Proposed Coastal Rules Could End the Jersey Shore as We Know It

Proposed state regulations from Governor Phil Murphy’s administration are drawing sharp criticism across the Jersey Shore, where local officials and residents say the measures could drive up costs, suppress property values, and cripple coastal economies.

The new rules would raise elevation requirements to 15 feet in flood-prone zones, expand designated flood hazard areas, and impose new “no-build zones” on parts of New Jersey’s barrier islands. If adopted, critics say, the regulations would restrict rebuilding after storms and sharply limit development in several communities along the coast.

“These changes would be devastating for our local economy, eroding tax revenue and making it harder for Ocean County residents to live and invest in the communities they love,” one public statement reads.