoning, building permits and septic rules in South Harrison Township, New Jersey

South Harrison Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside South Harrison township's limits. The township adopts and administers its own zoning in Chapter 90 (Land Use and Development), Part 5 Zoning, Article XXV District Regulations, including the Agricultural Residential (AR) district.

  • Zoning applies to land inside the township limits; the pages opened do not state a separate county zoning rule for the township.
  • For a lot that straddles a municipal boundary, the minimum lot size and yard requirements apply to the portion within South Harrison township (Chapter 90 general requirements, § 90-5.14).

  “the overall purpose of the ar zoning district is to provide for a residential district that respects and promotes the rural character of the township”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside South Harrison township's limits, as listed in Chapter 90 Article XXV. Verified districts: AR (Agricultural Residential, § 90-5.15), ARI (Age-Restricted Residential Inclusionary, § 90-5.16.2), NC-1 (Neighborhood Commercial, § 90-5.17-90-5.18), PO/R (Professional Office/Residential, § 90-5.20), LI (Light Industrial, § 90-5.21).

  • The ordinance refers to an official zoning map; the map itself was not opened in this research.

  “§ 90-5.15 agricultural residential zoning district. § 90-5.16 (reserved) § 90-5.16.1 (reserved) § 90-5.16.2 age-restricted residential inclusionary (ari) zoning district. § 90-5.17 use regulations for neighborhood commercial (nc-1) district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential lots in the Agricultural Residential (AR) zoning district inside South Harrison township.

  • The bulk paragraph is cited as § 90-5.15e in the editor's note under former § 90-5.16, which was repealed 7-9-2008; on the eCode360 page the paragraph sits next to the ARI text, so confirm the section placement on the official site.
  • Lot area for stormwater management or open space lots is also one acre.

  minimum lot area (AR district): 1 acre (stormwater management lots or open space lots also one acre)

  “e. bulk and area regulations for the ar zoning district. (1) minimum lot area is one acre. (2) minimum lot area for stormwater management lots or open space lots is one acre.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the Agricultural Residential (AR) zoning district inside South Harrison township.

  • Front yard setback is 75 feet from a local road and 100 feet from a state or county road.
  • Side setbacks are 20 feet each side.
  • Setbacks for NC-1, PO/R and LI were not extracted.

  minimum front yard setback: >= 75 feet (100 feet from a state or county road) · minimum rear yard setback: >= 50 feet · minimum side yard setback: >= 20 feet (each side)

  “(5) minimum front yard setback is 75 feet from a local road, and 100 feet from a state or county road. (6) rear yard setback is 50 feet. (7) side yard setbacks are 20 feet for each side.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Agricultural Residential (AR) zoning district inside South Harrison township.

  • The source states building coverage, not total impervious coverage, for the AR district; a separate impervious limit was not verified for AR.

  maximum building coverage (AR district): <= 10 percent

  “(8) maximum building coverage is 10%. (9) maximum building height is 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the Agricultural Residential (AR) zoning district inside South Harrison township.

  • The limit is whichever is less: 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet.

  maximum building height (AR district): <= 35 feet (or 2 1/2 stories, whichever is less)

  “(9) maximum building height is 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction inside South Harrison township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside South Harrison township
• Building code adopted — Building code enforcement for construction inside South Harrison township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside South Harrison township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside South Harrison 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 South Harrison 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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