Ocean City Considers Reallocating Money For 29th Street Fire Station

Ocean City, NJ -- Ocean City is looking to add $450,000 to a project to rebuild the fire station at 29th Street and West Avenue, and it won’t impact taxes.

City Council approved a proposed ordinance on introduction Thursday night to reallocate $450,000 that was set aside for a parking lot project on Moorlyn Terrace and 8th Street to be used for the construction of the new fire station.

“That project would’ve combined two parking lots on Moorlyn and 8th, but then we decided not to move forward with that project and the money sat there,” Chief Financial Officer Frank Donato said.

Donato said the city looked at different designs, but none cut down on vehicle traffic flow or added enough parking spots to justify the project. There also would’ve been a slowdown in pedestrian traffic.

“There are three motels for sale in the area, so who knows what’s going to happen with that,” Mayor Jay Gillian said, adding that that project still needs to be complete, but is on hold for now.

The money was part of a 2013 ordinance that appropriated $4,550,000 and allowed the city to bond $4,322,500 for various improvement projects.

The 29th Street fire station was heavily damaged during Superstorm Sandy in October of 2012, and was demolished earlier this year.

Firefighters have been operating out of a temporary station.

The city previously said it would also be tapping into a $1.5 million pool of post-Sandy reimbursement money to help with construction of the fire station.

Thursday night’s ordinance was approved by a vote of 7-0. The public hearing and final vote is set for Aug. 25.