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Township of Blairstown
Incorporated 1845

Blairstown Municipal Zoning Department

David Diehl, Zoning Officer
Hours: Monday, 9am to 3pm, and Wednesday, 1pm to 6pm
Phone: 908-362-6663, ext. 231

The Municipal Law Use Law, N.J.S.A.40:55D, is the State Statute that regulates land use in the State of New Jersey. The Zoning Officer is responsible for the enforcement of this statute, as well as the enforcement of local zoning ordinances adopted by the Township Committee.

When considering changes to your property in Blairstown Township, you will most likely require both zoning and construction permits. Below is a general outline regarding when a zoning permit is required and how to obtain one.



COMMON ZONING PERMIT REQUIREMENTS:

 
  • Change of use -
Residential, i.e. converting a garage to an office/ living space,
an attic to a bedroom, or finishing off a basement
 
  • Change of use -
Commercial, i.e. converting a building or unit
from storage to retail or professional office
 
  • New residence
  • Any increase in height or square footage
  • Garages and barns
  • Sheds of any size
  • Decks and gazebos
  • Additions
  • Pools and hot tubs
  • Fences and walls
  • Erection of signs
This is not an inclusive list. If the work you plan on doing is not listed above,
it is your responsibility to contact the Zoning Officer to ascertain if a permit is required.

WHEN A ZONING PERMIT IS REQUIRED:

Fill out a Zoning Permit Application, which can be obtained at the Municipal Building, and submit it to David Diehl, Zoning Officer, along with a plot plan with the proposed addition/change drawn where it will be located. A copy of your survey or an accurate hand-drawn site map showing your boundary lines is acceptable for residential applications. The fee for the zoning permit is assessed by the improvement/change proposed. A fee schedule is listed on the back of the application.



Blairstown Township consists of various zoning districts. The R-5 Single - Family Residential is the largest.
Below is a chart listing the general bulk requirements for that district, governed by lot size.

PRINCIPAL BUILDING MINIMUM EXISTING
1-3 ACRES		 EXISTING
3-5 ACRES		 5 ACRES OR
GREATER
LOT FRONTAGE 150 FT. 200 FT. 300 FT.
LOT WIDTH 150 FT. 200 FT. 300 FT.
LOT DEPTH 200 FT. 300 FT. 500 FT.
SIDE YARD (EACH) 25 FT. 50 FT. 75 FT.
FRONT YARD 50 FT. 50 FT. 75 FT.
REAR YARD 50 FT. 75 FT. 100 FT.
ACCESSORY BUILDING/
STRUCTURE MINIMUM		      
DISTANCE TO SIDE LINE 15 FT. 30 FT. 50 FT.
DISTANCE TO REAR LINE 15 FT. 30 FT. 50 FT.
DISTANCE TO OTHER BUILDING 20 FT. 20 FT. 20 FT.
*AGGREGATE COVERAGE 30% 40% 50%

*NOTE: In any case, the aggregate coverage of all accessory buildings/structures on a lot shall not
exceed the percentage noted above of the coverage of the principal building on the lot.

This is a general guide and it shall be noted that the zoning permit does not release the applicant of any responsibility to obtain any other permits or necessary approvals of the municipality, county or state.