[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Jefferson as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-20-1990 by Ord. No. 5-90 (§ 24-3.2
of the 1967 Code)]
In order to protect traffic upon the public
thoroughfares within the Township of Jefferson, the Township deems
it necessary to regulate the grade, materials and design standards
of driveways for single-family residences which provide entrances
to and exits from the public thoroughfare. The following standards
are applicable for driveways which service single-family residences.
A.
All driveways constructed or modified shall be constructed
so as to be as near perpendicular to the existing pavement or traveled
way. Any curving alignment of the driveway for aesthetics or topographic
reasons shall be accomplished beyond the Township right-of-way.
B.
All driveways shall be constructed and maintained
in such a manner as to prevent erosion of the soil and its deposit
upon the street or road, gutters, catch basins, inlets, drains or
traveled way. The owner of the property shall be responsible for removal
of any debris, soil, water or ice accumulating on the roadway as a
direct result of the construction of the driveway.
C.
All driveways constructed or altered shall be constructed
in such a manner so as to not interfere with the drainage along the
proposed or existing pavement or traveled way, nor shall runoff from
a driveway discharge beyond an existing ditch onto the traveled way.
Under no circumstances shall the driveway be allowed to extend beyond
the edge of the existing pavement and traveled way, thereby creating
an uneven driving surface on the pavement of traveled way. The low
point of the driveway is to be at the location of the existing ditch.
D.
The construction of a properly sized dish-type gutter
will be permitted, provided that the existing gutter flow line will
not be blocked, altered or changed in any manner.
E.
The installation of a suitably sized pipe or culvert
will be required in the event that the existing flow line or ditch
cannot be crossed with a dish-type gutter. The size of the pipe or
culvert required shall be determined by the Director of the Department
of Public Works or the Township Engineer or his authorized agent.
No driveway for a single-family residence shall
be constructed or existing driveway altered for a single-family residence
without first obtaining an approved driveway construction permit from
the Township Director of Public Works. Nothing herein shall require
a permit for the pavement of an existing driveway or stoning of an
existing driveway.
A.
Applications for new driveways or modifications shall
be directed to the Township Director of Public Works and profiles
as required below for the proposed driveway prepared in a workmanlike
and professional manner shall be submitted to the Director with a
completed application.
B.
Design criteria. All driveways shall conform to the
following criteria:
(1)
No portion of the grade of any driveway may exceed
15%.
(2)
Driveways shall be constructed with a minimum of four
inches of dense graded aggregate material conforming to New Jersey
Department of Transportation Standard Specifications Section 901.08.
(3)
Any driveway, a portion of which exceeds a grade of
10% for 50 feet, shall be paved for its entirety using a minimum four-inch
base material of the dense graded aggregate as set forth in the subsection
above and shall be finished with a surface material of a minimum two-inch
thickness of FABC-1.
(4)
To prevent erosion, the side slopes of driveways shall
be topsoiled, seeded, fertilized and mulched in accordance with the
Morris County Soil Conservation District standards. If banks exceed
a one-foot rise in a two-foot horizontal grade, retaining walls shall
be required.
(5)
Turning radii measured on the inside curve of the
driveway shall not be less than 25 feet.
(6)
Within 20 feet of the edge of pavement of an existing
roadway, the finished grade of a driveway shall not exceed 4%.
(7)
Profiles of the center line of the driveway, both
existing and proposed, shall be submitted for the entire length of
the driveway from the center line of the roadway on which the driveway
will exist to the garage floor for an existing slope in excess of
10%.
(8)
Within 20 feet of the garage or terminus of driveway,
the grade shall not exceed 3%. Downhill grades must have the drainage
directed away from the dwelling.
(9)
The Director of the Department of Public Works shall
have the authority to reasonably direct the owner to construct the
driveway at such a location as to maximize sight distance.
(10)
The plan must indicate the method of disposal
of stormwater drainage from the driveway into the Township drainage
system.
(11)
All driveways shall have a minimum width of
10 feet for single-family homes.
(12)
Any driveway in excess of 100 feet, measured
from the end of pavement of the roadway, must have clearance on either
side of at least four feet for a height of at least 13 feet.
(13)
Adequate vertical transition for all grade changes
shall be provided.
(14)
Where a site occupies a corner of two intersecting
roads, no driveway entrance or exit shall, where possible, be located
within 100 feet of the center-line intersection, and it shall, where
possible, connect to the less trafficked street.
(15)
Driveways shall be located to avoid drain inlets
and, where possible, positioned so that no drain inlet is within three
feet of the driveway.
[Added 4-1-1998 by Ord. No. 11-98]
C.
With reference to new home construction, a certificate
of occupancy shall not be issued by the Construction Official until
the driveway construction is completed, in accordance with the approved
application, to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works.
[Amended 2-16-2005 by Ord. No. 4-05]
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 19-28]
The property owner may apply to the Land Use
Board of the Township for an exception from provisions of this article
if the lateral enforcement of such provisions is impracticable or
will exact undue hardship because of peculiar conditions pertaining
to the land. Such application shall present an alternative which is
in accordance with the general purpose of the article.
There shall be a fee paid at the time of application
for a new driveway in accordance with this article of $50 per application.
This fee shall be in addition to any other fees which may have been
paid with reference to new construction.
Any person or persons violating the provisions
of this article shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500. Each
day that a violation continues shall be considered as a separate violation.
