New Elevation Rules Impact Point Boro Homes' Plans for Elevators, Stairwells

Point Pleasant Borough homes are being built with elevators more than before, due in part to builders’ response to new state building laws, officials said.

Mayor William Schroeder said he’s spoken with builders who have found installing an elevator is a more cost effective way around the new stairwell's specifications that would be created as homes are raised or rebuilt to new heights after Hurricane Sandy.

“They’re telling me this is better than creating nine feet of steps,” Schroeder said.

The trend came up in discussion on an ordinance the borough is amending to keep up with state laws as well as proposed base flood elevation maps.

The ordinance was approved with amendments to align it with new state specifications, but council also debated what the ordinance should say as government agencies again amend base flood elevation maps.

“The state has requirements that have to be put into the ordinance. But they are not in there,” Schroeder said of the first part of the ordinance amendments.

The second part was whether the ordinance should require or recommend homeowners to elevate homes in the floodplain to 1 or 2 feet above the floodplain.

“We are recommending two feet above the FEMA recommendation, but allowing for one foot” said the mayor.

Borough administrators said the amendment should provide homeowners with guidance on what to do now, instead of waiting to build for the newest FEMA flood elevation map to be approved.

The amended ordinance outlines how, for example, exterior stairs of certain heights require a landing versus shorter lengths of stairs.