58 city rules · 48 Bergen County rules · Pop. 31,739 · Bergen County
Garfield's Property Maintenance Code requires that all premises and exterior property be kept free of grass or plant growth exceeding eight inches in height.
Garfield prohibits noxious weeds and requires premises to remain free of weed growth taller than eight inches under its Property Maintenance Code.
Garfield requires a permit before removing street trees of 2.5-inch DBH or larger, or non-street trees of six-inch DBH or larger, with replacement obligations.
Garfield restricts portable sound devices and amplified noise based on time of day, using a plainly-audible distance test enforced by the noise control officer.
Construction and demolition activity in Garfield is exempt from sound level tables only during permitted daytime hours, with residential power tools restricted overnight.
Garfield's noise ordinance defines barking-dog violations using a measurable vocalization-rate test that crosses property lines and disturbs residents.
Leaf blowers and other yard maintenance equipment fall under Garfield's residential power tool restrictions, limiting use to daytime hours.
Garfield restricts amplified music and portable sound devices using time-of-day plainly-audible distances and conditions amplified sound at special events.
Garfield enforces decibel-based sound level tables for industrial and commercial sources crossing into residential zones, in line with NJDEP model rules.
Garfield prohibits parking any vehicle, including RVs, exceeding 22 feet in length or 8 feet in width on city streets between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Garfield requires that vehicles on residential lots be parked on designated paved surfaces, prohibits yard parking, and sets a 5-foot setback from the street right-of-way.
Garfield limits each household to one registered commercial vehicle under its resident parking program, and bars heavy oversized commercial vehicles on streets overnight.
Garfield requires a resident or visitor parking permit to park on city streets overnight, with size and registration limits set by the Resident Parking Program.
Garfield prohibits parking on public or municipally owned property and city streets between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. without a valid resident or visitor permit.
Garfield Ordinance No. 2937 amends Chapter 341 zoning to require safe installation of electric vehicle supply equipment and Make-Ready parking spaces.
Garfield Chapter 322 sets local procedures for handling abandoned vehicles, including holding periods, notification, custodian fees, and public auction disposal.
Garfield requires a permit from the Health Officer to keep small animals such as chickens, rabbits, or poultry on any premises within the city.
Garfield prohibits owners from letting any animal run at large; dogs must be on a leash and under physical control of a capable handler.
Garfield bans feeding waterfowl, songbirds, pigeons, and backyard birds on public property and limits private feeding to small, nuisance-free amounts.
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 property line.
Garfield requires that the finished or face side of any fence point toward the adjacent neighboring property, ensuring neighbors are not left looking at framing.
Garfield regulates fence materials by openness percentage in residential districts, requiring partial transparency for fences within 50 feet of the front property line.
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's Chapter 341 Zoning controls home-based business activities through district use regulations, requiring residential character to be preserved with limited professional offices permitted within dwellings.
Garfield permits one small nameplate identifying a professional office within a residential dwelling, with strict size, illumination, and projection limits under Chapter 341 Article X sign regulations.
Garfield requires swimming pools to be at least six feet from any side or rear lot line, and pool enclosure fences must comply with the city's accessory structure and fence regulations under Zoning Chapter 341.
Garfield treats above-ground pools the same as in-ground pools for placement: any permanently attached pool must sit at least six feet from rear and side lot lines under the city's accessory structure provisions.
Garfield requires owners of vacant buildings to register the property, secure the structure within 30 days, and keep the surrounding grounds free of debris, overgrowth, and unauthorized entry points.
Garfield prohibits weeds or plant growth taller than eight inches and bans noxious weeds, with city contractors authorized to cut overgrowth and bill the owner if a notice of violation is ignored.
Garfield requires garbage and recyclables to be kept in covered upright containers, screened from public view between collections, and placed at the curb no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before scheduled pickup.
Garfield requires owners and tenants of property abutting public sidewalks to remove snow and ice within 24 hours after a storm ends, with a first-offense fine of $150 and a ban on shoveling snow back into cleared streets.
Garfield requires a $10 permit for every garage sale, limits residents to four sales per calendar year, requires the permit to be displayed on the premises, and has the police department issue permits on the day of the sale.
Garfield limits garage sales to four per calendar year per person and four per calendar year at any single address, regardless of who is hosting the sale.
Garfield requires a $10 permit for any garage, attic, or rummage sale, picked up from the Police Department on the day of the sale and displayed on site.
Garfield requires a building department permit before removing street trees or sufficiently large non-street trees on private property.
Garfield's tree code designates trees of significance and removes the standard fine cap when one is unlawfully removed.
Garfield requires replacement plantings after qualifying tree removals, using a city-approved species list and excluding invasive species.
Garfield permits fixed-location food trucks only in the B-1 Central Business District, with one truck per lot, a 40-foot length limit, and an annual licensing process.
Garfield issues mobile food vendor licenses through the Health Department, capping active licenses at five per twelve-month period and giving preference to Garfield residents.
Garfield requires peddlers, canvassers, and door-to-door solicitors to obtain a city-issued permit before selling, soliciting orders, or canvassing residences within city limits.
Garfield's peddling and soliciting chapter regulates the hours during which door-to-door solicitation may occur and requires conduct standards for permitted solicitors in the city.
Garfield Chapter 146 Flood Damage Prevention regulates construction in special flood hazard areas, requiring anchoring, Uniform Construction Code compliance, and variance review with penalties up to $2,000 per violation.
Garfield Chapter 284 Stormwater Control, adopted by Ordinance 3050 in 2024, requires green infrastructure best management practices and nonstructural strategies to manage runoff, recharge groundwater, and reduce pollution.
Garfield Chapter 249 makes recycling mandatory, requiring residents to separate recyclables from other solid waste and place commingled glass, metal, and #1 or #2 plastics in recycling barrels or clear plastic bags only.
Garfield Chapter 164 governs garbage and refuse collection, requiring all waste to be deposited in covered, upright containers, kept disinfected, and presented for curbside pickup according to the city's published collection map.
Garfield prohibits placing garbage, refuse, solid waste, or recyclables at the curb earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection, with first-offense fines of $500 escalating to $2,000 for repeat violators.
Garfield collects white goods such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioners by appointment only on Thursdays, requiring residents to schedule with DPW by Wednesday and remove all hazardous materials before placement.
Garfield caps how much of a residential rear yard may be covered by detached accessory buildings, in addition to district-specific lot coverage percentages set by zone.
Garfield requires every building to comply with district-specific yard, lot width, and area regulations, with extra setbacks for properties along railroad rights-of-way.
Garfield prohibits any building from being erected or structurally altered to exceed the height limit set for its zoning district under Article VIII of the zoning code.
Garfield's Chapter 119 curfew, adopted by Ordinance 3015 in 2023, prohibits minors from being in public places between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between midnight and 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Garfield's park regulations prohibit loitering in any city park more than one-half hour after sunset and bar new games or events from starting after 9:30 p.m., with no inning or period beginning after 10:30 p.m.
These topics are governed by Bergen County-wide rules. Garfield does not have its own ordinance for them.
Bergen County does not regulate artificial turf on private residential property. Synthetic turf installations are governed by municipal zoning, impervious-coverage limits, and stormwater rules. Bergen County athletic fields require county park approval.
Bergen County's Department of Public Works manages tree trimming within county road rights-of-way. Property owners need a county permit before pruning, planting, or removing trees that overhang or sit within the county right-of-way.
Rainwater harvesting is legal throughout Bergen County and New Jersey. There is no state or county prohibition on residential rain barrels. NJDEP encourages capture as a stormwater best management practice under NJAC 7:8.
Bergen County does not operate a county water utility, so outdoor watering rules come from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection drought declarations and from local water purveyors such as Suez/Veolia, United Water, and municipal systems serving Bergen residents.
Bergen County does not require native plantings on private lots but actively promotes them through the Open Space Trust Fund, county parks restoration projects, and the Bergen County Audubon Society partnership for pollinator habitats and invasive species removal.
Family daycare homes in Bergen County are regulated by New Jersey under the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act. Providers caring for 3-5 children must register with NJ DCF; municipal zoning may also apply.
Bergen County does not regulate short-term rental parking. Each municipality applies its own residential parking standards, typically requiring one to two off-street spaces per dwelling unit and restricting commercial overnight parking on residential streets.
Bergen County follows New Jersey's strict statewide exotic pet regulations under N.J.A.C. 7:25-4. Most non-native species, including primates, large reptiles, and big cats, require state Division of Fish and Wildlife permits or are prohibited entirely.
Swimming pool safety in Bergen County is governed by New Jersey's adoption of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, requiring barriers, anti-entrapment drains, ground-fault circuit interrupters, and additional safeguards for both residential and public pools.
Tiny homes in Bergen County must comply with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and local minimum dwelling size requirements. Most Bergen municipalities effectively prohibit traditional tiny homes through minimum square footage standards.
Recreational fires in Bergen County are regulated under the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. Small recreational fires using clean wood are permitted with restrictions; municipalities within Bergen County may impose stricter local rules.
Bergen County reviews grading and drainage for projects affecting county roads or facilities. Most grading rules are enforced through municipal ordinances and the Bergen County Soil Conservation District for projects over 5,000 square feet.