Frequently Used Terms

Frequently used acronyms and terms in Floodplain Development

• Application for Development: Required to be completed and submitted to the Township Zoning Officer prior to obtaining construction permits.
• BFE (Base Flood Elevation): The elevation of surface water resulting from a flood that has a 1% chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year. The BFE is shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the various flood zones.
• CO (Certificate of Occupancy): given from the Building Department once an applicant has met the various permitting and inspection requirements.
• Coastal Construction Manual: A FEMA publication that provides a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, designing, constructing, and maintaining homes in the coastal environment.
• CRS (Community Rating System): A FEMA voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and provides flood insurance discounts to residents in participating communities.
• DFE (Design Flood Elevation): The required construction elevation beyond the FEMA BFE, taking into account the additional foot of freeboard.
• EC (Elevation Certificate): a FEMA form required to be completed by a licensed surveyor and submitted to the town prior to the issuance of a CO for new construction, substantial improvements, and other projects as requested by the floodplain manager or building department.
• Enclosure: walled in areas below the lowest floor of an elevated building to be used for storage, vehicle parking, or building access only.
• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): New Jersey is located in FEMA Region 2.
• FHA (Federal Housing Agency)
• FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map): The floodplain manager can provide a FIRM map to residents.
• Flood Encroachment Permit: Required per Planning and Development Regulations, Article VII, 709, for maintenance, repair, expansion, and reconstruction of uses within a flood hazard area.
• Flood Vent/Flood Opening: an orifice in an enclosed structure intended to allow the free passage of water between the interior and exterior. Must be ICC certified.
• Grading Review: Conducted by the Township Engineering Department on grading plans submitted by licensed professionals on behalf of applications/projects meeting the standards requiring grading plans per Township requirements.
• LiMWA (Line of Moderate Wave Action): illustrates where waves greater than 1.5 feet high may cause damage. Where available, the LiMWA line on coastal flood maps marks the inland limit of the Coastal A Zone.
• MoWA (Moderate wave action):
• Nixle: text and email alert system used by the Township to communicate with residents on emergency situations, including impending weather events.
• NJCC (New Jersey Coastal Coalition): Coalition of municipalities and Counties all over NJ working together, with the support of FEMA, on storm preparedness and floodplain management.
• NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection)
• NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program):
• Non-Conversion Agreement: a notarized and recorded deed agreement required for all elevated homes in a regulated flood zone for which an enclosure is present. The agreement stipulates that the enclosure will be used for storage, vehicle parking, and building access only and is subject to flooding.
• RL/SRL (Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive Loss): terms used to describe buildings that have received a certain number of flood insurance policy payouts within a certain timeframe.
• SI/SD (Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage): substantial improvement values equal or exceed 50% of the home’s most recent assessed value. Likewise, substantial damage costs equal or exceed 50% of the home’s most recent assessed value. Land values are not factored into these calculations.
• SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area): the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 1-percent annual chance flood is also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood.
• Survey: Done by a professional surveyor, these plans determine/confirm the land boundaries, locations of utilities, structures, and any restrictions or easements that may be present on the lot.
• Zoning Permit: approved or denied based on the need for variances as noted on the Application for Development. The Township Zoning Officer approves or denies all applications.