OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEYFlood mitigation and elevation guidelines
Introduction
Climate change and rising sea levels increasingly threaten historic resources with flooding. In response to an overwhelming need for clear guidance, our office developed the Flood Mitigation Guide for Historic Properties and Elevation Design Guidelines for Historic Properties.
These guides are written for
- Community representatives
- Planners
- Property owners
- Preservation advocates
Use one or both of these guides to plan and prepare for flooding, including successfully elevating your property.
Flood Mitigation Guide for Historic Properties
This Guide is intended to assist local planners and preservation advocates in flood-prone areas to make informed choices to best protect historic properties from flooding. Although it is understood that archaeological and landscape resources are highly vulnerable to flood damage, this Guide specifically addresses flooding at historic buildings.
This Guide:
- Introduces some key concepts about flooding;
- Provides a context for loss due to storm events and submersion;
- Clarifies how historic properties fit into floodplain management, including the National Flood Insurance Program;
- Provides guidance for initiatives that can be undertaken by local communities to reduce the potential impact of flooding on historic properties; and
- Clarifies how historic properties fit into the various phases of the Emergency Management Cycle.
Elevation Design Guidelines for Historic Properties
The purpose of these Elevation Design Guidelines for Historic Properties is to assist residential property owners and HPCs in the establishment of parameters for building elevation specific in their municipalities that is sensitive to the local historic character. These parameters consider localized flood risk; floodplain management requirements; parcel site limitations; as well as building typology, style, and materials.