Seawall Bans

North Wildwood to ban certain activities on new seawall

By TRUDI GILFILLIAN Staff Writer, (609) 463-6716
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2007

NORTH WILDWOOD — The city's new seawall is perfect for a stroll along the water's edge, but the wall — with drops about 6 feet in some places — is not the perfect spot for, say, go-cart racing.

Today, City Council is expected to approve a ban on such activities to keep the city's newest attraction safe.

“We're playing catch-up on this thing. We never expected it would be such a popular promenade,” said city Administrator Ray Townsend.

City Police Capt. Robert Caruso said that so far the seawall, which stretches around the northern end of the city and varies in width from 10 to 12 feet, has been free of any serious problems, and the ordinance was designed to keep it that way.

The new rules take a cue from an existing Boardwalk ordinance also designed to keep people moving safely.

Under the new guidelines, “self-propelled wheeled devices” such as skateboards, bicycles, roller blades and scooters will not be permitted along the seawall.

Motorized devices such as motorcycles and minibikes are also banned.

The ordinance does not, however, apply to medically necessary devices such as wheelchairs or walkers.

In addition, the ordinance bans the consumption of alcoholic beverages, sleeping on the seawall or peddling and vending.

Violators will be subject to as much as $1,250 in fines and 90 days in the county jail.

Mayor Bill Henfey said that as the wall was completed last year, the city noticed the number of bicycles making use of the promenade, which Townsend said stretches about 6,000 feet along Hereford Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean to the beach.

“There's a concern about any collisions or people falling off there,” he said. “We want everybody to enjoy the walk and keep it safe.”

Some repairs are under way on a small section of the walk, and once those are done the city also plans to install railings along the ocean side of the seawall and the street side where necessary, Henfey said.

The city has already set aside$1 million in bonds for that project.
A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at City Hall followed by a vote on the seawall regulations.

To e-mail Trudi Gilfillian at The Press: TGilfillian@pressofac.com