Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Franklin, New Jersey

Borough of Franklin’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the limits of Franklin borough (Sussex County, NJ). The borough adopts and administers its own zoning in Chapter 161 (Land Development), Article V: Zoning.

  • Applies only inside the borough's own boundaries; it does not govern the Sussex County unincorporated area.

  “the location and boundaries of the above zones are hereby established on the zoning map of the borough of franklin in sussex county dated september 28, 2004, which is filed in the office of the borough clerk.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zone map and zone list for land inside Franklin borough.

  • Zones include R-1 through R-4 residential, MF, B-1, B-2, HC-1, HC-2, I, MHP, OS/GU, GC, Q, HMF, MPR and NC districts, per the zone list in Article V, paragraph a. (the zone list is quoted in the page's zoning-district text).

  “hc-1 highway commercial-1 hc-2 highway commercial-2 i industrial mhp mobile home park os/gu open space/government use gc golf course q quarry hmf hospital multifamily mpr munsonhurst planned residential district nc neighborhood commercial”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  HC-2 Highway Commercial-2 zone inside Franklin borough (commercial, not single-family residential).

  • Category A and Category B are defined in the HC-2 section; the category definitions were not captured in the excerpt.
  • Parking, buffering and other HC-2 conditions also apply (see § 161-35 and the HC-2 section).

  minimum lot area, category A: 30000 square feet · minimum lot area, category B: 20000 square feet

  “(3) dimensional standards. the following dimensional requirements apply to the hc-2 zone. category a category b minimum lot area 30,000 square feet 20,000 square feet”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  HC-2 Highway Commercial-2 zone inside Franklin borough (commercial, not single-family residential).

  • Category A and Category B distinctions are not defined in the captured excerpt.
  • Buffering of commercial lots adjoining residential uses also applies under the HC-2 section.

  minimum front yard, category A: 40 feet · minimum front yard, category B: 25 feet · minimum side yard, category A: 20 feet · minimum side yard, category B: 15 feet · minimum rear yard, category A: 30 feet · minimum rear yard, category B: 20 feet

  “minimum front yard 40 feet 25 feet minimum side yard 20 feet 15 feet minimum rear yard 30 feet 20 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  HC-2 Highway Commercial-2 zone inside Franklin borough (commercial, not single-family residential).

  • Category A and Category B distinctions are not defined in the captured excerpt.

  maximum building height, category A: <= 35 feet (3 stories maximum) · maximum building height, category B: <= 35 feet (3 stories maximum)

  “maximum building height/stories 35 feet/3 stories 35 feet/3 stories”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Franklin or Sussex County directly.

• Building permit — New construction inside Franklin borough.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Franklin borough.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Franklin borough.
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Franklin borough.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Franklin borough.

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 Borough of Franklin 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.