Toms River Taking Steps to Facilitate 'Summer of Reconstruction'

To help facilitate "the summer of reconstruction," Toms River officials have introduced measures aimed at helping residents rebuild following Superstorm Sandy. 

Last week, council members introduced an ordinance allowing homeowners to rebuild higher without Zoning Board approval and approved a resolution urging Ortley Beach homeowners associations to allow for summer construction.

"This is going to be the summer of reconstruction. Probably two summers," said Councilwoman Maria Maruca. "If we can get people to rebuild and get back into their houses, the quicker our community will become whole again."

The proposed maximum home height increase ordinance is meant to make it easier to rebuild since a Zoning Board application would not be required.

"If you're doing no modifications to your existing house except raising it, it does not cause a variance situation," said Councilman Jeffrey Carr.

"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," Carr said.

This week, the township's Planning Board gave its approval to the ordinance

"It would be brutally unfair to punish people who have already been punished," said board member Dennis Filippone before the board voted in favor of the measure.

The relaxing of other land use processes for those affected by Sandy are being investigated, such as building a two story home where a one story home previously stood, according to Carr. Another ordinance to that point is expected to be introduced at the council's next meeting.

"We're not there exactly yet," Carr said. "We're close to it."

"Our idea is to help people rebuild, conform to the FEMA regulations and at the same time give them some room so that they can raise 1 foot, 2 foot, 3 foot above the FEMA regulations so that it will benefit them insurance-wise," Carr said. 

To further help rebuilding, the council also passed a resolution "urging all private homeowners associations to allow their members to rebuild homes to current [FEMA] elevations and to suspend all rules and regulations prohibiting construction during the summer seasons of 2013 and 2014," the document states.

"Some of them have relaxed their rules allowing homeowners to build during the summer months," Maruca said. "I would urge all private beach associations to do the same."

The township already allows for construction in those areas during the summer months, according to township attorney Kenneth Fitzsimmons.