Showing ordinances that apply to Ramapo College of New Jersey, NJ
Ramapo College of New Jersey is an unincorporated community (population 2,200) in Bergen County, New Jersey. Because Ramapo College of New Jersey is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Bergen County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The retaining walls rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Bergen County retaining walls over 4 feet require building permits and engineered plans under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14 (NJ Uniform Construction Code). Walls with surcharge loads or on steep lots may require permits at lower heights. Bergen's western hills (Mahwah, Oakland, Upper Saddle River, Ramsey) and Palisades areas (Fort Lee, Edgewater, Alpine) have abundant retaining walls requiring engineering review.
Bergen County retaining wall regulation follows the NJ Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14) adopting IRC/IBC standards with NJ amendments. Walls up to 4 feet measured from bottom of footing to top of wall typically do not require a building permit. Walls over 4 feet require a building permit and engineered plans stamped by a New Jersey licensed professional engineer per N.J.A.C. 13:40 (NJ Board of Professional Engineers). Surcharge loads — driveways, structures, swimming pools, or slopes above the wall — lower the permit-free threshold to as little as 2 feet in most Bergen municipalities. Paramus Code §204-13 requires permits for walls over 3 feet supporting surcharge. Fort Lee Code §186-5 requires permits for all walls over 3 feet given the steep Palisades terrain. Teaneck Code §33-42 mirrors state 4-foot threshold. Hackensack Code §119-12 uses state threshold. Setback requirements apply to retaining walls near property lines — typically 3-5 feet for walls over 4 feet tall. Drainage behind walls is critical per IBC 1805 with French drain or weep hole requirements. Bergen County's western hills municipalities (Mahwah, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, Ramsey, Upper Saddle River) have strict grading and retaining wall review due to steep slopes; additional engineering review by the Bergen County Soil Conservation District may apply for any disturbance over 5,000 sq ft per N.J.S.A. 4:24-39. Fort Lee, Edgewater, and Cliffside Park have additional Palisades escarpment protection under the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) review.
Unpermitted walls over threshold: stop-work order, required engineering review, and potentially demolition per N.J.A.C. 5:23. Fines $500 to $2,000 under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.23. Failure to provide drainage: remediation required plus liability for neighboring property damage. Wall collapse damaging neighboring property: personal liability plus potential criminal charges if reckless. PIPC violations in Palisades communities: restoration order plus fines.
See how Ramapo College of New Jersey's retaining walls rules stack up against other locations.
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