City Council has a full agenda for its public meeting 7 p.m. Thursday (March 13) at the Ocean City Free Public Library. But here are five things that might be of special interest:
- REVISED BULKHEAD ORDINANCE: City Council will consider updating the ordinance that governs construction of bulkheads. The existing ordinance pertains only to bulkheads on the bay side of Ocean City. Proposed revisions would add oceanfront bulkheads, change references to the outdated “Director of Public Works” and change the scale used to measure elevation (to NAVD 1988). Minimum elevation of the top of bulkheads must be 7 feet (NAVD 1988) on the bay side and 11 feet on the oceanfront under the proposed ordinance. (The tide level during Superstorm Sandy reached 7.25 feet (NAVD 1988).
- GIFTS OF LAND: City Council will consider the final reading of three ordinances to accept gifts of real estate from private owners. The lots are part of unbuildable wetlands — some near the 3700 and 3800 blocks of West Avenue and others near the Ocean City Homes neighborhood farther south.
- SHARED SERVICES WITH SEA ISLE CITY: City Council will consider allowing the Ocean City engineering staff to provide construction management services to Sea Isle City as it rebuilds its municipal building. Sea Isle City would reimburse Ocean City not more than $110,000. The measure is described as the first in what could be a series of similar agreements.
- SUPPORTING NBC40: City Council will vote on a symbolic resolution supporting NBC40 as a vital source of information, “particularly in weather emergencies.” A new owner may be interested in selling the television station’s frequency at auction.
- WELCOMING THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS: City Council will vote to welcome the Special Olympics to New Jersey. The 2014 Special Olympics USA Games will be held June 14-21 at university campuses in Mercer County. Ocean City Aquatics and Fitness Center Director Karen Pratz is serving as the assistant head of the New Jersey delegation to the Summer Games. Ocean City Primary School teacher Carrie Merritt and Ocean City Recreation Department supervisor Lisa Rumer are coaching athletes in the sprint triathlon, a new exhibition event to be held for the first time in summer 2014. Ocean City Stingrays swimmer Dan Hendrixson, 15, earned a spot on the 24-member New Jersey aquatics team.
For detail and supporting documentation on all agenda items, see the City Council Agenda Packet.
