You might have noticed that some houses in the beach area are getting a bit taller.
No, we're not talking about the so-called McMansions that have been the subject of much debate in town over the past several years. The height increase here is the result of several homes literally getting jacked up.
In the wake of the historic and devastating flooding brought on by Superstorm Sandy, many homeowners in the beach area aren't taking any more chances. They are building new foundations upon which their existing house will sit. (The photo I took of a house on Reef Road illustrates this far better than any words I can concoct.)
While the most visible, the houses that are being lifted are but a fraction of the overall building activity that is taking place in the beach area right now. One zoning official called the volume "tremendous."
According to that official:
- A couple dozen permits have been issued to elevate existing homes
- Hundreds of permits have been issued for repairs
- Some are building anew from scratch
"This is unprecedented in my experience with this," that veteran land use official said. "This was huge."
Consider this fact: more than 1,800 Fairfield homes had some level of flooding from Sandy.
Now, I'm not privy to what is covered by insurance during tragedies of this magnitude, but I do know that building permits cost money.
In fact, in recognition of the expenses devastated homeowners would be facing, the City of Milford waived permit fees following Hurricane Irene, which ravaged our nearby neighbors to the north. Milford's decision only came after great debate — and some political wrangling among Democrats and Republicans — but it was seen as a welcome form of relief from local government, which would have otherwise potentially profited from permit fees.
The Fairfield official I talked to was unaware of any such discussions in our town following Sandy. Hmmm...
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