Ridgewood City Zoning Code
§ 190-118.5 C-R Commercial
Residential Zone District.
[Added 3-23-2016 by Ord. No. 3491]
A.
Intent. The C-R Zone District is intended to promote development that supports the commercial development pattern in the Central Business District. The C-R Zone is also intended to accommodate multifamily housing in a location that can address the housing needs and preferences of certain households and which supports the Central Business District.
B.
Permitted principal uses and structures. The following principal uses and structures shall be permitted in the C-R Zone District, subject, however to the use limitations in Subsection C below:
[Amended 6-12-2024 by Ord. No. 4002]
(1)
Retail sales.
(2)
Retail and personal services.
(3)
Financial institutions, excluding drive-in banks.
(4)
Eating and drinking establishments.
(5)
Arts facilities.
(6)
Brew pubs.
(7)
Microbreweries.
(8)
Fitness and health clubs.
(9)
Flexible retail.
(10)
Instructional schools.
(11)
Medical offices.
(12)
Veterinary facilities.
(13)
Microdistilleries.
(14)
Recreational facilities.
(15)
Flexible office/co-working/incubator space.
(16)
Professional offices.
(17)
Parking lots and structures.
(18)
Child-care centers.
(19)
Municipal buildings owned or leased by the Village of Ridgewood and used for public purposes.
(20)
Club, fraternal, recreational, athletic, political, labor, civic, and social uses located above the ground floor, except that ground floor areas used for access to such uses shall be permitted.
(21)
Institutional uses.
(22)
Trade offices and shops.
(23)
Automobile showrooms.
(24)
Business services.
(25)
Multifamily dwellings, including but not limited to garden apartments and other apartments.
(26)
Single-family attached residential dwelling units.
(27)
Mixed-use development containing both permitted residential and permitted nonresidential uses.
C.
Use limitations. The following limitations shall apply to permitted principal uses in the C-R Zone District:
(1)
In order to ensure the provision of affordable housing, on any existing or future lot containing one acre or more of land, at least 2/3 of any new floor area to be developed shall be devoted to residential use, and shall include an affordable housing component as set forth in Subsection G below. In any such development, commercial uses shall be limited to the ground floor and/or basement in any new floor area to be constructed in the district.
(2)
Drive-in uses shall be prohibited.
(3)
Individual commercial uses shall be limited to those which are small in scale, similar and consistent with the existing pedestrian-oriented shops and stores in the Central Business District, not exceeding a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet for each business establishment.
(4)
Commercial uses in a mixed-use development shall be limited to those that are compatible, and do not conflict, with multifamily housing.
(5)
Residential development or mixed-use development shall not be permitted on lots containing less than one acre of land.
D.
Permitted accessory uses and structures. The following accessory uses and structures shall be permitted in the C-R Zone District, provided that they are located on the same premises as the principal use or structure to which they are accessory:
E.
Prohibited uses. Any uses other than those permitted by this section are prohibited.
F.
Development standards.
(1)
Minimum tract area: one acre (43,560 square feet).
(2)
Maximum density.
(3)
Maximum floor area ratio.
(a)
For developments that contain for-sale affordable units, the maximum permitted floor area ratio shall be 140% of the lot area.
(b)
For developments that contain rental affordable units, excluding developments in Subsection F(3)(c) below, the maximum permitted floor area ratio shall be 145% of the lot area.
(c)
For developments that contain rental affordable units and at least 13% of the affordable units are made affordable to very-low-income households, the maximum permitted floor area ratio shall be 150% of the lot area.
(d)
In mixed-use developments, the maximum permitted floor area ratio of the nonresidential portion shall be 1/3 of the lot area. The maximum floor area for the entire development shall be as provided above.
(4)
Maximum improvement coverage.
(a)
For developments that contain for-sale affordable units, the maximum permitted improvement coverage shall be 90% of the lot area.
(b)
For developments that contain rental affordable units, excluding developments in Subsection F(4)(c) below, the maximum permitted improvement coverage shall be 92.5% of the lot area.
(c)
For developments that contain rental affordable units and at least 13% of the affordable units are made affordable to very-low-income households, the maximum permitted improvement coverage shall be 95% of the lot area.
(5)
Maximum building height: 50 feet, except for limited architectural features designed in conformance with Subsection F(10)(b) below.
(6)
Minimum front yard: 15 feet.
(7)
Minimum side yard: no minimum side yard is required, but if a side yard is provided, a minimum yard depth of 12 feet shall apply.
(8)
Minimum rear yard: no minimum rear yard is required, but if a rear yard is provided, a minimum yard depth of 12 feet shall apply.
(9)
Minimum setback of principal buildings from any property developed for railroad use: 25 feet.
(10)
Architectural design.
(a)
Buildings shall be required to incorporate high-quality architectural features that are characteristic of exemplary buildings reflecting the traditional architecture in the Central Business District. The applicant for any development shall demonstrate such design by providing as part of any site plan review examples of and comparisons with existing high-quality buildings in the Central Business District.
(b)
Buildings greater than 40 feet in height shall be required to use architectural features such as pitched roofs, varied rooflines, decorative cupolas, pediments, varied parapet heights and similar features designed to provide variety and reduce the visual impact of the building height. In order to accommodate such features, the following exceptions to the height limitation in Subsection F(5) above shall be permitted:
[1]
The height of such features shall not exceed the maximum permitted building height by more than eight feet.
[2]
The horizontal area of such features, including the area enclosed by such features, that exceed the maximum permitted building height shall not exceed 20% of the horizontal area of that portion of the building having a height greater than 40 feet. This limitation shall be cumulative for all such features. [For example, the horizontal area of that portion of a sloped roof or roofs at an elevation greater than the maximum building height could not exceed 4,000 square feet in the case of a building with a horizontal area of 20,000 square feet (20,000 x 0.20 = 4,000).]
[3]
In the case of linear features for which an area calculation is not possible, such as a parapet wall, rooftop screen, etc., the horizontal length of any such features that exceed the maximum permitted building height shall not exceed 20% of the horizontal length of the highest building wall or walls above which the feature is located and toward which such feature faces. This limitation shall be cumulative for all such features. [For example, the length of that portion of a parapet or parapets at an elevation greater than the maximum building height could not exceed 20 feet if located above a wall 100 feet long (100 x 0.20 = 20).]
(c)
Buildings having a gross floor area greater than 40,000 square feet shall be required to use architectural features that provide variety and reduce the visual impact of the building mass, through the use of varied facade materials, facade projections and recesses, judicious use of windows and other openings in the facade, and other similar features.
(d)
If parking or other exterior areas are provided beneath a building, such areas shall be screened by structural elements that are compatible with the materials and design of the front and side building facades. The intent of such screening shall be to mitigate the effects of headlights, minimize the view of parked vehicles and pavement, and to provide for a unified architectural design.
(11)
Recreational/social amenities. Residential and mixed-use developments shall be required to include both interior and exterior common areas devoted to recreational, social and similar functions for residents and their guests, as set forth below:
(a)
At least 40 square feet per dwelling unit shall be devoted to interior common areas, such as but not limited to meeting rooms, community centers, fitness centers, indoor recreational areas, lounges, libraries, etc. Areas such as hallways, stairs, elevators, entrance lobbies, storage, mail areas, mechanical space or office space and similar areas shall not count towards meeting this requirement.
(b)
At least 40 square feet per dwelling unit shall be devoted to exterior common areas, such as but not limited to recreational areas, gardens, courtyards, plazas, decks, patios, etc. Such areas may be located at grade level, on building terraces or on the roof of the building. Lawn or landscaped areas shall not count towards meeting this requirement unless such areas are specifically designed to be part of the aforementioned features.
(12)
Parking and access regulations.
(a)
Minimum number of parking spaces.
[1]
The minimum number of parking spaces for nonresidential use shall be one parking space for each 250 square feet of gross floor area, or fraction thereof.
[2]
The minimum number of parking spaces for residential use shall be as required and permitted by the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1.1 et seq.
[3]
A shared-parking approach shall be permitted in the case of mixed-use development. In such cases, the minimum number of parking spaces shall be determined by the Board at the time of site plan review, depending upon various factors, including but not limited to: a) the parking demand and parking requirements of each of the various uses, as set forth above, b) the timing of the peak parking demand of the various uses, c) the location and layout of the parking in relation to the building entrances to the various uses, and d) the potential for future changes of use which would alter the foregoing factors.
(b)
Location.
[1]
All required parking spaces shall be located on the same property as the principal building or buildings.
[2]
Parking shall be located in the side or rear yards only, and/or beneath the principal building or buildings.
[3]
Surface parking areas not located beneath the building or in a parking structure, as well as site driveways shall be located at least five feet from any side lot line or rear lot line.
(c)
Other parking and access regulations. Except as provided otherwise by this section, parking areas and driveways shall be required to comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter or the New Jersey Residential Site Improvement Standards, N.J.A.C. 5:21-1.1 et seq., whichever is applicable.
(13)
Signs. The regulations for signs in the B-2 Zone District shall apply in the C-R Zone District.
G.
Affordable housing requirements. All residential development shall be required to include affordable housing as a component. The following requirements shall apply:
(1)
Location. It is anticipated that all affordable units required by this section shall be provided within the C-R Zone District; however, the developer may propose and the Planning Board may accept the provision of some or all of the affordable units in another location, subject to:
(a)
Demonstration by the developer of a realistic plan in a known location for the development of an equal or greater number of units by the developer;
(b)
Completion of such units within the phasing timeframes required for inclusionary development, unless extended by the Board for good cause shown;
(c)
Conformance with all zoning requirements by the off-site development;
(d)
Determination by the Planning Board that such off-site units are eligible for credit against the Village's statutorily mandated affordable housing obligation; and
(e)
Execution of an agreement with the developer as a prior condition to the acceptance of any such proposal, unless waived by the Planning Board.
(2)
Minimum number of affordable units.
(a)
For developments that contain for-sale affordable units, 20% of the total number of housing units in the development shall be required to be affordable units.
(b)
For developments that contain rental affordable units, excluding developments in Subsection G(2)(c) below, 15% of the total number of housing units in the development shall be affordable units.
(c)
For developments that contain rental affordable units and at least 13% of the affordable units are made affordable to very-low-income households, 12.5% of the total number of housing units in the development shall be affordable units.
(d)
In calculating the required number of affordable units, fractions of less than one unit shall be addressed by either of the following, with the option being the developer's: 1) development of an affordable unit by the developer, or 2) making a payment in lieu of the fractional unit by the developer. Any such payment shall be in accordance with the applicable rules of the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing, or other governing law.
(e)
In no case shall a residential development be permitted without any affordable dwelling units.
(3)
Occupancy restrictions. Affordable units shall not be designated as age-restricted units, supportive housing units or special needs housing units unless the applicant demonstrates, and the Planning Board finds, that such units are eligible for credit against the Village's statutory affordable housing obligation.
(4)
The general regulations for inclusionary developments in this chapter shall apply.