Building Setbacks & Zoning in Cherry Hill, NJ: What Residents Actually Need to Know
If you live in Cherry Hill or are thinking about moving there, building setbacks & zoning are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Cherry Hill has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of building setbacks & zoning, and some of them might surprise you.
Structure Height Limits
Cherry Hill Township zoning caps building height by district in Chapter 40's bulk requirements tables. Single-family zones RA and R1 hold structures to 35 feet, while the R20 High-Rise Multi-Residential zone reaches 16 stories. Section 40-401G lists narrow exceptions for spires, penthouses and rooftop equipment, capped at 10% above the district's limit.
Key details: R1 & RA zone max height: 35 feet. R20 High Rise zone height: 6 to 16 stories. Rooftop exception cap: 10% above zone limit. General penalty (§ 1-5.1): up to $2,000 or 90 days. Fine-cure threshold: 30 days if fine exceeds $1,250.
Chapter 40 sets no zoning-specific fine, so the townwide general penalty at Cherry Hill Township Code § 1-5.1 governs: a court conviction can bring a fine up to $2,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or community service up to 90 days, at the Municipal Court judge's discretion. An editor's note to § 1-5.1 requires that before any zoning or housing code fine over $1,250 is imposed, the owner gets a 30-day period to cure the violation and a hearing before the court. Under § 1-5.5, each day the oversized structure remains is a separate violation.
Lot Coverage Limits
Cherry Hill Township defines lot coverage as any impervious surface covering a lot, and every zoning district caps it directly in its own bulk table. In the Residential Agriculture (RA) zone, the township's largest-lot residential district, maximum building coverage is 25% and total lot coverage is capped at 30% on both inside and corner lots.
Key details: RA residential building coverage: 25% max. RA residential lot coverage: 30% max. RA nonresidential lot coverage: 65% max. Nonresidential open space (RA): 25% minimum. Definition: any impervious surface, § 40-202.
Cherry Hill enforces coverage limits through the Zoning Officer at permit review; building without a permit or exceeding the approved footprint is a zoning violation under Chapter 1. Section 1-5.1 sets the township-wide default penalty at up to $2,000 or 90 days, with an editor's note requiring a 30-day cure period before any zoning fine over $1,250 becomes payable.
The Bottom Line
Cherry Hill's building setbacks & zoning rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Cherry Hill is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Cherry Hill's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.