Residents Oppose Bank Street Plan

CAPE MAY – Cape May City Council scheduled six ordinances for second reading, public hearing, and potential adoption Feb. 19.
Five of the six were adopted by unanimous vote with almost no public comment. The sixth became what City Solicitor Frank Corrado called “an exercise in democracy.”
The hearing on an ordinance “designating one-way traffic and restricted parking on a portion of Bank Street” brought members of the public to the podium 18 times. All but one of those carried a resident or business owner to the podium to speak in opposition to the plan.
Council members listened as the plan for Bank Street, supported by a recent study by the city’s engineering firm, Mott MacDonald, fell victim to criticism from those who live and work on the street.
Stephen Miller, owner of two restaurants on Bank Street, led with a reference to Thornton Wilder’s 1938 drama “Our Town,” a three-act play in which Miller argued things are not what they seem on the surface.
Miller spoke of an already-narrow street that must support frequent food delivery and trash removal trucks that require room to maneuver. He claimed that making the street one-way would also diminish the value of the end-of-street parking lot where his restaurants, at their expense, direct patrons for parking after dropping off guests. Miller also pointed to potential safety issues on a street that he says is the main bicycle conduit between Cape May and West Cape May.
Business owner Terri Swain, who once served as the city’s deputy mayor, argued that the proposed ordinance was not in the best interest of local businesses of the city. She claimed that the changes would negatively impact the ability of businesses in the area to receive and complete orders in a timely manner.
One after another, residents and business owners contested the city’s plan. They enumerated safety concerns, argued that the plan would add to traffic problems in an already congested area and offered tales of frequent floods that they said made the proposal for restricted parking a liability for the city with tourists and visitors.
The engineering report that helps support the city’s plans described a street that was a safety hazard prone to accidents. Residents disputed the claim and one accused council of really “just being concerned about parking spaces.”
Christine Miller, a resident of the street who has opposed the plan from the moment Mott MacDonald made its report, argued that the proposal made an already existing problem of access by emergency vehicles worse.
Plans to restrict parking on the street through reliance on a smartphone app also drew questions and opposition with some arguing that there would be no way to alert remotely located car owners in a restaurant or store that weather reports likely mean serious flooding on the street.
The debate on the ordinance was amicable, yet the opposition was strong. Everyone who spoke acknowledged the city’s parking problems during the summer. They also maintained that the problem should not be addressed by impinging on the needs of the city’s service zone. For many, the number of spaces potentially gained was not worth “the chaos” that would ensue.
Mayor Clarence Lear pointed to the value of “25 to 30 spaces within easy walking distance of the center of town.” However, he found himself at another point where there is public recognition of the parking dilemma, but many proposed solutions to it cannot gain significant enough public support.
For some, the solution is a city much less dependent on cars for transport.
Corrado’s comment on democracy in action was a description of a non-acrimonious debate before a local governing body on an issue of obvious importance to a group of citizens.
After an hour of public discussion, in which many suggestions were offered along with critics of the proposal, council tabled the ordinance by the same unanimous vote it used to adopt the other five. Lear said the council needed time to consider the comments and suggestions presented before bringing it back for consideration and possible amendment in March.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.