Stafford Township, NJ Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Chapter 123, Historic Preservation Ordinance of Stafford Township
- Demolition notice
- Certificate request at least 45 days before the demolition permit request
- Stay of demolition
- Icons six months, Protected four months, Advisory four months
- Maximum penalty
- Not to exceed $2,000 per violation per day
- Not regulated
- Interior changes and exterior colors or siding, window and roofing materials
- Enforcement
- Zoning Officer by stop-work order or violation
Summary
Stafford Township protects historic landmarks through Chapter 123, the Historic Preservation Ordinance, which requires a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission at least 45 days before a demolition permit request. Landmarks fall into Icon, Protected and Advisory classes, and violations carry a penalty not to exceed $2,000 per violation per day.
HISTORIC LANDMARK(s) Any buildings, structures, sites, objects or which possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association and which have been determined pursuant to the terms of this chapter to be: A. Of particular historic significance to Stafford Township by reflecting or exemplifying the broad cultural, political, economic, agricultural or social history of the nation, state or community; or B. Associated with the historic personages important in national, state or local history; or C. The site of an historic event which had a significant effect on the development of the nation, state or community; or D. An embodiment of the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of architecture or engineering; or E. Representative of the work or works of a locally, regionally or nationally important builder, designer, artist or architect; or F. Significant for containing elements of design, detail, materials or craftsmanship which represent a significant innovation; or G. Able or likely to yield information important in pre-history or history.
Official source re-checked November 3, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4531624; v13 updated 2025-08-12; through 08-12-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 123 of the Stafford Township Code, titled the Historic Preservation Ordinance of Stafford Township, was adopted 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-15 and amended in its entirety 11-21-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-40. Section 123-4 defines a historic landmark as a building, structure, site or object that possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association and meets one of the tests lettered A through G, from broad cultural or social significance to being able or likely to yield information important in pre-history or history.
The ordinance sorts landmarks into Icon, Protected and Advisory classes. Icons are buildings essential to the historic fabric of the Township, such as those on the New Jersey or National Registers of Historic Places or holding a State Historic Preservation Office determination, and they receive the highest level of scrutiny. Protected landmarks carry an intermediate level of protection and include pre-1950 styles such as the 18th or 19th century cottage, vernacular Greek revival and vernacular farmhouse, plus structures on the 1981 Historic Structures Inventory, the 1964 Tercentennial List or the 1991 and 2016 Historic Preservation Commission lists. Advisory landmarks include bungalows, Four Square houses and early commercial properties constructed before 1950.
Under § 123-6, the Commission reviews demolition, relocation and every land use application on a lot containing a landmark before construction, zoning or other permits issue. Anyone planning demolition must request a certificate of appropriateness at least 45 days before asking for a demolition permit (§ 123-8A), and if the Commission takes no action the certificate is deemed issued. The Commission has at least 14 days from a complete application to report to the land use board (§ 123-9B). When the Commission rejects the request, the Construction Official must deny the demolition permit and a one-year stay under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-44 begins, with an appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (§ 123-12). Section 123-13A sets postponement periods by class: six months for Icons with a further six months available, four months plus four for Protected, and four months with no extension for Advisory.
Section 123-7 exempts interior changes, emergency repairs and external changes that are not demolition or demolition by neglect. Section 123-2 excludes subdivisions of 24 lots or more approved since 1950 and structures built after 1950 unless on or eligible for the New Jersey or National Register, and it does not regulate exterior colors or the materials of siding, windows or roofing. The chapter does not apply in the Pinelands Area portion of Stafford Township, where § 211-9G(14) governs historic resources.
Violations & Fines
Undertaking an activity that would demolish or alter an historical landmark without first obtaining Historic Preservation Commission approval is a violation under § 123-14A. The penalty is an amount not to exceed $2,000 per violation per day, and the Zoning Officer is empowered to enforce through a stop-work order or the violation. A structure neglected toward demolition draws a letter by certified and regular mail at least 30 days before a hearing, then a referral to the code enforcer under § 123-11.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice is required before demolishing a landmark in Stafford Township?
What happens if the Commission rejects a demolition request?
Does the ordinance control paint colors or interior work in Stafford Township?
Does Chapter 123 apply in the Pinelands part of Stafford Township?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford Township
Compare Stafford Township to another location·View the New Jersey historic preservation overview
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