Howell, NJ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Farmland preservation lot, building coverage
- 10%
- Farmland preservation lot, lot coverage
- 15%
- Minimum acreage for the option
- 15 contiguous acres
- R-5 age-restricted zone
- 15% buildings, 25% impervious
- R-3 site, impervious
- 50% detached, 60% patio/zero lot line
- Not counted as impervious
- Standby generators and air-conditioning units
- Maximum fine
- $1,500 under § 188-171(B)
Summary
In Howell Township, a residential lot subdivided from preserved farmland under the ARE zone farmland preservation option is capped at 10% building coverage and 15% lot coverage. Other zones print their own limits, such as 15% for buildings and 25% impervious in the R-5 age-restricted zone.
(d) The subdivided residential lot shall meet the following zoning requirements: [1] Minimum lot area. [a] ARE-6: 2 acres. [b] ARE-4: 1.5 acres. [c] ARE-3: 1.25 acres. ... [7] Building coverage: 10%. [8] Lot coverage: 15%. [9] Accessory buildings: side and rear yards shall equal building height.
Full Breakdown
Section 188-69(D)(6) of the Howell Township Code gives owners of at least 15 contiguous acres a farmland preservation option: subdivide one or more residential lots and place the remainder in farmland preservation. The lots permitted are 1 for 15 to 29.99 acres, 2 for 30 to 49.99 acres and 3 for 50 or more acres, and use of each lot is limited to a detached single-family dwelling with permitted accessory uses. Paragraph (d) then fixes the zoning requirements for the subdivided lot: minimum lot area of 2 acres in ARE-6, 1.5 acres in ARE-4 and 1.25 acres in ARE-3, lot frontage of 100 feet, Building coverage: 10% and Lot coverage: 15%. Section 188-69.1 repeats the 10% and 15% figures for the ARE-2 section, with a minimum lot area of 1 acre.
Other zones print different numbers. The R-5 table in § 188-73(E) caps buildings at 15% and impervious surface at 25%. For the R-3 site under § 188-70(C)(8), maximum impervious surface coverage is 50% for single-family detached and 60% for patio and zero lot line homes.
What counts: § 188-11(A) says standby generators and air-conditioning units do not count toward a lot's impervious coverage on single-family residential properties. Open-air rear overhangs must meet all impervious and building coverage standards of the zone, and under § 188-41 a nonconforming structure cannot be enlarged if the enlargement violates lot coverage requirements.
Open land targets are separate from coverage: an open lands subdivision must designate at least 55% of the tract in ARE-3, 60% in ARE-4 and 75% in ARE-6 as deed-restricted open lands, and a cluster subdivision requires a minimum open space of 65%. The bulk tables for the ARE zones live in Schedule III, an attachment to Chapter 188, and existing lots keep the older bulk rules under the Editor's Note to Ord. No. O-07-18.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 188 is enforced by the Land Use Officer, the Construction Official, the Zoning Inspector or the Code Enforcement Officer under § 188-169. Under § 188-171(B), a violation carries a fine of not more than $1,500 or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 90 days, or both, in the court's discretion, and each day the violation continues is a separate violation. Coverage above the printed percentage needs a variance from the land use board.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lot coverage limit for a farmland preservation lot in Howell Township?
How many lots can a preserved farm subdivide in Howell Township?
Do air-conditioning units and generators count toward impervious coverage?
What coverage applies in the R-5 age-restricted zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howell
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Lot Coverage Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle lot coverage limits.