EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – If you are tired of seeing all those dilapidated boat houses along the Margate causeway falling into the bay, you might be interested in a redevelopment plan under consideration by the Egg Harbor Township Committee.
The Township Committee Sept. 18 introduced an ordinance to adopt the Margate Causeway Redevelpment Plan prepared by Polistina Associates, LLC of Egg Harbor Township for two parcels of land located at 124 and 125 Margate Blvd. on either side of the Margate causeway.
The plan calls for redevelopment of Sea Village Marina, which contains abandoned houseboats, a boat storage yard and dock, and the abandoned Gifford Marine property on the other side of the roadway.
The Township Committee adopted the Planning Board’s July 18, 2018 recommendation to deem the sites in need of redevelopment and agreed that the designation would not include the use of eminent domain.
The plan calls for Sea Village Marina and Gifford Marine to be redeveloped with townhomes and multi-family residential units with docks.
According to the plan, Gifford’s Marina was owned by Corky Campbell, who expanded it, before it went into foreclosure in 2013. It is currently bank owned.
Sea Village was built by developer John Best in 1981 as an alternative to building expensive waterfront homes. Although state environmental regulations prohibit such uses, the development was grandfathered. It fell into disrepair when the owner died in 2003, and it was subsequently purchased by Baywatch Marina LLC in 2009, the report states. The new owner had plans to connect the properties to a public water system, but the boathouses were substantially damaged during Sandy and became uninhabitable. Bulkheads across the property were upgraded in 2017.
According to language in the ordinance, the study area meets several criterion in the state’s redevelopment law, including having buildings that are substandard, unsafe, unsanitary, dilapidated and obsolete, and have fallen into a state of disrepair that is “untenable,” and are detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the community.
Current uses allowed in the MC District include boat sales, marinas, storage, repair and construction of boats, boats designed as residences, marine supply shops and wireless communication facilities not to exceed 120 feet in height.
If approved, the ordinance adopting the redevelopment plan would require rezoning the existing MC Marine Commercial District with an overlay that allows year-round occupied residences. The proposed plan would also include a restaurant at the site.
A developer could receive long-term tax exemptions on any improvements in the form of a PILOT or payment in lieu of taxes for up to 30 years.
A telephone call to Egg Harbor Township Administrator Peter Miller requesting additional information was not returned.
A copy of the redevelopment plan is published on the ehtgov.org website.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be held 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 at the Egg Harbor Township Municipal Building, 3515 Bargaintown Road.
