Old Bridge, NJ Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Chapter 198's Article III sets the township's freeboard standard. Section 198-3.3, "Establishing the local design flood elevation (LDFE)," explains that the LDFE is built from "the best available flood hazard data sources" identified in § 198-3.2, "plus additional freeboard as specified by this chapter," and that at minimum a delineated watercourse's flood elevation gets one added foot, consistent with the state Flood Hazard Area Control Act, N.J.A.C. 7:13. The freeboard climbs for higher-stakes construction: Class III critical facilities in coastal high hazard areas get an added foot above the more severe of the base or 500-year flood elevation, and "Class IV critical facilities," such as hospitals or emergency-response buildings, must be built to "the higher of the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood elevation or the flood hazard area design flood elevation with an additional two feet of freeboard in accordance with ASCE 24." Section 198-15.2 then applies that elevation to actual construction: "All new construction and substantial improvement of any habitable building ... located in flood hazard areas shall have the lowest floor, including basement, together with the attendant utilities ... and sanitary facilities, elevated to or above the local design flood elevation as determined in § 198-3.3," with compliance "confirmed by an elevation certificate." The Zoning Officer, as Floodplain Administrator, reviews and files these elevation certificates and can require a licensed engineer's certification where design flood elevations are not already specified, under § 198-4.7.