Landscaping in Upper Saddle River, NJ

Working in Upper Saddle River

Upper Saddle River is about 5.3 square miles and mostly residential, built on one-acre lots. The borough stayed largely rural until the middle of the 20th century, grew tenfold between 1950 and 1970, and has held steady since, so much of the housing dates from that growth period or later.

The Saddle River runs through the middle of the borough, and Dutch settlers built mills along it in the 1700s. Properties along the river sit low and hold water, and state riparian zones of 50, 150, or 300 feet can apply along regulated waters. Commercial uses are concentrated along Route 17 on the western border, which leaves the rest of the borough residential.

Borough code treats the edges of each lot as a landscaped buffer. In the R-1 zone that buffer is 10 feet along each side line and 15 feet along the rear, and it is meant to hold landscaping only, not structures or paving. Trees in that buffer, and heritage trees 24 inches or more in diameter anywhere on the lot, need Shade Tree Commission review before removal, so we design patios, walls, and kitchens to stay clear of both.

What we build in Upper Saddle River

Before you build in Upper Saddle River

Permits and rules in Upper Saddle River

The Zoning Official reviews a zoning permit application for fences, new driveways, driveway renovations, sheds, and other work that affects a local ordinance. For fences that do not need a building permit, the borough application fee is $25. Fences that need a construction permit under the Uniform Construction Code carry a $50 fee, and replacing more than 20 percent of an existing fence counts as a new fence.

Soil removal permits for 1,500 cubic yards or less go through the Construction Official with Borough Engineer review, and larger jobs go to the Planning Board after a public hearing. The borough fee is $0.25 per cubic yard with a $100 minimum. The soil code also directs applicants to leave as many trees and as much natural grade in place as practicable.

Tree work falls under Chapter 137. Trees in the side and rear buffer or the right-of-way, and heritage trees, need Shade Tree Commission review, and any tree service working in the borough needs an annual commercial tree service permit. We confirm the buffer lines, the stream setback, and the permits before we draw the plan, and you get a written scope and fixed price after the site visit.

When to schedule work in Upper Saddle River

Brush pickup runs from April 1 to October 31, so spring cleanups, hedge trimming, and summer shrub pruning line up with the DPW schedule. After October, and for leaves at any time, disposal falls to the owner under borough code, so our fall cleanups include taking the leaves off the property.

Low ground along the Saddle River stays soft in early spring, so we schedule grading and wall work near the river for summer and early fall. Soil and zoning applications should go in during late winter for a summer start. We plow and salt long driveways through the winter.

All services in Upper Saddle River

Guides for Upper Saddle River homeowners

• Retaining wall permits and engineering. In most New York and New Jersey towns, a retaining wall over 4 feet needs an engineered design and a permit, and walls under that limit can still need one if they hold up a driveway or a slope.
• Hudson Valley seasonal yard checklist. The lower Hudson Valley gets hard winters, wet springs, and a long leaf season, and a yard that is checked at the right times avoids most of the expensive repairs.
• Fence permits and property lines. A fence is one of the few projects where a few inches of placement can start a legal dispute.
• What drives paver patio cost. A paver patio is typically priced by the square foot and by the base work under it.

Nearby

We also work in Saddle River, Allendale, Ramsey, Mahwah, Montvale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Hillsdale, Wyckoff, and across Bergen County.

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