The Ship Bottom Master Plan, adopted in 2018, serves as the Borough’s long-range planning document addressing land use, infrastructure, environmental resilience, and community needs. Master Plans are intended to guide future decision-making by identifying existing conditions, long-term goals, and recommended planning strategies, but they do not function as ordinances and do not carry independent regulatory authority.
In 2021, the Borough adopted a Master Plan Reexamination Report, as required by State law, which reaffirmed the assumptions and conclusions of the 2018 Master Plan and did not identify short-term rentals as a planning concern requiring specific policy action.
Official Master Plan Document
👉 Ship Bottom Master Plan (2018) – Final (PDF)
Official Master Plan Reexamination Report
👉 Ship Bottom Master Plan Reexamination Report (2021) – Final (PDF)
These documents are provided for reference and reflect planning conditions and priorities at the time of their adoption.
What the Master Plan Covers
The 2018 Master Plan and 2021 Master Plan Reexamination Report examine a broad range of planning topics relevant to Ship Bottom as a barrier island community, including land use and zoning patterns, seasonal population changes, parking and circulation, infrastructure and utilities, environmental sustainability, flood resilience, recreation and open space, and community facilities. The reports reflect planning priorities and conditions as they existed at the time of their adoption.
What the Master Plan Does Not Cover
The Master Plan does not include policies, recommendations, or findings related to short-term rentals, rental licensing, rental duration, occupancy limits, or rental enforcement. It does not propose regulatory frameworks governing how residential properties may be rented, nor does it identify short-term rentals as a planning concern requiring specific regulation.
Planning Context – How the Master Plan Relates to Short-Term Rentals
The Borough of Ship Bottom’s 2018 Master Plan is the community’s primary long-range planning document. It examines land use, zoning, infrastructure, environmental conditions, parking, seasonal population changes, and community facilities, and is intended to guide future planning decisions. Master Plans provide context and direction, but they are not ordinances and do not, by themselves, create enforceable rules.
While the Master Plan acknowledges that Ship Bottom is a seasonal barrier island community with significant summer population increases, it does not identify short-term rentals, vacation rentals, or rental duration as a planning concern. The document does not recommend rental licensing, rental caps, occupancy limits, or enforcement frameworks related to how residential properties are rented. Issues such as neighborhood character and parking are discussed in terms of zoning, density, and physical development, not occupancy behavior.
In 2021, the Borough adopted a Master Plan Reexamination Report, as required by State law, to evaluate whether conditions or planning assumptions had changed since 2018. The Reexamination reaffirmed the goals and conclusions of the original Master Plan and again focused on topics such as redevelopment patterns, flooding, infrastructure, parking, and community facilities. Like the 2018 Plan, the Reexamination Report does not identify short-term rentals or rental regulation as a planning issue or recommend policy changes related to residential rental activity.
Taken together, these planning documents show that as recently as 2021, Ship Bottom’s formal planning process did not identify short-term rentals as a land-use problem or a subject requiring new regulation.
Seasonal occupancy was recognized as part of the Borough’s character, and planning concerns were addressed through traditional land-use, zoning, and infrastructure tools rather than through regulation of how long or by whom homes are occupied.
Related Documents
For adopted laws, amendments, and enforceable regulations, see the Borough’s ordinances and public records page:
👉 Town Ordinances & Public Records