Cape May Approves Changes to Lafayette Street Park Plan

CAPE MAY – Cape May City Council approved a set of changes Oct. 2 to the plans for phases two through four of Lafayette Street Park. Since part of the land involved in the park design belongs to the school district, a vote of the school board is still required.
The conceptual plans for the remaining phases now include 80 parking spaces, a redirected softball field with home plate facing Lafayette Street, added multipurpose open park space, a bike path with bike repair station and an elevated boardwalk across the rear of the park dominated by marsh and wetlands.
Phase two of the park development will come up next and include two basketball courts, two tennis courts, pickleball courts, a bocce ball area, restrooms, multi-use green space and a dog park separated into space for small and large dogs.
The parking area, expanded over what original plans envisioned, will be along the corner of Lafayette Street and St. John’s Street, almost the area for tennis and basketball. Deputy Mayor Shaine Meier expressed satisfaction with the design of 80 parking spaces in the center of town, an expansion of parking he supported from the start.
The remaining phases of the park construction are projected to cost almost $5 million. A county Open Space grant is still in place for $1.77 million and a Green Acres loan remains available, but the city will still seek other grant opportunities in order to relieve residual taxpayer burden from the project.
Dawn Austin, president of the school board, spoke in support of the design changes. It is likely that the entire board will approve them once “We know the city is satisfied that the changes are complete,” Austin said.
A short debate over whether the school board or the council should be the first to formally approve the changes ended when council took a vote.
Council’s approval was not a smooth process. Roger Furlin argued that the changes to the design should be taken to an upcoming town hall meeting for greater public input. Bea Pessagno said that the mayor was rushing the process unnecessarily. She asked for more time to review the changes and get greater public reaction.
Once again, council could not reach consensus. Once again, the issue appeared to be disagreement about process rather than substance. The resolution passed 3-2.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.