Zoning

These links are meant to give you a general idea of what can and cannot be done in certain areas. Please speak with a zoning officer before making any decisions.

LBI: Barnegat Light; Beach Haven (Historical Section); Harvey Cedars; Long Beach; Ship Bottom; Surf City 

Statewide Information on Land Use and Regulation can be found here.

Letters of substantial damage

These letters are a Catch-22. Make sure you research what the letter entails and what it means for the future. Check out FEMA’s site for details. If you want even more information, click here.

Most municipalities have implemented a time frame that the homes must be brought to code, this includes raising 1 foot above the Base Flood Elevation (even if the home is above the BFE, it must be raised to 1 foot above). Rumors were “the government cannot make me raise my home” however, if you apply for this letter, the government can tell you  what to do.

This letter also follows your property after it is sold. So it must be disclosed when selling your home. Most attorneys are adding this topic to their contracts in attorney review to cover the buyer from unknowingly purchasing a home that must be raised or otherwise brought to code.

~In Beach Haven West ALL owners have to fill out a Procedure for Determination. These were mailed to all owners a few times post Sandy. As of 9/28/15 about 50% of owners have filled these out. The township is trying to get a better handle on how many homes were truly “substantially damaged”.~

***This is only general information, it is by no means definitive, please consult a zoning officer/flood insurer/mortgage rep/etc. I am by no means an expert in any of these aspects***