Height Restriction Waived for Sandy-Damaged Homes

Homeowners who need to rebuild their Superstorm Sandy-damaged properties above Toms River's maximum height restriction won't require a trip before the township zoning officials thanks to an ordinance adopted Tuesday. 

Council members voted to relax that rule for those affected by the storm, allowing the height of their homes to surpass 35 feet if necessary to satisfy FEMA flood guidelines while bypassing a trip before Toms River's Zoning Board, so long as no other alterations are proposed. 

"It's hard enough for people to raise their homes," said Councilman John Sevastakis, referring to the financial issues and problems with FEMA advisory flood maps. All members of the council voted in favor of adopting the ordinance

With all of the troubles many residents face as they try to rebuild after Sandy's devastation, the relaxing of the height requirement for them is meant to make the recovery process go more smoothly, since they won't have to appear in front of the Zoning Board for a variance. 

"The idea is to help people who have existing houses who, because of the FEMA regulations, raising of those houses would put them in a non-compliance situation. Normally they'd be required to go to the Zoning Board for an approval. We're waiving that process," said Councilman Jeffrey Carr in March when the ordinance was first introduced. 

The ordinance change was introduced by the Township Council in March. It received a recommendation of adoption from the township's Planning Board a week later. 

Waiving the height restriction is part of facilitating what Councilwoman Maria Maruca called the township's "summer of reconstruction."