SEA ISLE CITY – At its Tuesday, Nov. 14 meeting, Sea Isle City Council adopted an ordinance allocating up to $3.2 million for the city’s share of the federal beach replenishment project scheduled to begin soon.
The project will place over 1.3 million cubic yards of sand on beaches in southern Ocean City, Strathmere and Sea Isle City. The major portion of the funding for the replenishment comes from the federal government through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The state Department of Environmental Protection also contributes with monies from the Shore Protection Fund. The total cost of the project awarded to Great Lakes Dredge and Docks is $33.7 million.
In his message to the council, Nov. 14, Mayor Leonard Desiderio said the Army Corps will start in Ocean City and move south. The portion of the project directed at Sea Isle City beaches will probably start in the March or April timeframe, he said, adding that he expects the replenishment to be completed by mid-May 2024.
The timing of two concurrent projects means that come mid-May Sea Isle will have over 640,000 cubic yards of new sand on its beaches and the city’s dogs will have their own park to go to when they face the annual seasonal ban of their presence on the beaches and Promenade.
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
