Cherry Hill, NJ Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Section 12-102.3, added by Ordinance No. 2023-6 on July 10, 2023, establishes the Local Design Flood Elevation using the best available flood hazard data described in § 12-102.2, the Flood Hazard Area Control Act's minimum statewide elevation requirements for A, Coastal A and V zones, and ASCE 24 requirements for critical facilities, plus additional freeboard set by the chapter. For a delineated watercourse, the LDFE is the elevation from the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area plus one foot, or the freeboard described by N.J.A.C.

7:13, whichever applies. For an undelineated watercourse with 50 or more acres of contributory drainage, applicants must submit either an unexpired NJDEP Flood Hazard Area Verification plus one foot of freeboard and any additional ASCE 24 freeboard, or a Method 5 or Method 6 determination under N.J.A.C. 7:13 plus one foot of freeboard and any additional ASCE 24 freeboard, sealed and submitted under §§ 12-105.2 and 12-105.3. In Zone AO areas, the LDFE is the highest adjacent grade plus the FIRM panel's depth number plus one foot of freeboard, or three feet above the highest adjacent grade if no depth number is specified.

New or substantially improved Flood Design Class IV critical facilities must be built to the higher of the 0.2%-annual-chance (500-year) flood elevation or the Flood Hazard Area Design Flood Elevation plus two feet of freeboard under ASCE 24, and Class III critical facilities in coastal high-hazard areas get the same 500-year/FHACA comparison plus one foot of freeboard. The Floodplain Administrator in the Department of Community Development enforces these elevation standards alongside the Construction Official, who administers the flood provisions of the Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23, under § 12-103.3.