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Paterson, NJ Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)

Light Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Scope: Vacant/foreclosure-registered properties only
Turf standard: Must be purpose-designed for the use
Source: Chapter 157, Article IV
Added: 12-20-2016, Ord. No. 16-087

Summary

Paterson's code names artificial turf/sod as acceptable yard ground cover, but only inside the maintenance duty owners and creditors owe on vacant or foreclosure-registered properties, not a citywide landscaping rule.

Front yards, rear yards, and side yards of properties subject to the requirements of this article shall be landscaped and maintained to neighborhood standards. Landscaping and maintenance shall include, but is not limited to, care of grass, mulch, decorative rock, artificial turf/sod specifically designed for residential or commercial installation, or other ground cover, bushes, shrubs, hedges, trees or similar plantings.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4713536; v19 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 157, Article IV requires foreclosure-registered and vacant properties to keep their front, rear and side yards landscaped to neighborhood standards. The maintenance list of acceptable ground cover expressly includes grass, mulch, decorative rock, and 'artificial turf/sod specifically designed for residential or commercial installation,' alongside bushes, shrubs, hedges and trees. The provision governs vacant/foreclosure maintenance obligations under Article IV's registration program (§ 157-46 et seq.): it is not a general zoning or property-maintenance standard for every occupied residential lot in the city.

Violations & Fines

Failure to maintain a registered vacant or foreclosure property, including its required ground cover, draws a code-violation notice with 10 to 30 days to correct, and creditors face fines up to $1,500 per day of continued violation under § 157-47.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any Paterson homeowner install artificial turf?

The code doesn't set a citywide answer; § 157-49 only lists turf as acceptable ground cover for vacant or foreclosure-registered properties owners/creditors must maintain.

Does regular landscaping law address artificial turf?

No other artificial-turf provision appears in the general code; this is the only reference, and it sits inside the vacant-property maintenance article.

Sources & Official References

[1]Paterson City Code Ch. 157, Art. IV — Abandoned Properties

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How Paterson compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·Compare Paterson to another location·View the New Jersey landscaping rules overview

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