Ocean City Council To Consider Repeal Of $9 Million Lot Purchase

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City Council will officially consider a proposed ordinance to cancel its proposed $9 million purchase of the car dealership parking lot located near the Community Center Thursday night. City Council will meet on Thursday night, Nov. 8, 7 p.m. at City Hall, 861 Asbury Avenue.

It will consider a proposed ordinance on introduction to repeal 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, at the last meeting, Mayor Jay Gillian said that 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. Thursday night’s vote will be the first step toward that.

Council will also consider a proposed ordinance on first reading to vacate the road known as “Haul Road.” Ocean City previously established a road leading to a site they were hauling dredged materials to and from. The road connects “Site 83” to Roosevelt Boulevard.

In February, Ocean City Council voted to name that road “Haul Road.” Doing so minimize permit fees associated with approval of the road by the regulatory agencies currently reviewing the city's dredging permit, officials said at the time.

However, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has told the city it considers the dedication of that road to be a diversion of parkland. It has advised the city to vacate the right-of-way, according to the agenda packet posted on the city’s website. The city owns the land on either side, and will retain ownership of the land despite the vacancy.

There are also 24 items on the consent agenda. To view the full agenda, visit ocnj.us.

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