Medford Lakes City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Zoning Districts and Zoning Map
§ 145-33 Zoning districts.
For the purpose of this chapter, the Borough of Medford Lakes is hereby divided into seven districts as follows: (These zoning districts are consistent with the Pinelands Management Areas set forth in N.J.A.C. 7:50, Subchapter 5).
Symbol | Name |
|---|---|
LR | Lakes Residential |
LC | Lakes Commercial |
LI | Lakes Institutional |
LQP | Lakes Quasi-Public |
LEC | Lakes Environmental Conservation |
LSR | Lakes Suburban Reserve |
LH | Lakes Historic (overlay) |
§ 145-34 Lakes Residential.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this district is to ensure, where available, the quality of development that has been fostered throughout the single-family structures and ensure a moderate density similar to the existing residential use pattern. Protection of environmental resources is encouraged, and all structures must use public sewers.
B.
Permitted principal uses: One single-family detached dwelling per lot of required minimum size.
D.
Regulations and limitations.
(1)
Minimum lot size: 10,000 square feet.
(2)
Minimum lot dimensions, residential buildings and garages.
(a)
Width at building line: not less than 100 feet, except, where the area of the lot exceeds 15,000 square feet, the width shall not be less than 95 feet.
(b)
Depth of front and rear yards: not less than 25 feet.
(c)
Side yards. The two side yards shall not be less than 25 feet in the aggregate width and neither shall be less than 10 feet.
[Amended 8-12-2020 by Ord. No. 672]
(d)
Lakefront and corner homes shall be considered to have two front yards and two side yards.
(e)
Sheds shall be placed in side yards of lakefront corner homes.
(3)
Area occupied by buildings/impervious coverage limits. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the maximum impervious surface on a single-family residential lot in residence districts shall not exceed an amount determined by the following calculations: Not more than 25% of the area of the lot may be occupied by the principal building. The sum total of the principal building and all impervious coverage granted for sheds, sidewalks, patios, decks, driveways, pools, other man-made recreational facilities and any other improvement constructed as an impervious surface shall not exceed 35% of the lot area. Total pervious and impervious coverage shall not exceed 40% of lot area.
[Amended 6-23-2010 by Ord. No. 566]
(4)
Building height: No residential building shall exceed 32 feet in height nor shall it exceed 2 1/2 stories excluding the basement. The private garage shall be permitted to be 32 feet in height when attached to the main house where there is a common wall separating the two and 18 feet where the garage is detached from the main house. Solar panels and residential windmill installation are subject to the maximum height restriction.
[Amended 8-14-2013 by Ord. No. 607]
(5)
Access to street, road or trail: No building shall be erected on any lot that is not contiguous, for the distance of at least 35 feet to a pubic street, road or trail maintained by the Borough, county or state, or contiguous to a dedicated street, road, trail shown on a map or plan approved by the Borough Council for filing in the office of the County Clerk and duly filed in said office.
(6)
No building may be constructed within the one-hundred-year floodplain.
(7)
No more existing indigenous trees greater than three inches in diameter, or indigenous shrubs greater than four feet in height, may be removed from any property in this district than are necessary to accommodate the improvements to be made. In no event will more than 30% of such trees be removed. For purposes of this section, indigenous trees and shrubs are those listed in N.J.A.C. 7:50-6.25.
(8)
All new driveways constructed within the Borough shall conform to the following standards:
[Added 6-23-2010 by Ord. No. 566]
(a)
No driveway or portion thereof shall be located within three feet of the side property line or within 15 feet of the rear property line, lakefront lots not within 25 feet of the lakeside property line or waterline, whichever is closer. No driveway or portion thereof shall be located within 25 feet of the paved edge of any public intersection. For corner lots accessing intersecting streets, no driveway or portion thereof shall be located within 50 feet from the edge of the intersection of Street A and 25 feet from the intersection of Street B.
(b)
No property with less than 75 feet of frontage shall have more than one curb cut, not to exceed 22 feet in width as measured along the front property line. No property with frontage of 75 feet or greater shall have more than two curb cuts with the aggregate curb cut measurements not to exceed 33 feet.
(c)
Sight triangles shall be maintained for all driveways. Plant and tree growth or objects of any kind that would obstruct a person’s line of sight or impede the safe egress from any driveway shall be prohibited. Existing trees or other plantings or the location of structures exceeding 30 inches in height that would obstruct the clear sight of persons exiting any driveway shall be prohibited. For driveways located along roads of other jurisdictions (county or state), if all local standards are met, additional design, traffic and safety regulations of those jurisdictions shall also be met.
E.
Minimum off-street parking: two spaces per dwelling unit or as specified in the RSIS.
F.
Specifically prohibited uses.
(1)
Outdoor storage of any kind of materials except as needed during the construction of any permitted structure, unless specifically permitted elsewhere in this chapter.
(2)
Outdoor storage of any kind of materials used in the conduct of a commercial business or used in the conduct of a permitted home occupation.
(3)
Outdoor overnight parking of any commercial vehicle as defined in this chapter. Outdoor overnight parking of light commercial vehicles is permitted.
[Amended 8-14-2013 by Ord. No. 607]
(4)
Any activity causing offensive noise, odor, dust, smoke, gases, or other vapors, electrical disturbances or interferences, disturbing lights or disturbing vibrations. For the purposes of this section, "disturbing lights" shall mean any lighting that violates Chapter 148 of the Borough Code.
[Amended 9-22-2021 by Ord. No. 683]
(5)
The installation and/or erection of a dish antenna with a dish diameter greater than two feet.
(6)
Any other use not herein specifically allowed.
§ 145-35 Lakes Commercial.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of the district is to provide consistency with existing neighborhood commercial uses within the Borough's Lakes Commercial Zone. Consistency includes size of units, type, and traditional historical style, facade and arrangement. The Lakes Commercial Zone contains neighborhood commercial retail and service businesses for the convenience of the residents. The three types of development that can occur in this district:
B.
Principal permitted uses.
(1)
Neighborhood retail activities including neighborhood grocery stores, delicatessens, bakeries, neighborhood drugstores, neighborhood sporting goods shops, gift shops, hobby shops, clothing stores and boutiques, shoe stores, neighborhood hardware stores, optical shops, stationary stores, and florists.
(2)
Neighborhood service activities including barbershops and beauty shops, tailors, dry-cleaning and laundering operations, appliance repair shops, shoe repair shops and travel agencies.
(3)
Neighborhood restaurant/bar.
(4)
Photographic, art, dancing, music or other similar type studios.
(5)
Professional or business offices.
(6)
Dwelling quarters for owners or operators in the same building as the commercial use, and must contain not less than 850 square feet of living space.
C.
Permitted accessory uses.
(1)
Off-street parking. Parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with Borough design standards.
(2)
Fences and walls.
(3)
Signs.
(4)
Accessory buildings and sheds.
(5)
Access to street, road or trail. No building shall be erected on any lot that is not contiguous, for the distance of at least 35 feet to a public street, road or trail maintained by the Borough, county or state, or contiguous to a dedicated street, road, trail shown on a map or plan approved by the Borough Council for filing in the office of the County Clerk and duly filed in said office.
(6)
No building may be constructed within the one-hundred-year floodplain.
(7)
No more existing trees, three inches or greater in diameter, can be removed from any property in this district than are necessary to accommodate the improvements to be made, but in no event will more than 30% of such trees be removed.
D.
Regulations and limitations.
(1)
Minimum lot size: 3,000 square feet.
(2)
Maximum total floor area per use: 5,000 square feet, i.e., each permitted use shall occupy no greater than 5,000 square feet of floor area.
(3)
Minimum lot dimensions:
(a)
Width at building line: 50 feet.
(b)
Depth of front yard: eight feet on each trail where the lot abuts a local trail.
(c)
Width of side yard: The two side yards shall have an aggregate width of 20 feet with a minimum of eight feet for any one side yard. The side yards for a corner lot shall have an aggregate width of 20 feet, and the side yard abutting a trail shall be a minimum of eight feet.
(d)
Depth of rear yard: 20 feet on each trail where the lot abuts a local trail. For existing buildings, when buildings surrounding the property in question are closer to the rear property line than 20 feet the rear yard depth may be reduced to the average of the existing surrounding rear yards but in no case less than 10 feet.
(e)
Building setback from county or collector road right-of-way: 75 feet.
(4)
Building height: no building shall exceed 35 feet in height nor shall it exceed 2 1/2 stories in height.
(5)
Floor area minimum: each building shall have a minimum gross floor area of 400 square feet with a minimum width of 20 feet.
E.
General requirements.
(1)
No merchandise, products, waste, equipment or similar material or objects shall be displayed or stored outside.
(2)
All buildings shall be compatibly designed, whether constructed all at one time or in stages over a period of time. All building walls facing any street or residential district line shall be suitably finished for aesthetic purposes which shall not include unpainted or painted cinder block or concrete block walls.
(3)
All areas not utilized for buildings, parking, loading, access aisles and driveways or pedestrian walkways shall be suitably landscaped with shrubs, ground cover, seedlings or similar plantings and maintained in good condition.
§ 145-36 Lakes Institutional.
A.
Purpose. The Lakes Institutional District consists of land currently in institutional use in the Borough. The purpose of this district is to maintain the institutional character of the area in contrast to the mixed land use character of the remainder of Medford Lakes.
D.
Regulations and limitations.
(1)
Minimum lot size: 10,000 square feet.
(2)
Minimum lot dimension: not less than 50 feet at the building line.
(3)
Depth of front and rear yards: not less than 25 feet.
(4)
Side yards: not less than 10 feet.
(5)
Area occupied by building: not more than 50%.
(6)
Building height: no building shall exceed 35 feet in height nor exceed 2 1/2 stories.
E.
General requirements.
(1)
No merchandise, products, waste, equipment or similar material or objects shall be displayed or stored outside, unless screened from public view.
(2)
All buildings shall be compatibly designed, whether constructed all at one time or in stages over a period of time. All building walls facing any street or residential district line shall be suitably finished for aesthetic purposes which shall not include unpainted or painted cinder block or concrete block walls.
(3)
All areas not utilized for buildings, parking, loading, access aisles and driveways or pedestrian walkways shall be suitably landscaped with shrubs, ground cover, seedlings or similar plantings and maintained in good condition.
§ 145-37 Lakes Quasi-Public.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this district is to ensure the maintenance of the existing open space which is presently used for municipal purposes. The parking lot at the corner of Tabernacle Road and the Trading Post, and the memorial park area between Minnetonka and Mohawk Trails are in this category.
§ 145-38 Lakes Environmental Conservation.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this district is to protect the unique ecological balance of the forest, swamps, lakes, natural waterways and open space by permitting low-density development in a manner which ensures the quality of open space and surface water. All present beach areas are also included in this category.
§ 145-39 Lakes Suburban Reserve.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this district is to protect existing open space and to ensure a balance of density within the total community. This district is also designed to permit low-density development in a manner which ensures the maintenance of the open space.
E.
Regulations and limitations.
(1)
Building height: no building shall exceed 35 feet and 2 1/2 stories in height.
(2)
Notwithstanding the minimum lot areas set forth above, no such minimum lot area for a nonresidential use in the LSR District shall be less than that needed to meet the water quality standards of the Pinelands Commission, whether or not the lot may be served by a centralized sewer treatment or collection system.
§ 145-40 Lakes Historic. [1]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of Lakes Historic is to protect the unique architectural character of the community by ensuring that development be performed in accordance with design standards for the preservation of historic features.
B.
Permitted principal uses: those principal uses permitted in the underlying zoning district.
C.
Permitted accessory uses: those accessory uses permitted in the underlying zoning district.
D.
Conditional uses: those conditional uses permitted in the underlying zoning district.