Sea Bright Refused to Follow Their Own Building CODE


Sea Bright refused to follow their own adopted code while elevating our home. They laughed at us for bringing up their own code violations in the elevation of our home. Laminated structural beams, horizontal sanitary sewer and potable water piping — all built or installed below the Borough’s own adopted code — requiring 2 foot minimum freeboard above BFE.


When these facts were brought to their attention, we were told:

  1. “That’s only meant to be in spirit – a good guideline.” Try to privately construct something in the Borough, ignore the code and tell the inspector you worked in the “spirit” of the code. Somehow, I do not think you will recieve an approval from them. Remember that these adoptions of stricter or situational change to local code beyond the states adopted version of the IRC is what allowed Sea Bright to obtain their cherished addmission to the CRS. Without the CRS rating much of the Federally backed funding used to “restore” Sea Bright could not have been acquired. It’s ludicrous for any Borough official to ignore these code enhancements. Using our house as a case study after Sandy, we had thousands of dollars paid in claims due to storm damage, for repairs to facilities installed below the Borough’s code. Go figure!
  2. “Your home is a Federally Funded project, we only have to meet FEMA’s guidlines.”
  3. ”What are you worried about? The water will never get that high!” Enter Superstorm Sandy… I guess they were wrong.

The Boroughs “Special Flood Hazard” Code

screen cap circa 2011
Beam 5.5′ below Borough code required 10′

Sea Bright Flood Hazard Reduction Specific Standards pdf…

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.

Mark Twain
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Author: Murphy