Township of Mansfield, NJ Article XXIII Farm Regulations

§ 65-103 Building and use restrictions.

[Amended 4-5-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-7; 4-23-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-15]

Agricultural uses, farm houses and usual farm buildings shall be permitted in all zoning districts without restrictions, except as follows:

A. Permitted farm uses shall consist of the following:

(1) The tilling of the soil, the raising of crops, fruits and vegetables, greenhouses and nurseries.

(2) The storage, packing and marketing of fruits and vegetables produced on the premises.

(3) The hatching and raising on a commercial scale of poultry, rabbits and fish, and dairy farming.

(4) The raising and grazing of horses, cattle, sheep and goats, including supplementary feeding of such animals, provided that such raising or grazing is not a part of nor conducted in conjunction with a livestock slaughterhouse or animal by-products business.

(5) Dairy.

(6) Public and private stables and riding academies.

(7) Beekeeping.

B. The keeping or raising of poultry on parcels of land less than 10 acres in area shall be limited to 100 fowl per 40,000 square feet.

C. The keeping or raising of rabbits on parcels of land less than 1/4 to 1/2 acre in area shall be limited to 25 mature rabbits, on parcels of land 1/2 to one acre in area shall be limited to 50 mature rabbits and on parcels of land in excess of one acre in area shall be limited to 75 mature rabbits.

D. (Reserved)

E. No farmhouse shall be constructed closer than 75 feet to such line.

F. New dwellings also shall not be built closer than 100 feet to existing farm buildings.

G. All other new construction, including structures for temporary storage of feeds, shall conform to the setback requirements.

H. The display and sale of farm products shall be permitted, provided that:

(1) At least 50% of such products shall have been produced on the property on which they are offered for sale.

(2) Parking space for at least three cars shall be provided behind the highway right-of-way line. Parking space shall be provided behind the highway right-of-way line at a ratio of one space for each 300 square feet of building floor area.

(3) The sale of farm products shall be conducted from a portable stand, dismantled at the end of the growing season, or from a permanent building under the following conditions:

(a) Such building shall be located at least 40 feet from the right-of-way line of the road.

(b) Such buildings will be in character with other buildings on the site.

(c) There shall be two driveways, one for ingress and one for egress.

I. All farm buildings are to be approved by the Building Inspector as to structural safety and compliance with state and local regulations.

J. All such uses shall be approved as to the safety of the traffic patterns and ingress and egress locations.

K. Farm buildings shall be exempt from regulations regarding height, maximum size of buildings and number of farm buildings allowed on each lot.