Residents Debate ‘Monster Houses’ Although Council Previously Acted

SEA ISLE CITY – City Council met April 26 and most of the meeting and public comment focused on yet another revisiting of its Floor-to-Area Ratio (FAR) level. Earlier this year council decided to adopt a FAR level of .8 percent, an increase from the previous .7 percent.
Council adopted this higher level in advance of implementation of its overall city planning related to a widely-discussed, vetted master plan. Numerous workshops, surveys of residents, other taxpayers, as well as second home owners, regular and special meetings of the planning board and extensive opportunities for input were provided by city administration and relevant municipal organizations.
In recent weeks, builders in SIC have raised objections to the new FAR level saying that it will not curb the height of “monster houses” many residents detest, nor will it solve the equally serious, per residents and visitors, lack of parking.
Council member Frank Edwardi, a builder, said “I’ve talked to other builders and we’re thinking that if we raise FAR to .85 percent and give back to the city by shrinking the garage area of new construction to 30 feet that will provide for an additional parking space, up from three to four spots.
“This won’t fix the height of the houses because that’s an entirely separate issue related to FEMA and flooding standards but it alleviates the parking issue and still allows for a bonus room with livable space.”
Council member Mary Tighe added, “Many people believe that FAR will solve all of the city’s problems but it won’t. It won’t fix monster home construction and the related lack of parking with so many people occupying the large number of bedrooms in each of these homes.”
“We had a lengthy, comprehensive, transparent process for anybody and everybody to provide input on the master plan and FAR. We are going to lose credibility as a council by ignoring all the comments and recommendations we wanted to collect from the citizens and start changing now with new input from just a few who had the opportunity all along,” said Council member John Divney.
Tighe responded, “We are always reacting to citizen comments as we receive them. Several of us agreed to approve FAR in advance of implementing the master plan but we should be able to adjust as we go along.”
During the public period, one builder said, “Raising the FAR to .85 percent will still allow for a car to fit in the reduced space of the garage. Parking will be on the side of the garage on stones which will at least not be an impervious surface like asphalt and will also reduce street parking.”
Remaining comments were all united in opposition to revisiting the FAR especially so soon after the .8 percent approval by council.
One property owner and builder said he was a third generation owner of a construction company active in Pennsylvania, not here, said “What you’re talking about here would never be allowed where I build. People want green landscaping, air and sunlight not huge homes side by side. And the reduced size of the garage will not allow for present-day cars, and they’re getting bigger all the time, to fit.”
Before adjourning, Council Chair John Gibson replied to Divney’s query “What next steps are we taking on FAR?” by saying “the city solicitor will prepare a new ordinance on a higher FAR and we’ll open it up for Committee discussion and public comment.”
Resolution on Non-Conformity
Council introduced on first reading an ordinance which provides for amendment to zoning for “non-conformity.”
“We need this measure to facilitate mortgages for property owners when a fire or storm destroys a property and then they are grandfathered in to build as before the destruction,” said Gibson. This measure will come up for second reading, public comment, and adoption May 21.
Consent Agenda
By resolution a $67,590 contract for a check valve at Venicean Road was awarded to RTW Construction which drew an inquiry from a resident.
“Is this the only check valve in our capital plan for this year?” he asked. “I can think of a number of other locations where these check valves are needed in times of flooding and maybe we should do a study like they are doing in Ocean City,” he added.
Administrator George Savastano replied that this check valve is one of several to be installed and that he would get together with the solicitor to provide a tax map indicating all locations of city and county outfalls for storm water to better inform council and the public. 
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.