Thursday, May 23, 2013
Pennsylvania senator who stopped vote criticized; Menendez says he will introduce insurance rate bill
The Brick Township council this week unanimously supported a resolution urging the federal government to put off flood insurance rate hikes. Brick residents in flood zones face insurance rates of up to $31,000 per year if they do not raise their homes since the federal government's subsidization of the National Flood Insurance Program was eliminated by an act of congress last year. Last week, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) blocked a measure that would have delayed the rate hikes, during which time a study could be conducted on insurance affordability and grant funding to help people raise homes could be obtained, if necessary. Toomey said at the time that his aim is to make the insurance program more financially sound, though the resolution …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
FEMA willing to share data, township readying contract with oceanographic engineer
Brick Township's long-discussed appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's advisory flood maps got a double shot in the arm this week. A conference call with representatives from FEMA and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's office on Tuesday yielded a piece of the puzzle township officials have long sought: access to FEMA's mapping software and its data. "What is in our control is the challenge," township resident Ron Jampel, who started the Save Our Communities 2013 group, told Brick council members a week ago. "We've got thousands and thousands of people wanting that answer. There's no more important matter than this for the people who have been displaced." The data from FEMA, township officials have said, is central to being able to …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Acropolis: Hire a national firm to oppose FEMA maps
The Brick Township council may vote Tuesday night on whether to authorize hiring a professional firm to develop a formal appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis said Monday that he will ask the council to pass a resolution that authorizes the township to seek bids from national firms to help the township appeal FEMA's advisory base flood elevation maps. He will be supported in his effort by Councilman Joseph Sangiovanni. Councilman John Ducey has also indicated he will support the measure, according to a local grassroots group that has pushed for the township to hire such a firm. "We feel very strongly that right now, there are thousands of homes that are in zones they shouldn't be in," …
Friday, March 29, 2013
During a Friday conference call discussing the National Flood Insurance Program, talk shifted to FEMA's flood maps and the potential for change in New Jersey.
The impetus behind releasing its advisory flood maps soon after Hurricane Sandy was simply to aid in the state's disaster recovery, a Federal Emergency Management Agency risk analyst said Friday, noting that they still remain subject to change prior to their official adoption into the National Flood Insurance Program. Discussion about the NFIP as well as the Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps was made during a FEMA conference call late Friday morning and seemed to conflict with Gov. Chris Christie's hurried effort to see the maps adopted as New Jersey's new standard. Doug Bellomo, director of FEMA's Risk Analysis Division, said the agency used the best available scientific data to develop the maps, and while he's confident that they're …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
New data released by the state Department of Community Affairs breaks down Sandy-related damage by municipality
In New Jersey, Brick sustained among the largest number of damaged housing units from Superstorm Sandy, with about 2,280 affected, according to an interactive map of destruction compiled by njspotlight.com. Of those homes in Brick, 744 were severely damaged — meaning they were impacted by more than $28,800, according to data provided by the state Department of Community Affairs. Major damage includes homes that suffered $8,000 to $28,800 in damages while severe is more than $28,800. The data notes that nearly 87,000 housing units were damaged statewide, about 12,500 of those were either destroyed or sustained major damage. At least 1,000 residences were damaged in 24 municipalities in seven counties. Nearly 400,000 businesses were impacted…
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Video update from Brick mayor
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Daniel Nee
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Saturday, March 9
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Regulations will likely change over time
Three weeks after it was endorsed by the township's planning board, the zoning laws for the township's newly-expanded flood zones under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps was approved on second reading by the Brick Township council Tuesday night. "By putting this out right now, this will help a lot of people," said Councilman Domenick Brando, explaining that the ordinance will allow residents to begin the task of rebuilding their homes following Superstorm Sandy. The ordinance will take effect March 25, township attorney Jean Cipriani said. Council members unanimously voted in favor of adopting the building code following a public hearing, though they also acknowledged the ordinance will likely have to be changed as …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Ordinances unanimously passes
The Brick Township council adopted the Federal Emergency Management Agency's advisory base flood elevation (ABFE) maps Tuesday night on second reading, the final passage of an ordinance that mirrors the state's adoption of the same maps. "We have to pass this ordinance so the people who are entitled to the money are able to get it," said Councilman John Ducey, referring to grants that will be available to residents of communities that adopt the FEMA maps. That doesn't mean officials in Brick agree with them, however. "I think the council made it clear, and I made it clear, that the council adopting the ABFEs does nothing more than allow us to get more points on a score when we go for the Hazard Mitigation Grants," said Mayor Stephen C. …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Overlay zone will complement elevation ordinance
Brick Township's planning board on Wednesday night endorsed an ordinance calling for an overlay zone on top of properties in flood zones under newly-adopted FEMA advisory base flood elevation maps. The ordinance, introduced on first reading by the township council last week, creates an overlay zone with the aim of allowing residents who are rebuilding their homes to new elevation standards to avoid having to obtain variances from the township's Board of Adjustment. What the ordinance effectively does is maintain current maximum building height requirements, but adds on the amount to which a building must be elevated in a flood zone. The measure also includes exceptions that will give residents leeway to build necessary stairways to access …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Federal rule calls for appeals only after next round of maps are released
Brick Township Councilman John Ducey will introduce a resolution at the next township council meeting calling on the federal government to allow residents to oppose their designation on flood zone maps before the prescribed public comment period begins this summer. The Federal Emergency Management Agency released advisory flood zone maps shortly after Superstorm Sandy struck. The maps have greatly increased the number of Brick residents whose homes are in flood zones and, combined with a decision made last summer to de-subsidize the federal flood insurance program, will require those residents to either raise their homes or face five-figure annual flood insurance bills. Homes in flood zones with mortgages are required to carry the …
DDJA
2:38 pm on Friday, May 24, 2013
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL and INSURANCE COMPANIES and FEMA.....GET OUT OF THE SAME BED and start thinking of America, not yourselves!!!! If there are BILLIONS to spend on foreign countries (who can't stand us)....then there are funds to assist Americans. more ›