Somerset County sets no height limit. Each municipality caps building height in its zoning ordinance under the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-65. Most residential zones across Bridgewater, Hillsborough, and Bernards limit homes to about 35 feet.
The county has no authority over building height; that power belongs to each municipality under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-65, which lets a town regulate the height and number of stories of buildings. Across Somerset County a common residential ceiling is 35 feet or two and a half stories, though the exact figure and how it is measured differ by town and district. Bridgewater, Franklin Township, and Hillsborough set taller allowances in commercial and industrial zones, while low-density Bernards, Bedminster, and Far Hills hold homes to strict residential caps. Exceeding the district limit requires a height variance from the municipal zoning board of adjustment. Near Somerset Airport in Bedminster, federal FAA notice rules impose a separate limit on tall structures.
The municipal construction official and zoning officer enforce height limits and issue stop-work orders for over-height work. Legalizing an over-height structure requires a variance from the town zoning board of adjustment under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70(c), not any county action.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Somerset County, NJ
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See how Somerset County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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