Bergenfield defines retaining walls and requires a Construction Official permit, plus an NJDEP permit, for any retaining wall within 20 feet of a stream, brook, or watercourse centerline.
Under Bergenfield's land development chapter, a retaining wall is defined as a permanent artificial device constructed to change or preserve the finished grade of a parcel, where no portion is above finished grade on more than one side. No retaining wall may be erected within 20 feet of the centerline of any stream, brook, or watercourse without a written permit from the Construction Official under Ordinance 792 and a permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Applications are filed in triplicate on Borough forms, signed by the property owner. Barbed wire, spines, chipped glass, or similar devices are prohibited on retaining walls.
Building a retaining wall without required Borough or NJDEP permits can result in stop-work orders, fines, and ordered removal or modification of the wall.
See how other cities in Bergen County handle retaining walls.
See how Bergenfield's retaining walls rules stack up against other locations.
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