Bergenfield regulates construction in special flood hazard areas through Chapter 161, requiring elevation of new and substantially improved structures above the base flood elevation plus one foot.
Originally adopted May 17, 1988 by Ordinance No. 2043, Bergenfield's Flood Damage Prevention chapter applies to all areas of special flood hazard within the borough, identified in the Flood Insurance Study for Bergen County dated August 28, 2019 and FIRM panels 34003C0184H, 34003C0192H, and 34003C0211H. New construction and substantial improvement of residential structures in A or AE zones must have the lowest floor, including basement and utilities, elevated at or above the base flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard. Manufactured homes and floodway construction face additional restrictions.
Building or substantially improving a structure in a special flood hazard area without a floodplain development permit, or below the required elevation, can result in stop-work orders, mandatory elevation or removal, fines, and loss of NFIP flood insurance eligibility.
See how other cities in Bergen County handle flood zones.
See how Bergenfield's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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