Council Readdresses Floor Ratio Issue

SEA ISLE CITY – City Council met May 21, a Saturday, to coincide with the annual Community Day, which took place at the Community Lodge that morning. 
Community Day offered a bicycle auction, free document shredding, free health screenings and prescription drug disposal as well as planned activities for children such as face painting and safety lessons from the police department.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio honored winners of the “Do the Right Thing” award which included Board of Education President Dan Tumolo, Deacon Joe Murphy of St. Joseph Catholic Church and tourism volunteer, Jennifer Fabrico.
On council’s agenda was an ordinance for introduction and first reading. This proposal is designed to provide consideration for a change in the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from .8 to .8 and .85 that would require an additional parking spot in residential new construction projects.
The ordinance also proposes to clarify what is included in the FAR calculation regarding “bump-out” rooms and covered porches.
Such changes have been discussed multiple times at council meetings for the past several months with not all Council members in agreement on the solution.
FAR has been the subject as well of numerous workshops, special planning board meetings and other opportunities for the public to speak and in conjunction with the finalization of the master plan scheduled for later this year.
Council adopted the ordinance to amend the Floor Area Ratio on Introduction, so it will now be forwarded to the planning board for its master plan consistency review before the council holds a second reading and public hearing for adoption which will take place June 14.
Again, during the citizen comment portion of the meeting, a number of residents voiced opinions and concerns about FAR, in particular, the process by which the ordinance was approved.
Several residents questioned why after numerous debates and discussion, and after the ordinance was just recently approved is council considering amending it.
Council pointed out that after the ordinance’s passage several developers and builders came forward and provided additional input regarding their insights and concerns about FAR.
With their input council thought it appropriate to consider amending the ordinance.
Several residents applauded council’s suggested changes to FAR adding that by making it mandatory that an additional parking space is provided if using the .85 ratio it will help with the parking issues confronting the city.
Another resident and a member of the retail community commented that the proposed change will help keep cars from parking on the street, and that is better for retail businesses.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.