Brick Council Introduces Change To Impervious Coverage Rules

BRICK, NJ — Five months after Brick Township tightened up its zoning rules regarding impervious coverage, the Township Council introduced another amendment to fix an unintended effect of those rules.

In April, the township council approved reduced percentages for impervious coverage throughout the various zones, with the goal of reducing how much land is covered by development and not available for rainwater absorption.

That ordinance set a limit of 30 percent coverage on properties in the R-R zone, and that coverage includes not only buildings and driveways but swimming pools, decks, and concrete or brick pavers.

Council President Lisa Crate said that 30 percent limit left residents in the planned retirement communities, such as the Greenbriar communities, to have to seek a zoning board approval for any improvements, such as putting in a patio.

Homes in the Greenbriar communities already exceed the 30 percent impervious coverage because of the way the properties were laid out years ago, she said.

The amendment introduced Tuesday night would create a "PRRC Zoning Schedule," for the Planned Residential Retirement Communities, with an impervious coverage limit of 70 percent, and that applies to single homes, duplexes, triplexes and quads.

The final reading and public hearing are set for the Sept. 28 council meeting.

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