CAPE MAY – At its Aug. 1 meeting, Cape May City Council tabled a resolution that would have authorized the execution of a deed restriction on a Lafayette Street property intended as two rental units under the affordable housing designation.

Council members uniformly expressed concern that they had no assurances with respect to plans to maintain the property in a way that is consistent with the neighborhood.

In March, the city’s Planning Board approved an amended site plan for the developer of a 13-lot subdivision on Pittsburgh Avenue. The amendment to the plan removed two required affordable housing units from the subdivision. The builder removed the units with the intention of meeting that obligation elsewhere.

What made the designation of offsite affordable housing possible was a change the city made to its affordable housing ordinance in 2018. The developer of the subdivision, Thomas DiDonato, of Cape May Cove LLC, is bound by the city code to provide 20% of the total units in the development as an affordable housing unit set-aside.

With the 2018 change, the city permits the developer to meet the affordable housing set-aside obligation by providing appropriate units elsewhere in the city. DiDonato has chosen the property at 1134 Lafayette Street.

What troubled council members Aug. 1 when the deed restriction resolution was on the agenda was that they did not feel they had sufficient details and assurance regarding both internal and external maintenance of the property.

City Solicitor Christopher Gillin-Schwartz was charged with meeting with the developer and crafting a document that meets the concerns of the council. The resolution was tabled until the Aug. 15 council meeting.