ADU rules in Middlesex County, NJ — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Middlesex County does not have a county-wide ADU ordinance. In New Jersey, accessory dwelling units are a zoning matter regulated by each municipality under the Municipal Land Use Law, so rules for New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge and the other 21 towns are set locally, not by the county.
There is no Middlesex County accessory dwelling unit ordinance. Under New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.), the power to zone and to permit or restrict accessory dwelling units rests with each municipality's governing body, not the county. N.J.S.A. 40:55D-62 gives the municipal governing body power to adopt or amend a zoning ordinance relating to the nature and extent of the uses of land and of buildings and structures. Whether an ADU, in-law suite, or accessory apartment is allowed, and its size, setbacks, parking, and owner-occupancy requirements, therefore depend entirely on the zoning ordinance of the specific Middlesex County town, such as New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, or Old Bridge. The county's own role is
Building or renting an unpermitted accessory apartment can trigger municipal zoning enforcement, Uniform Construction Code violations, stop-work orders, and orders to vacate. Penalties are set by each town's ordinance, not by the county.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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