Council Repeals $9 Million Bond Ordinance For Lot Purchase

OCEAN CITY, NJ - Ocean City Council has repealed a bond ordinance that would’ve allowed the city to purchase the former car dealership lot across the street from the Ocean City Community Center for $9 million.

City Council unanimously approved a proposed ordinance to repeal the $9 million bond ordinanceduring a special meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. The vote was 7-0. No one from the public spoke during the public hearing and no members of council had any additional comments to make during the vote.

The proposal repealed Ordinance 18-10, which put the funding in place to the city to purchase part of the land across from the Ocean City Community Center for $9 million. Read more here: $9 Million Purchase Of Lot Stops Unwanted Housing, Officials Say

Members of the advocacy group Fairness in Taxes then launched a petition to delay the purchase because they were concerned about spending so much money on land when it was unclear what it would be used for. The city initially said that petition lacked the necessary signatures.

However, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian later said the proposed purchase was off because the city would have to hear the petition at the council meeting, which came after the deal between the city and the land's owners expired on Oct. 31.

When purchasing the property no longer became possible, Gillian asked Ocean City Council to do away with the bond ordinance.

After the proposal to repeal the bond ordinance was approved with a 7-0 vote when it was introduced on Nov. 8, Gillian said he would ask the city to resume talks with all stakeholders.

“I want to make sure the city makes every effort to preserve the property before it's too late,” he said the day after the vote.

See related:
Ocean City Moves Toward $9 Million Purchase Of Car Dealership Lot
Council Approves Property Purchase As Petition Debate Continues

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