Old Bridge, NJ Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Under Old Bridge Township Code § 250-63, a planned development must be a mixed-use project containing at least three residential clusters, each of which independently satisfies the cluster option standards of § 250-62 (minimum 100 contiguous dwelling units per cluster, minimum 23% open space set-aside). One or more of those clusters may then take advantage of a density bonus, but the bonus only increases the permitted density in the specific cluster that meets the bonus conditions; it cannot be applied across the whole tract. The ordinance sets two size tiers for these projects: a Class I Planned Development, built for residential use with retail and service conveniences, must cover a contiguous area of not less than 100 acres, while a larger Class II Planned Development, designed for residential and nonresidential employment-generating uses, must cover not less than 300 acres.

Within either class, the Township Council's density schedule assigns minimum and maximum shares of Low, Low-Medium, Medium and Medium-High density housing (for example, Low Density is capped at one to four dwelling units per acre, while Medium-High Density runs 15 to 25 units per acre), and the approving board must approve any density averaging between parcels during preliminary review. A mixture of housing types is required within each density category so no single type dominates the cluster. Applications go to the Township's Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment as the approving board, which reviews the general development plan and staging schedule before granting bonus density.