Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Jefferson Township is located in the northwestern section of Morris County and the northcentral part of the Highlands region. A largely rural residential community, Jefferson enjoys a great deal of preserved land, which accounts for approximately 65% of the township’s total land area. The township is home to Mahlon Dickerson Reservation and the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area, and also contains the most shoreline of Lake Hopatcong among the four municipalities that border the lake. The township is bisected by Route 15 which supports a strong commercial core.  In 2014 the Highlands Council approved a petition from Jefferson Township to bring its local planning and regulatory documents into alignment with the Highlands Regional Master Plan (RMP), for the Preservation Area portion of the municipality. In 2025 Jefferson petitioned and received approval from the Council to add the Planning Area portion of the township.

Area 27,383 acres/42.78 mi²
Preservation Area 24,080 acres
Planning Area 3,303 acres
RMP Conformance Status Conforming, Preservation Area; Petition approved for Planning Area working toward full conformance.
Liaison Elizabeth Ward
Jefferson Township official website

Certified to issue certain Highlands Exemptions.

Please contact the municipality directly for the most recent versions of planning and regulatory documents. Please contact the Highlands Council liaison listed above for information about Jefferson Township’s work with the Council.

• Phase 1 Sewer Service Area Expansion Feasibility Study - 2025
• Lake Hopatcong Trout Habitat and Tagging Study – Year Two – 2024
• Lake Hopatcong Trout Habitat and Tagging Study – 2023
• Master Plan Highlands Element – 2014
• Highlands Exemption Ordinance [municipality is authorized to issue certain Highlands Exemptions] – 2014
• Highlands Referral Ordinance [directs certain planning and regulatory documents be referred to the Highlands Council for review] – 2014
• Highlands Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) – 2013