By Donald Wittkowski
Coming off its selection in a nationwide poll as the "Best Beach in America," Ocean City wants to make sure that its sandy shoreline stays in tip-top shape.
With the federal government's help, work is expected to resume in a week or two on a major beach replenishment project in the city's south end between 37th and 59th streets.
Altogether, 473,000 cubic yards of new sand will help to restore beaches that were slammed by a powerful nor'easter in October 2015 as well as the coastal winter storm Jonas in January, city spokesman Doug Bergen said.
Business Administrator Jim Mallon told City Council during its meeting Thursday night that the replenishment project should be done by Memorial Day weekend, just in time for the peak summer tourist season.
Bergen explained that a dredge pipe will be located at 52nd Street to pump fresh sand onto the beaches between 52nd and 59th streets. When that part of the project is completed, the beaches between 52nd and 37th streets will be replenished.
Ocean City is part of a federally funded $15.8 million project that will also replenish beaches in Sea Isle City and Strathmere with more than 1 million cubic yards of sand.
The project in Ocean City's south end follows the replenishment of the north end beaches last year with 1 million cubic yards of new sand. The north end work was done between the northernmost jetty at Seaspray Road and 12th Street.
Ocean City's share of the $12.3 million north end project was about $1.1 million, with the state and federal governments picking up the rest of the tab.
First Ward Councilman Michael DeVlieger said during Thursday night's meeting that the north end beaches got hammered again by Jonas and should be replenished.
"We got hit hard by Jonas and my neighbors remind me regularly", DeVlieger said.
DeVlieger asked Mayor Jay Gillian whether it would be possible to stockpile some of the new sand that will be dredged for the south end and have it trucked to some of the beaches in the northern part of town.
Site 83, as it is known, serves as a collection point for material that is dredged from the city's clogged bays. Barges and trucks transport the material to Site 83 before it is hauled away to a Wildwood landfill.
Construction of the new temporary road across the marshlands will allow more truck traffic to serve Site 83, which should speed up the removal of the dredge spoils, Bergen said.
The city plans to spend $20 million over the next five years to clear mud and silt from the clogged lagoons and channels along the back bays. Site 83, located near the 34th Street Bridge, is a crucial part of the dredging program.
Also Thursday, Council tabled a proposed ordinance that would eliminate "coastal cottages" from a redevelopment zone concentrated along Haven Avenue.
The city wants to study the impact that the cottages would have on the surrounding neighborhoods, so it plans to put them on hold.
Council had scheduled a public hearing and final vote on the cottage ordinance on Thursday. However, it postponed a vote after learning that the city still needs to formally notify some of the neighbors who live near the development zone for the cottages.
A public hearing and final vote have been rescheduled for the May 12 Council meeting.
Coastal cottages represent a new generation of smaller, more affordable homes that are supposed to attract more year-round families to town. But city officials say they first want to study the potential impacts the cottages may have on surrounding neighborhoods and whether new construction standards are needed.
