WILDWOOD – The Wildwood Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance March 22, permitting a balcony to extend over the Boardwalk.
Ordinance 1257-23 permits an encroachment of 7 feet over the public right of way, which, in this case, is in front of the Boardwalk Mall in the 3800 block of the Boardwalk.
The owners had applied to the Planning Board for improvements to the property, which included a balcony on the second floor where people would enjoy food and drink.
City Solicitor Louis DeLollis told the commissioners that in reviewing the application, the Planning Board did not have the authority to approve an application that resulted in an encroachment into a right of way. In this case, the balcony would extend over the right of way.
He said the commissioners would have to approve the encroachment, and their approval would be sent to the Planning Board for disposition of the application.
Attorney Jeffrey Barnes, in January, made an appeal to the board for the encroachment. Answering questions from the board, Barnes said the floor would be made so spilled food and drink would not fall on people walking under the balcony.
A second approval for encroachment at the new hotel project at 3600 Pacific Ave., also mentioned in January, has not reached the commissioners.
