ADU rules in Garfield, NJ — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Garfield's Zoning Code (Chapter 320, codified on eCode360) regulates accessory buildings under Article IX, but does not contain a dedicated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance. Two-family conversions and accessory apartments are governed by Chapter 131 (Dwelling and Rooming Units, originally adopted Sept. 1, 1970) and the underlying district use regulations. Authority is delegated to Garfield by the NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., P.L. 1975 c. 291).
Garfield is a strong home-rule city in Bergen County of approximately 32,000 residents. The Zoning Code's Article IX (Accessory Buildings and Fences, eCode360 §10086926) sets the dimensional rules for any accessory structure: detached accessory buildings in R Districts (or on any lot adjoining an R District) may occupy in the aggregate up to 30% of the rear yard area, must be located at least three feet from any side or rear lot line, and may not be located within 50 feet of the front lot line or within six feet of a rear lot line that abuts a side lot line of a contiguous lot. Attached accessory structures are treated as part of the main building and must meet the bulk standards of the principal use. An attached garage on a lot below required dimensions may extend into the rear yard up to 22 feet long and 12 feet wide and up to three feet into a required side yard, provided the garage does not exceed 14 feet in height and has no windows in its side wall. Garfield does not separately list an accessory dwelling unit, accessory apartment, or in-law suite as a permitted accessory use in Article V (Use Regulations, §10086732); two-family dwellings are addressed in the underlying district schedule and Chapter 131. The NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.) preserves Garfield's authority to permit, restrict, or condition any ADU through its zoning ordinance, and as of 2026 there is no statewide right to build an ADU in NJ. Construction permits for any habitable accessory unit are issued by the Garfield Construction Code Official under the NJ Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23).
Building or occupying a habitable accessory unit without zoning approval and a UCC construction permit violates both the Garfield Zoning Code and N.J.A.C. 5:23. Penalties for zoning violations are imposed under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5 — generally up to $2,000 per offense and up to 90 days imprisonment, plus stop-work orders and refusal of a Certificate of Continued Occupancy under Chapter 75 of the Garfield Code. Each day a violation continues may be a separate offense.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Garfield, NJ
Garfield requires permanent swimming pools to sit at least six feet from any rear or side lot line, supplementing New Jersey's state pool barrier code.
Garfield, NJ
Garfield regulates fence materials by openness percentage in residential districts, requiring partial transparency for fences within 50 feet of the front pro...
Garfield, NJ
Garfield requires that the finished or face side of any fence point toward the adjacent neighboring property, ensuring neighbors are not left looking at fram...
Garfield, NJ
In residential zones, Garfield limits fences to six feet in rear and side yards, with reduced heights and open construction required closer to the front prop...
Garfield, NJ
Garfield bans feeding waterfowl, songbirds, pigeons, and backyard birds on public property and limits private feeding to small, nuisance-free amounts.
Garfield, NJ
All consumer fireworks that explode or leave the ground are illegal in Garfield under N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq., the NJ Explosives and Fireworks Act. Only non-...
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