Seaside Heights plans
for wider home lots

On September 28, the Seaside Heights Planning Board voted unanimously to adopt six parts, called elements, of the borough's master plan: land use, economic, relationship to other plans, historic preservation, traffic and circulation, and community facilities and recreation. The vote closed a public hearing that began on August 31. A board member said the borough had not completed these plan elements since 1979.

The land use element recommends a 25-foot minimum width for new single-family lots in the zones where 20 feet is allowed now. The borough planner gave the reasons at the board's September 8 session. Wider lots keep on-street parking at one space for every two lots. They also bring more variety in home designs and fewer single-family homes in the same space.

A master plan sets policy; it does not change the zoning by itself. The board's attorney explained that the Borough Council would draft any ordinance and send it back to the board for review. The planner recommended that any wider-lot rule apply only to lots made after it takes effect. Existing 20-foot lots could still be built on, with the same side spacing allowed today.

Two residents spoke against the change on September 28, including the owner of a 40-foot lot who has not yet split it into 20-foot lots. A board member who supports 25-foot lots said he split his own property into 20-foot lots, and would have built a duplex instead if lots had to be 25 feet wide. The minutes set no date for a council vote.

The adoption is recorded in the board's September 28, 2026 minutes. Plans and zoning can change. Written by Justin Kelly, NJ Real Estate Broker-Salesperson, from the Seaside Heights Planning Board meeting minutes.