The coast, with its beach access and beautiful views, can be an attractive place to build a home - but it is important to be prepared for coastal storms and flooding. To protect public safety, coastal development, and natural resources, Massachusetts has enacted regulations that set minimum construction standards for coastal areas. These regulations cover various projects, including new buildings, repair of storm-damaged properties, additions, substantial seawalls, and revetments. In addition, building, or rebuilding after a storm, provides an excellent opportunity to maximize storm damage protection for your property. Through thoughtful planning and design, you can go beyond the minimum regulatory standards and use the best available techniques to minimize future property damage, significantly reduce your flood insurance rates, and preserve the capacity of natural landforms to buffer storm waves and flooding to further protect your property.
To help property owners with the permitting process, this
fact sheet provides information on who to contact about applicable regulations, an overview of the most common permits needed, and recommendations for StormSmart building techniques to protect your property.
Information provided by The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management