Berkeley Township strategic recovery planning report

When Superstorm Sandy struck the coast of New Jersey on October 29, 2012, storm surge, flooding, and wind damage caused extensive damage to Berkeley Township, including damages to private and public property, community infrastructure, and community facilities. 252 properties within the Township’s jurisdiction faced substantial damage. Trees and power lines throughout the Township also fell, in some cases damaging buildings. The Township reported 32,072 power outages. Seven of the Township’s sewage pump stations went offline due to floodwater inundation and/or power system failure. The Township also suffered extensive beach and soil erosion. In response to the impacts faced by Superstorm Sandy, Berkeley’s recovery efforts have been extensive. The Township has restored or repaired a significant portion of critical infrastructure that sustained damages resulting from the storm. The Township is also designing and implementing new techniques, such as living shorelines, in an effort to become more resilient and to mitigate the impacts of storm surge, tidal flooding, and storm events. The Township has also implemented a number of policies to aid its continued recovery from Sandy. Such policies include adopting the Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps released by FEMA, establishing a “Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund Committee” to coordinate the distribution of funds donated to aid victims of the storm Berkeley property and business owners have also received recovery aid from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Community Development Block Grant programs; the Township has been awarded $4,400,000 for the Homeowner Resettlement Program, $13,500,000 for the Homeowner Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation, and Mitigation program, $330,000 for the Small Rental Properties/Landlord Rental Repair Program, and $435,400 for the Blight Reduction Pilot Program/Neighborhood Enhancement Program. Furthermore, Berkeley has received 121 home loans from the Small Business Administration totaling $8,239,300 and two business and economic injury disaster loans totaling $22,900. Berkeley Township’s recommended municipal actions to promote recovery from Superstorm Sandy and to reduce vulnerabilities from future storms include (but are not limited to) the following actions: reexamining the Township’s Master Plan Elements; adopting a Floodplain Management Plan; automating and updating the zoning and construction permit process; updating the Township Hazards Mitigation Plan and Emergency Operating Plan; preparing a Capital Improvement Plan; developing a GIS database and user interface to catalog all Township-owned infrastructure; continuing to increase Township participation in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS)