Union County, NJ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Building setbacks in Union County are established under the NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.) and implemented through each municipality's zoning ordinance. Elizabeth Land Development Code Chapter 20 (Zoning) establishes zone-specific requirements: R-1 single-family requires 25 ft front, 5 ft each side (minimum 8 ft combined), 25 ft rear; R-2 two-family 20 ft front, 5 ft side, 20 ft rear; R-3 multifamily varies by height. Westfield Land Use Ordinance §13.03 differentiates across many districts: RS-24 (largest lots) 30 ft front, 10 ft side, 35 ft rear; RS-18 30 ft front, 10 ft side, 30 ft rear; RS-12 25 ft front, 8 ft side, 25 ft rear; RS-8 20 ft front, 5 ft side, 20 ft rear. Summit RA zone 40 ft front, 15 ft side, 40 ft rear; RB zone 30 ft front, 10 ft side, 30 ft rear. Cranford Chapter 255 establishes similar tiered requirements. Accessory structures (sheds, detached garages) often have reduced rear setbacks of 3-5 ft. Corner lots require side-yard setbacks equal to front-yard along the secondary street per most Union County codes. Permitted encroachments typically include eaves up to 3 ft, chimneys, bay windows up to 3 ft, and uncovered decks. Variances require Zoning Board of Adjustment review under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70 (bulk variance, 5-of-7 supermajority vote required for use variances).