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Feb. 20–26
Balcony Collapse
A concrete balcony collapsed on the eighth floor of the Spinnaker Condominium Complex in Sea Isle City Feb. 24. One construction worker was killed. Noting cracks in the wall, officials declared the building unsafe. Additional rescue units were called from neighboring towns and the building was evacuated. Police and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office are still investigating the accident, along with involvement from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
It was a little less than two years ago that the Surfside, Florida, condominium collapse energized discussion in several county municipalities about inspection protocols for high-rise buildings exposed to a salt air environment.
As of Jan. 1, 2022, new federal regulations went into effect. Among the requirements is a government form that must show the last time certain multi–family properties were inspected by a structural engineer. In New Jersey, a bill,S2760, which would set structural integrity regulations, was introduced in June 2022. It currently sits with the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
No one yet knows much about what caused the Sea Isle balcony collapse nor whether it points to other safety concerns in the building complex. What is likely is that the incident will reanimate discussions about structural inspections of multi–family buildings.
DEP Again
Struggles between the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and county municipalities continue. The picture many county residents are left with is a distant, bureaucratic agency that has lost touch with the realities that drive coastal communities.
The latest in what one might term the war between North Wildwood and the DEP is a$12.8 million fine imposed on the city for unauthorized beach construction work. North Wildwood and the DEP are already engaged in litigation.
In Stone Harbor, the long delay in gaining DEP approval of the borough’s Municipal Access Plan has endangered the ability of Public Works to prepare the beaches for summer with Memorial Day just three months off.
In another area, the lack of approval of an emergency permit for repair of the borough’s vehicle access road to Stone Harbor Point has left the Point without easy emergency access since Dec. 10, 2022.
Borough officials are now pointing to some possible movement by the agency on the various approvals, but the foot dragging gives no evidence that the agency up in Trenton has any true appreciation of the needs of the coastal economy that produces $1.5 million a day in taxes.
Preparing for the Next Pandemic
Just about a year ago, in March 2022, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the government of the United Kingdom (UK) hosted a global pandemic preparedness summit in London. What emerged was the 100-day mission, a goal to respond to a new “Disease X” with “safe, effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics within 100 days of identification.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports the goal.
More recently in the UK, health officials are considering scenarios for a potential zoonosis, the scientific term for an animal infection that becomes transmissible to humans. What is animating the scenario building is a concern for what would happen if the bird flu epidemic that is causing enormous problems for poultry and egg supplies were to spread to humans.
The concern about the avian influenza outbreak with the H5N1 is an example of the public health concern over zoonosis exacerbated by climate change and migrations. It is feared that these changes may lead to virus sharing among previously isolated species, leading, potentially, to a jump to humans.
Maybe theBoy Scouts motto ‘Be Prepared’ makes sense, even as Covid recedes as a global pandemic.
Happenings
A large resort planned for the intersection of Routes 83 and 9 cleared its first hurdle, winning a land use variance from the Dennis Township Land Use Board.
The Delaware River and Bay Authority revealed its planned fleet modernization, electing for four mid-size ferries to replace its current fleet of three large vessels.
Lower Township police reported the second arrest for child porn in a two–week period. Meanwhile, a North Cape May man arrested for child porn saw additional charges of sexual assault involving an 11-year-old girl. A corrections officer also charged with sexual assault of a minor was ordered to remain in custody pending trial.
Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed a modernization of state liquor license laws and already faces pushback.
Lower Township and Wildwood bothsigned state aid agreements that are necessary to construct an approximately 16-foot dune the length of Five Mile Island.
Ocean City has decided to terminate its participation in the state employee health care plan in reaction to this year’s surge in premium costs. North Wildwood blamed the premium spike for a local purpose tax hike in its 2023 budget.
The number of shore mayors calling for a halt to offshore wind activities in light of the spike in whale fatalities has grown to 30. So far, the governor’s response has been to speed up the process of wind farm creation.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has, again, flexed its muscles, granting Ocean Wind LLC permission to proceed with its preferred route for transmission cables despite objections from Cape May County. The move will likely set up a court challenge to the NJBPU’s authority to override municipal and county governing bodies on land use issues.
Sen. Michael Testa (R-1st) has introduced apackage of bills aimed, in part, at providing greater local control over response to unauthorized gatherings.
Consultants from Stockton University’s Coastal Research Center argue that mining sand from Townsend’s Inlet for replenishment of Stone Harbor beaches does harm to an emerging capability for the natural movement of sand from offshore to Avalon erosion hot spots in the island’s north end.
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) recently withdrew from a partnership with the Danish firm Ørsted for wind farm construction off the New Jersey coast. Almost immediately, PSEG’s chief executive officer announced that the utility would take advantage of production tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act to consider upgrades at its Salem Nuclear Power Plant.
Cape May County sees a surge in overdoses and drug fatalities. Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland is seeking to get addiction and recovery services to those who need them.
Icona Chief Executive Officer Eustace Mita presented plans for a 300–room hotel resort in Ocean City. The proposed site is on city–owned property between Fifth and Sixth streets and the boardwalk.
Spout Off of the Week
Wildwood – The ridiculous tacky giant flag “signs” used by businesses should be banned. The whole county looks like a used car or flea market sale. They block the visibility of other businesses, are hazards to pedestrians and bicyclists and shred apart and litter. The spike posts they require for display can break your foot and are often driven into others property. As a business sign they scream cheap, are often unreadable and denote what you are selling is junk as well.
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
