Morris County does not regulate livestock on residential property. Whether you may keep horses, goats, or cattle depends on your municipality's zoning and lot size under New Jersey home rule.
Under New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D), livestock keeping is a zoning matter handled by each Morris County municipality, not the county. Rural western towns like Chester, Washington, and Mendham Townships commonly allow horses and farm animals on qualifying acreage, while denser eastern municipalities restrict or prohibit them in residential zones. Bona fide commercial farms may claim protection under the New Jersey Right to Farm Act (N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1 et seq.), which limits municipal interference with accepted agricultural practices on farmland-assessed property. Minimum lot size, animal density, and manure/setback rules all come from your local ordinance, so verify them with the municipal zoning officer.
Livestock violations are enforced by the municipal zoning officer; penalties are set by local ordinance. Right-to-Farm disputes may be reviewed by the county Agriculture Development Board.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Parsippany, NJ
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See how Parsippany's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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