Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clifton, New Jersey

Clifton’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Clifton city limits. Clifton adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, codified as Chapter 461 Zoning of the city code.

  • Zoning is set by Ordinance No. 4502-79 (adopted May 1, 1979, as amended and supplemented), which replaced the 1960 zoning ordinance No. 3287.
  • Development must follow the district regulations in Chapter 461 and its Schedule of Regulations as to Bulk, Height and Other Requirements (§ 461-13).
  • The zoning officer administers the ordinance; the code's land use procedures chapter (Chapter 57) cross-references Chapter 461 as the current zoning text.

  “the zoning officer under the zoning ordinance (ordinance no. 4502-79, adopted may 1, 1979, as amended and supplemented) of the city of clifton”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Clifton city, including the R-A1, R-A2, R-A3, R-B1, R-B2, R-B3, R-HR and business districts

  • District use lists are in Chapter 461 § 461-13.1; the official zoning map is a separate item and was not opened.

  “c. uses in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district. the following uses are permitted in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  One-family dwellings in the R-A1 district inside Clifton city

  • Minimum floor area applies to one-family dwellings permitted in the R-A1, R-A2 and R-A3 districts; the same text is shared by all three.
  • Floor area requirements are set by building type: one-story, two-story with attached garage, and two-story without attached garage.

  minimum ground floor area, one-story one-family dwelling: >= 800 sq ft · minimum floor area, two-story one-family dwelling with attached garage: >= 1000 sq ft · minimum floor area, two-story one-family dwelling without attached garage: >= 1200 sq ft

  “c. uses in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district. the following uses are permitted in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district: (1) one-family dwelling containing a minimum floor area as follows: (a) of not less than 800 square feet of ground floor are for a one-story building. (b) of not less than 1,000 square feet for a two-story building having an attached garage. (c) of not less than 1,200 square feet for a two-story building not having an attached garage.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — One-family dwellings in the R-A2 district inside Clifton city

    “c. uses in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district. the following uses are permitted in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district: (1) one-family dwelling containing a minimum floor area as follows: (a) of not less than 800 square feet of ground floor are for a one-story building. (b) of not less than 1,000 square feet for a two-story building having an attached garage. (c) of not less than 1,200 square feet for a two-story building not having an attached garage.”

  • Specified — One-family dwellings in the R-A3 district inside Clifton city

    “c. uses in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district. the following uses are permitted in the r-a1 district, r-a2 district and the r-a3 district: (1) one-family dwelling containing a minimum floor area as follows: (a) of not less than 800 square feet of ground floor are for a one-story building. (b) of not less than 1,000 square feet for a two-story building having an attached garage. (c) of not less than 1,200 square feet for a two-story building not having an attached garage.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Clifton city

  • Chapter 399 (Subdivision of Land) is in the code; its text was not opened, so the approval steps and any pending revision are not confirmed.

  “chapter 399 subdivision of land chapter 403 swimming and swimming pools (§ 403-1 – § 403-35)”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Construction permit fees for work inside Clifton city, set by the Clifton Enforcing Agency under Chapter 197

  • Minimum construction permit fee is $60 per subcode, plus the certificate fee and the New Jersey training surcharge.
  • Building subcode fees for new construction and additions are set by use group and cubic-foot rate in § 197-3(a)(1).
  • The training surcharge is $0.00371 per cubic foot for new construction and additions and $1.90 per $1,000 of value for other construction (amended 10-21-2014).
  • Fee section shows last amended 4-3-2012 by Ord. No. 7008-12; the construction official reports annually to the council on a recommended fee schedule (§ 197-3(e)).

  minimum construction permit fee per subcode: 60 USD (plus certificate fee and NJ training surcharge) · training surcharge, new construction and additions: 0.00371 USD per cubic foot · training surcharge, other construction: 1.9 USD per $1,000 of value

  “a minimum construction permit fee for any one subcode shall be $60.”

Rules another office applies inside Clifton

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Clifton city limits, administered by the Clifton Enforcing Agency under the state Uniform Construction Code

  • The state Uniform Construction Code is enforced locally by the city's enforcing agency, which has a construction official and building, plumbing, electrical and fire protection subcode officials.
  • Subcode work may be handled by an on-site inspection agency retained by contract under N.J.A.C. 5:23.

  “there is hereby established in the city of clifton a state uniform construction code enforcing agency to be known as the”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clifton or Passaic County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building on their own property in Clifton city
• Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Clifton city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Clifton city
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the R-A1 single-family district inside Clifton city
• Setbacks — Front, side and rear yard setbacks in the R-A1 district inside Clifton city

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 Clifton 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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