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What every homeowner should know: Part 1
August 15, 2020 | Helen Torris
Whether you have just bought a house and are making plans for the future or are considering an addition or alteration, there are things that you should know about your house so that you can plan wisely.
In Montclair, NJ, the entire town is subdivided into 12 different zones which regulate the size and location (among other things) of all buildings. Half of these are related to residential property and determine what you are allowed to do with your property. Montclair has a really useful interactive map where you can find information about your home here:
Once you put in your address and find out what R# zone your home is in, you can then look up what requirements any alteration or addition must meet in the online code here:
Scroll down to find your R#, and then you can expand the menu to see more information.
If you want to build an addition or accessory structure, expand your driveway or add a deck, these are the guidelines to follow. However, that's not to say you are limited to these rules. There are always extenuating circumstances, and if you need to work outside these lines, you will need to obtain zoning permission, which is a whole other animal, and one that I will cover in the next post.