FEMA flood zone rules in Hackensack, NJ — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Hackensack regulates development in flood hazard areas under Chapter 89 of the City Code, originally adopted December 6, 1982 and amended in its entirety on August 20, 2019. The chapter implements the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act (N.J.S.A. 58:16A-50 et seq. / N.J.A.C. 7:13), and Uniform Construction Code flood provisions for properties along the Hackensack River and adjacent areas.
Hackensack lies in the Hackensack River basin and includes substantial Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) shown on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) as Zones A, AE, AH, AO, A99, V, and VE. Local development in these areas is controlled by Chapter 89 (Flood Hazard Areas) of the Hackensack Code, with substantive standards in Article V (Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction). In all areas of special flood hazard, construction and substantial improvements must comply with the more restrictive of Chapter 89 or the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23). All new construction and substantial improvements must be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement. Where base flood elevation data is provided and no floodway has been designated, the cumulative effect of proposed development, combined with all other existing and anticipated development, may not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood by more than 0.2 of a foot at any point. State-level oversight comes from the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act, N.J.S.A. 58:16A-50 et seq., implemented through N.J.A.C. 7:13 and administered by NJDEP. Federal participation in the NFIP is administered by FEMA, and FIRM panels for Hackensack can be obtained through the FEMA Map Service Center. Permits for floodplain development are issued by the city floodplain administrator in coordination with the construction official.
Construction or filling in a Special Flood Hazard Area without a Chapter 89 floodplain development permit, or in violation of the elevation, anchoring, or 0.2-foot rise standards, is a violation of the City Code. The municipality may issue stop-work orders, require corrective action, and impose fines. Separate state penalties apply under the Flood Hazard Area Control Act and N.J.A.C. 7:13. Noncompliance can also affect the property's eligibility for federal flood insurance.
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