Bloomfield, NJ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- CORD maximum impervious coverage
- 80%
- CORD minimum open space
- 10% of the lot, for active or passive recreation
- CORD minimum lot area
- Two acres
- CORD maximum density
- 50 dwelling units per acre
- Phased CORD lots
- No limit on impervious or building coverage per phase lot
- Other zones
- Lot coverage requirements are in Schedule A
Summary
In Bloomfield Township's Commuter-Oriented Residential District (CORD), maximum impervious lot coverage is 80%, and at least 10% of the lot must stay open space for active or passive recreation. Lot coverage for the other zones is tied to Schedule A of the Land Development and Zoning chapter.
(3) Lot and bulk regulations. All permitted uses, conditional uses, principal buildings and accessory structures shall comply with all requirements of Article IV and Article V of this chapter unless otherwise specifically set forth herein. In the CORD Zone, the following lot and bulk regulations shall apply: ... (i) The maximum impervious lot coverage is 80%; ... (o) A minimum of 10% of a lot must be open space devoted to active or passive recreation, including play areas, sitting areas, swimming pools and the like, consistent with NJDEP rules and regulations.
Full Breakdown
Section 315-38G(3) of the Bloomfield Township Code sets lot and bulk regulations for the CORD Zone, the Commuter-Oriented Residential District, which the Code built for multifamily dwellings aimed at commuters seeking a location convenient to Midtown Direct service. The maximum impervious lot coverage there is 80%. Chapter 315 defines impervious surface as any material that reduces or prevents absorption of stormwater into the ground, including buildings, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, paving, decks and patios, but excluding outdoor swimming pools accessory to one- or two-family dwellings. Required parking areas permitted to remain unimproved and all gravel areas count as impervious.
The cap works alongside other CORD limits in the same subsection: a minimum lot area of two acres, a maximum density of 50 dwelling units per acre, and a minimum of 10% of the lot kept as open space for active or passive recreation, consistent with NJDEP rules and regulations. Parking facilities must be screened from principal uses on adjoining lots.
A subdivided CORD development is treated differently. Under § 315-38G(4)(b), when an approved development is split into phase lots for financing or conveyance, the bulk standards apply on an overall tract basis, and there are no restrictions on maximum impervious or building coverage for the separate phased lots, provided they are consistent with the development plan the Board approved for the overall tract.
Outside the CORD Zone the Code sends coverage questions to Schedule A. Section 315-30 requires every lot in a development application to carry a minimum landscaped open space area in accordance with the lot coverage requirements of Schedule A, and residential uses in the CBD and B-2 Zones must have landscaped open space of not less than 10%. A continuing care retirement community limits its principal building to 30% of the lot area, allows accessory buildings an additional 10%, and caps parking areas and drives at 30% (§ 315-39B(4)).
Violations & Fines
Exceeding a coverage limit is a violation of Chapter 315 under § 315-53. The Township can bring an action to enjoin the use, the Zoning Officer or Construction Official can issue stop-work orders and deny, revoke or withhold permits, and the Municipal Judge handles penalties. Failing to maintain approved site work and landscaping, or a Board condition, is also a violation. Where no specific penalty applies, § 1-15 sets a fine up to $2,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum impervious lot coverage in Bloomfield Township's CORD zone?
What counts as impervious surface under the Bloomfield Township Code?
Does the 80% cap apply to each phase lot in a subdivided CORD project?
Where are lot coverage limits for other Bloomfield Township zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomfield
Compare Bloomfield to another location·View the New Jersey building setbacks & zoning overview
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Lot Coverage Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Essex County handle lot coverage limits.