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Spring Lake Heights endorses affordable‑housing spending plan and opposes NJDEP flood‑rule changes
Summary
The council approved an Affordable Housing Spending Plan and endorsed a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, and it adopted a resolution opposing the NJDEP "Real Rules" as drafted, citing concerns about a four‑foot elevation requirement above FEMA levels and basement/crawl space rules.
On March 16 the Spring Lake Heights Borough Council approved R2026-76, which establishes an Affordable Housing Spending Plan, and R2026-77, endorsing the borough's Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. Both resolutions passed on recorded votes of members present (5–0, with Councilman William Graetz absent).
Separately, the council adopted Resolution R2026-72 opposing the NJDEP "Real Rules" in their current form. Borough Engineer Joseph May explained the council's concerns, saying the proposed rule would require structures to be built four feet above FEMA flood levels and could allow homes in newly mapped flood zones to have basements or crawl spaces. "The requirements will be 4 feet above the FEMA flood levels and how homes in the new flood zones will be permitted to have basements or crawl spaces," Mr. May said, according to the meeting record.
Mayor Christopher Campion thanked the Borough of Manasquan for drafting the sample resolution circulated to the council and asked that the opposition be sent to surrounding towns. The council's resolution records the borough's policy opposition to NJDEP's approach as currently drafted; the resolution does not itself change local permitting rules but documents the borough's position for state consideration.
The housing‑plan endorsement and spending plan set local priorities for affordable housing funds and implementation steps; the council conditioned grant acceptance (R2026-71) and intermunicipal arrangements where applicable.
