Saturday, July 12, 2025

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CAPE MAY – For many South Jersey citizens the official publication of the state’s new land use rulemaking, termed Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL), is cause for alarm. Even though the rulemaking has been in the works for over two years, the thousand-page compendium of new regulations for the state’s coastal zone is now more visible and more distressing to the average resident based on recent comments at governing body meetings.

At the Cape May City Council meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, comments by officials and the public put on display a heightened level of concern. Resident Jules Rauch pointed to new proposed inundation zones that would encompass over 40% of the city’s land area, as well as expose over 98% of the city to proposed expansion of flood hazard zones.