Long Branch, NJ Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 296, Art. II, §§ 296-8/296-9
- Trigger
- Repaving/resurfacing/reconstructing near an inlet
- Grate clear-space cap
- 7.0 sq in or 0.5 in
- Curb-opening cap
- 7.0 sq in or 2.0 in
- Exempt
- Single-family residential lots
- Maximum fine
- $2,000 per inlet
Summary
Long Branch, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, requires most private properties to retrofit existing storm drain inlets whenever they repave, resurface or reconstruct a surface touching one. The retrofit must block solid and floatable debris to a set design standard, and skipping it after such work draws a per-inlet fine.
No person in control of private property (except a residential lot with one single-family house) shall authorize the repaving, repairing (excluding the repair of individual potholes), resurfacing (including top coating or chip sealing with asphalt emulsion or a thin base of hot bitumen), reconstructing or altering any surface that is in direct contact with an existing storm drain inlet on that property unless the storm drain inlet either. ... Is retrofitted or replaced to meet the standard in § 296-9 below prior to the completion of the project. ... Whenever design engineers use a curb-opening inlet, the clear space in that curb opening (or each individual clear space, if the curb opening has two or more clear spaces) shall have an area of no more than 7.0 square inches, or be no greater than 2.0 inches across the smallest dimension. ... Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $2,000 (as stated in § 1-16 of the Code of the City of Long Branch) for each storm drain inlet that is not retrofitted to meet the design standard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4904719; v48 updated 2026-06-10; through 06-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 296, Article II applies to private property other than a single-family residential lot. Under Section 296-8, before authorizing repaving, repairing beyond individual pothole patches, resurfacing, reconstructing or otherwise altering any surface in direct contact with an existing storm drain inlet, the property owner must either confirm the inlet already meets the design standard or retrofit it to that standard before the project is finished. 0 square inches or no more than half an inch across the smallest dimension. 0-square-inch cap, or no more than two inches across the smallest dimension.
The standard applies to grate inlets, combination inlets, storm sewer manhole grates, ditch and trench grates, and slotted-drain spacer bars, on surfaces ranging from roads and driveways to sidewalks, lawns and stormwater basin floors. C. 2(c). The article, adopted by Ordinance No. 21-12 in 2012, is enforced by the Long Branch Police Department and other municipal officials.
Violations & Fines
A violation carries a fine of up to $2,000 per storm drain inlet that is not retrofitted to the design standard, assessed under the general penalty schedule in Section 1-16 of the City Code. The Police Department and other municipal officials enforce the article, and each unretrofitted inlet can be charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Long Branch properties must retrofit storm drain inlets?
What grate size does Long Branch require to meet the retrofit standard?
What happens if I resurface my parking lot without retrofitting the inlet?
Are there exceptions to the storm drain inlet retrofit rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Branch
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