By BILL BARLOW/Special to the Sentinel
UPPER TOWNSHIP — Township Committee approved tougher rules for flood protection in a unanimous vote Nov. 23.
This was the final vote on the ordinance, which amends the flood damage control section of the township code.
“Probably the largest change is the requirement for having a flood inspection for properties before they are sold,” township engineer Paul Dietrich said at the meeting.
The change will also require a more detailed plan for the grading of properties for new construction and a more detailed elevation certificate before a foundation is created, he told committee members.
The motivation is to reduce flood insurance rates in the township, including in the waterfront areas and in the beachfront section of Strathmere. The amendment will affect the areas of the township within a flood zone.
According to Dietrich, the amendment will help increase Upper Township’s position in the Community Rating System, created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to encourage better flood protections.
Local homeowners can realize a reduction in flood insurance rates as the township improves its CRS level. Currently, the township is at class 5, which means a 25 percent discount on insurance rates under the National Flood Insurance Program.
Most communities in the area have sought to improve their ratings, which are based on the number of points a community can acquire; for improving flood protections, imposing standards on new construction, informing residents about potential flood risks.
Ocean City has also been working to improve its CRS rating, while Sea Isle City leads the state as a class 3 community, translating to a 35 percent rate discount. At one point, a single community in California had achieved a CRS rating of class 1, which cut flood insurance rates in that town by 45 percent.
Upper Township participates in the New Jersey Coastal Coalition, along with Sea Isle City, Ocean City and multiple other shore municipalities. The group formed after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Members work together to improve flood safety and share information on improving CRS ratings.
Also at the meeting, Craig Reeves, the township superintendent of public works, discussed changes to the schedule for collecting compost throughout the township.
The topic of trash, waste and leaf collection is often discussed at committee meetings, as the township works to keep up with the amount of leaves falling on properties over a huge area.
“What we’re asking for is to change the compost collection to … the same as bulk trash,” Reeves said.
He said bulk trash was changed last year to the first week of the month.
“We would also like to change the collection of compost to the first and second week of the month, to guarantee the residents that it will be picked up. It will be cleaned up. We just completed the first pass through the township, which took a week and a half with one truck,” Reeves said.
He said his department is limited both by the available equipment and by the number of staff members. He thinks he can improve that time.
“The residents, I think, will be a lot happier with this,” he said.
Mayor Rich Palombo said residents usually put grass cuttings and weeds out by the street.
“If we’re only picking it up once a month, I would think that we might have some issues with bags that get wet with rain and start tearing apart,” he said. “I’m willing to work with your suggestion, Craig, but we really need to educate people. I’m afraid we’re going to have a lot of things on the street for a long period of time.”
Committeeman John Coggins asked if crews could collect every other week.
“I’m not saying we can’t do that. What we’re trying to do is guarantee a pickup. As you know, we have other duties,” Reeves said. “We send our trucks out every day, but it takes about two and a half weeks to make a full pass.”
Committeeman Ed Barr said the public works department is looking at using green plastic containers for compostable materials, similar to those used for trash and recycling, that can be picked up by a mechanical arm mounted to the collection trucks.
“We’re researching and looking for costs on that to possibly implement a program involving those cans,” Barr said.
“I would feel better if we did something like that,” Palombo said. “We keep things so good and clean with our trash and recycling program.”
He would like to see the same for yard waste collection.
“It’s going to take time. It’s going to take an investment. This is a first step,” Reeves said.
“We’ll go with the plan and see how things go,” Palombo said.