LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP TO EASE BUILDING SETBACK REQUIREMENTS ON CORNER LOTS

All construction is regulated by setback requirements which prohibit building within a certain amount of space close to the property line.

Typically, buildings have setback requirements for the front yard, two side yards, and a rear yard, and these requirements vary based on each zoning district.

Lakewood Township's current zoning ordinances require a stricter setback in the Front Yard than in the Side Yard.

In many residential zoning districts in Lakewood, the front yard setback requirement is 30 feet while the side yard setback requirement is 10-20 feet. In the A-1 and R-40 zones the front yard setback requirement is 50 feet while the side yard setback requirement is 15 feet with an aggregate of 40 feet.

The problem is that a corner lot, which has frontage on two streets, is considered to have two front yards, and this minimizes the amount of property space you can build on.

In May 2022, in response to corner lot homeowners who wanted to install accessory structures and pools in their yards but were blocked by the Township's strict front yard setback requirement, the Township Committee decided to address this issue by adopting an Ordinance which differentiates the front yard setback requirement for corner lot homes which only have a front entryway oriented toward one street.

The Ordinance specifies that in all residential zones, where a corner lot has a residence fronting on one street with its front entryway oriented toward that street (the dominant street), the street frontage not associated with the front door entryway (the subservient street) shall be permitted to utilize the side yard setback for that zone for accessory structures, including pools, provided adequate screening from the subservient street is incorporated into the application for permits for accessory structures, and any applicable sight triangles remain unimpeded, as determined by the Township's Engineering Department upon application for construction permits.

The Township Committee has now decided to take this measure one step further, by introducing an additional Ordinance which will permit such corner lot homeowners who want to build an addition to their existing owner-occupied single family structure, to utilize a minimum front yard setback for that subservient side of seventeen feet measured from the property line, provided adequate screening from the subservient street is incorporated into the application for permits for said residential addition, and any applicable sight triangles remain unimpeded, as determined by the township’s engineering department upon application for construction permits.

The Ordinance will be applicable to all residential zones, and specifically for additions to existing owner-occupied single family structures (not for new schools).

The Township Committee is expected to introduce the Ordinance on first reading at their upcoming meeting on Thursday. They will hold a public hearing and final reading after the Planning Board reviews the introduced ordinance.

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