Bergen County property owners must maintain vegetation to prevent fire and pest hazards. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local municipalities enforce brush clearance, particularly near structures and along roadways.
Although Bergen County is largely suburban, parts of Mahwah, Oakland, and Ramsey border wooded state lands managed under the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (N.J.S.A. 13:9-1 et seq.). Property owners are required to keep brush, dead trees, and combustible vegetation cleared from around dwellings, fences, and propane tanks. Most Bergen County municipalities also enforce nuisance ordinances requiring tall grass to be cut (typically over 10 inches) and dead vegetation removed. The county prosecutor's office and local code enforcement may cite owners whose unmanaged growth threatens neighbors. Defensible space of 30 feet around structures is recommended in higher-risk wooded areas.
Failure to clear brush may result in municipal fines of $100 to $2,000, plus the cost of forced abatement billed against the property as a lien.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Garfield, NJ
Garfield requires permanent swimming pools to sit at least six feet from any rear or side lot line, supplementing New Jersey's state pool barrier code.
Garfield, NJ
Garfield regulates fence materials by openness percentage in residential districts, requiring partial transparency for fences within 50 feet of the front pro...
Garfield, NJ
Garfield requires that the finished or face side of any fence point toward the adjacent neighboring property, ensuring neighbors are not left looking at fram...
Garfield, NJ
In residential zones, Garfield limits fences to six feet in rear and side yards, with reduced heights and open construction required closer to the front prop...
Garfield, NJ
Garfield bans feeding waterfowl, songbirds, pigeons, and backyard birds on public property and limits private feeding to small, nuisance-free amounts.
Garfield, NJ
Garfield does not impose a short-term rental-specific parking minimum. Off-street parking for any STR is determined by the underlying residential use of the ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Bergen County.
See how other cities in Bergen County handle brush clearance.
See how Garfield's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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