Stafford Township City Zoning Code
§ 211-17.1
Environmentally Sensitive Rural Residential Zone RA-5.
[Added 11-5-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-98[1]]
A.
Permitted uses shall be as follows:
(1)
Detached single-family dwellings.
(2)
Recreational facilities; clubs; activities of a quasi-public, social, fraternal or recreational character, such as golf and tennis clubs; or fraternal organizations.
(3)
Cemeteries.
(4)
Family day-care homes.
(5)
Community residences for the developmentally disabled, community shelters for victims of domestic violence, community residences for the terminally ill, and community residences for persons with head injuries, as defined in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-66.2. The requirements for such residences shall be the same as for single-family dwelling units within this zone.
(6)
Commercial farms, farm markets and pick-your-own farms.
B.
Required accessory uses shall be as follows:
(1)
Off-street parking.
C.
Permitted accessory uses shall be as follows:
(1)
Private swimming pools.
(2)
Private tennis courts.
(3)
Storage sheds.
(4)
Detached garages.
(5)
Home occupations subject to the provisions of § 211-35U.
D.
Conditional uses shall be as follows:
(1)
Soil removal/resource extraction, subject to the requirements of § 211-35Q.
(2)
Forestry activities.
(a)
Forestry and tree harvesting, provided that no more than one cord of wood per five acres of land is harvested in any one year, and that no more than five cords of wood are harvested from the entire parcel in any one year.
(b)
Tree planting, provided that the area to be planted does not exceed five acres in any one year and no soil disturbance occurs other than that caused by the planting activity.
(c)
Forest stand improvement designed to selectively thin trees and brush, provided that no clearing or soil disturbance occurs and that the total land area on the parcel in which the activity occurs does not exceed five acres in any one year.
(d)
Prescribed burning and the clearing and maintaining of firebreaks.
(e)
Vegetation, clearing and landscaping:
[1]
All clearing and soil disturbance activities shall be limited to that which is necessary to accommodate an activity, use or structure which is permitted by this chapter.
[2]
A statement identifying the specific steps to be taken to ensure that trees or areas to be harvested are properly identified so as to ensure that only those trees intended for harvesting are harvested.
(f)
All silvicultural practices shall be conducted in accordance with the standards set forth in the Society of American Foresters' Forestry Handbook, Second Edition, pages 413 through 455. Submission of an approved New Jersey forest stewardship plan shall serve as evidence that this standard is met.
(g)
Any newly developed access to lands proposed for harvesting shall avoid wetland areas, except as absolutely necessary to harvest wetlands species or to otherwise gain access to a harvesting site.
(h)
All agricultural activities, forestry and fish and wildlife management activities, including the preparation of land and the planting, nurturing and harvesting of crops, shall be carried out in accordance with recommended management practices established for the particular agricultural activity by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Soil Conservation Service and the New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station at Rutgers University.
E.
Permitted signs shall be as follows:
(1)
All freestanding signs shall meet the following size, height and setback requirements:
(a)
Maximum area: four square feet.
(b)
Maximum area per side: two square feet.
(c)
Maximum height: 30 inches.
(d)
Minimum front yard setback: 10 feet.
(e)
Minimum side yard setback: six feet.
(2)
Exception for signs for commercial farms, farm markets and pick-your-own farm markets only. One identification sign shall be permitted for a permitted commercial farm, farm market or pick-your-own farm subject to the restrictions listed below. In addition, one or more directional signs may be permitted subject to the review and approval of the location and placement of such signage by the Township Traffic Engineer and submission of proof of easement and/or required permits or authorization from the New Jersey Department of Transportation or Ocean County, as applicable. The size of directional signage shall be pursuant to New Jersey Department of Transportation regulations for directional signage posted on state-regulated roadways. Size, height and setback requirements for said identification sign shall be as follows:
(a)
Maximum area: 48 square feet.
(b)
Maximum area per side: 24 square feet.
(c)
Maximum height: eight feet.
(d)
Minimum front yard setback: 10 feet.
(e)
Minimum side yard setback: six feet.
F.
Area, yard and building requirements. The requirements shall be as follows:
(1)
The minimum lot area shall be five acres (217,800 square feet).
(2)
The minimum lot width shall be 400 feet.
(3)
The minimum lot depth shall be 500 feet.
(4)
The minimum front yard setback shall be 100 feet.
(5)
The minimum side yard setback shall be 75 feet.
(6)
The minimum combined side yard setback shall be 150 feet.
(7)
The minimum rear yard setback shall be 100 feet.
(8)
The minimum accessory building side and rear yard setback shall be 50 feet, except as otherwise specified in this chapter.
(9)
The maximum building height shall be 35 feet.
(10)
The maximum percent of building coverage shall be 3%.
(11)
The maximum percent of impervious surface coverage on any lot shall be 6%. However, the maximum impervious surface coverage allowed shall increase to 9% upon the installation of dry wells for roof runoff in accordance with the standards delineated with § 130-72E.
(12)
Internal walkways and patios shall be set back at least three feet from the lot line.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former § 211-17.1, Low-Density Rural Residential/Recreation Open Space Zone (RA-3/ROS), added 8-19-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-106, as amended.
