Cape May News

W. Cape May master plan paves way for historic panel
By RICHARD DEGENERStaff Writer, (609) 463-6711
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2006

— The new Master Plan is complete, and that means the borough can now move forward with a plan to create a Historic Preservation Commission to protect its oldest homes.

Master plans have various sections called elements that deal with issues such as affordable housing, land uses, open space, historic preservation and others. Borough officials for months have worked to create a commission similar to Cape May's but were awaiting completion of the Master Plan.

“We needed the Historic Preservation Element to do the Historic Preservation Commission. This sets that in motion,” said Commissioner Dick Rigby.

The West Cape May Planning Board approved the new plan drafted by Remington, Vernick & Walberg Engineers last week. The plan includes a recommendation to create a strong HPC to set design guidelines, encourage reuse of old buildings and work with owners of houses in the Historic District.

Master plans, which are done every five years, are merely guidelines until they are made into law by the governing body.

“It gives us some guidelines, so we can see where we're going. The Master Plan is just a plan. It has to go through Zoning Regulations,” said Mayor Pam Kaithern.

Rigby said the new plan could lead to plenty of changes, starting with an HPC and extending to zoning changes.

“It sets into motion an examination of our zoning to match the zoning with the Master Plan,” Rigby said.

As the plan is incorporated it could, for example, lead to changes in the commercial zones. The plan makes several recommendations about commercial zones, including:

n Reducing the size of the C-1 zone where it now encompasses residential neighborhoods, but increasing it in other areas that are now mostly businesses

n The C-2 zone would be eliminated as some of it would revert to C-1, relabeled the C Zone, and part of it is envisioned for a planned “Eco-Park” on the eastern side of town in an area that includes an old landfill

n The C-3 Zone would also be eliminated and would become the C Zone

n To make up for the loss of C-1 areas the plan recommends creation of two Neighborhood Commercial, or NC Zones, where mixed uses would be allowed.

“We'd have neighborhood commercial on the north and south ends of Broadway, where we have a lower level of commercial development. We'd like to have a place where people can park for free and walk to an array of shops and restaurants,” Rigby said.

Besides the Eco-Park, the plan also advocates creation of an “ocean to bay greenway” that connects the two water bodies via the borough's wetlands corridor. The plan calls for this greenway to make transit from ocean to Delaware Bay accessible by walking, hiking and bicycle trails. The plan would need funding from such sources as the state Green Acres Program and the Farmland Preservation Program.

As for the Eco-Park, the plan identifies the area and the 46 parcels it encompasses including a former municipal landfill. Money would be needed to acquire them. The plan also identifies areas that could be used for passive recreation including a borough-owned tract on Second Avenue.

The borough may need grants to achieve some of the visions in the Master Plan, but the plan itself might help this process. Grants are sometimes tied to a town's conformance with the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, also called the State Plan.

“This helps with the State Plan,” Kaithern said.

The plan also includes a Housing Element, which often addresses affordable-housing mandates. Rigby said the borough has hired a planner, Kendra Lelie, to address this issue separately, but the Master Plan includes recommendations. It suggests supplying as many as 10 affordable units by 2014. This does not include units the borough was supposed to have already but did not meet under this state obligation.

Master plans are thick volumes and often include interesting tidbits about a town. Here are a few from West Cape May's new plan:

n There are 1,095 year-round residents but 6,270 in the summer.

n The borough has gained 152 residents, 16.2 percent increase, since 1940.

n Housing units increased 10 percent over 10 years.

n Seasonal use increased from 38.1 percent of households to 44.8 percent.

n 33 percent of the houses were constructed prior to 1940.

n Median family income skyrocketed 72 percent in a decade

n 83.1 percent of residents graduated high school and 31.8 percent have a college degree