Property Maintenance

The Property Maintenance office helps to keep all of the neighborhoods of Piscataway Township clean and safe for residents. While the Township’s municipal code is the best source of information on what is required of those who live in Piscataway, the following are some of the items for which residents often seek information from the Property Maintenance office:

Boarding Houses / Multiple tenants
Renting individual rooms in a house or having a boarding house is prohibited without a zoning variance and adhering to more stringent fire safety regulations. 

Fences and Sheds
Before you install or replace a fence or place a shed on your property, you need to get a permit from the Community Development Department in the Public Works Building at 505 Sidney Road, Piscataway.  Part of the fulfillment process of the permit does include an inspection once your fence has been installed.

Home Businesses
Operating a business out of your home requires a zoning variance depending upon the nature of the business.  Use of a residential property for a beauty parlor, landscaping, contracting, etc. is restricted; however, these types of businesses are not to be confused with a home-based office for personal use.  To determine what is permissible please contact the Community Development Department at (732) 562-6560.

Landlord Registration
If you are renting out a property in Piscataway you must register as a landlord. Landlords must provide a new registration every year to the Housing Certificate of Occupancy Office in the Public Works Building at 505 Sidney Road, Piscataway when renting out property.

Lawns, Grass, and Weeds
It is your responsibility to keep your lawn mown.  During peak growing times, this may mean having your lawn mown weekly.  If you are planning an extended vacation, please make lawn care arrangements for when you are away. No weeds or grass growth on your premises may be more than eight inches in length.

Leaves
The Public Works Department picks up leaves from October to December.  Leaves must be bagged and place at the curb; leaf bags are available from the Township. Leaves that are not bagged will not be picked up.  Leaves blown into the street can clog storm drains; this is prohibited and subject to a fine.

Portable storage units
Before you order a portable storage unit, please be sure to get a zoning permit from the Community Development Department in the Public Works Building at 505 Sidney Road, Piscataway.  You can only place one on site and it cannot be in a front yard. It can only be on site for 30 days unless you are granted an exemption.

Also, most portable storage units cannot be used as sheds because they are often larger than the Township allowed shed size maximum of 100 square feet (10’x10’) of floor space. Moreover, sheds cannot be placed in the front yard of a home, must be at least three feet from a property line and also need a permit. Residents are allowed up to three sheds on their property.

A moving pod can be placed in a front yard or driveway but it cannot be in the right-of-way or a street. It also needs a zoning permit which will only be valid for 30 days.

Sidewalks and Driveways
It is your responsibility to remove the snow and ice from the sidewalks and driveway at your home within 24 hours after accumulation.  You must also keep the sidewalks clean and free from litter, dirt, mud, tree limbs, vegetation growth or anything else that could be hazardous to pedestrians.

Trash & Bulk Pick-Ups
Properties should be kept clear of excess debris.  Trash and recycling should be placed at the curb and no earlier than the nights before pick ups.  Even if you are scheduled for a bulk pick up from the Public Works Department, those items still should be only placed at the curb and not earlier than the night before the scheduled pick up.

Trees
For those trees that are on private residential property and are dead or dying, we ask that residents remove them in a timely manner so they do not become a public safety hazard.  While no permits are required for such tree removal, we ask that all necessary precautions are taken during removal.

Vehicles
No commercial vehicles registered over three-quarter (3/4) ton gross vehicle weight (GVW) may be parked in a residential zone from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. No more than one currently unregistered or uninspected motor vehicle shall be parked, kept, or stored on any premises.  No vehicle shall at any time be in a state of disrepair.