Little Silver to Recommend Building Up 4 Feet After Sandy

Little Silver officials will officially recommend that homes substantially damaged by Sandy and new construction in borough flood zones should be built four feet above advisory base flood elevations.

Officials discussed the recommendation by Gregory S. Blash, borough engineer, at the Feb. 25 council workshop meeting and agreed to introduce the ordinance at next week's council meeting Monday night.

While the elevation -- four feet above a home's "first finished floor" -- won't be mandatory, homeowners who chose to comply will benefit from "optimal" flood insurance rates, said Blash.

The 4-foot elevation will give homes a "free board of three feet," said Blash, explaining that was the distance between the bottom of the structure and the flood elevation, which allows water to pass through during flooding.