SEA ISLE CITY – Mayor Leonard Desiderio informed Council members at their April 14 meeting that the city’s administration is working with new food businesses to help get them running for summer, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
“The new food businesses are pretty much in limbo because the city’s planning board could not meet in April, as was scheduled, because of the pandemic,” Desiderio said, “so it will not able to review and approve pending applications for these food outlets.
“As a solution, the city’s zoning officer will be given the authority to issue temporary permits, with the help of the city solicitor and city engineer. Without this temporary measure, it could have meant that these food outlets would miss the important summer season, or even have decided to take their shops and jobs out of Sea Isle altogether, and we want to make sure we are doing everything possible to boost our city’s economy”, Desiderio further explained.
The mayor made it clear that all the food businesses that are given temporary permits will have to appear later before the planning board for their regular approvals. “This temporary permitting will apply to applications that do not require variances, and any applicant utilizing this process will be proceeding at their own risk, and ultimately be subject to the requirements imposed by the planning board when the application is heard,” Desiderio said.
Earlier, Solicitor Paul Baldini stated that the temporary permits are expected to benefit about five new takeout businesses, which will likely include two doughnut shops and two food bowl stores. He stated that the no-variance provision was designed to ensure easier approval and avoid potential community opposition to any particular application.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.
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