07-27-2021 Planning Board Work Session - Auditorium

City of Cape May Planning Board Meeting Minutes Tuesday, July 27, 2021 Opening: The in-person meeting of the City of Cape May Planning Board was called to order by Board Vice Chairperson Mike Jones at 6:30 PM. In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice was provided. Roll Call: Mr. Bezaire, Chairperson Absent Mr. Jones, Vice Chairperson Present Mr. Belasco Present Mr. Elwell Present Mayor Mullock Present Mrs. Reed Present Deputy Mayor Sheehan Present Dr. Wolf Absent Vacant --------- Mr. Gorgone Alt # 1 Present Mr. Yeager Alt # 2 Present Also Present: Richard King, Esquire, Board Solicitor Craig Hurless, Board Engineer and Planner Karen Keenan, Board Secretary Minutes: Motion made by Deputy Mayor Sheehan to approve the meeting minutes of June 8, 2021, as amended, seconded by Mr. Belasco and carried 7-0. Those in favor: Mr. Belasco, Mr. Elwell, Mayor Mullock, Deputy Mayor Sheehan, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Gorgone, Mr. Jones. Those opposing: None. Those abstaining: Mr. Yeager. Discussion: Review of Recommended Changes in the City’s Master Plan Reexamination Land Use Element as Listed in Board Engineer and Planner Hurless’ Memos dated July 20, 2021: Lot Frontage R-1 & R-1A Districts, Lot Coverage R-1 District Board Engineer and Planner Hurless introduced the topics for discussion with the R-1 and R-1A Districts and Lot Coverage R-1B District to be the first discussed. Planner Hurless said that items 9 and 10 regarding changing lot frontage from 74 feet to 75 feet are to correct typos in the Code Book (eCode) while the item 11 recommendation is that R-1 be revised to 40% lot coverage from 30%. He added that this change would allow for the elimination of secondary district of R-1B as it is at 40% lot coverage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ City of Cape May Planning Board Minutes, July 27, 2021 1 There was a discussion of the Cape May Avenue lot coverage with many members who were not present for the Master Plan Reexamination asking for the reasoning for the change. Planner Hurless said that it was difficult to get off-street parking with R-1 being the lowest percentage of lot coverage in the City and the biggest lots. Members were concerned about density and asked for Planning Board 2012 minutes to learn what the Board was thinking at that time. Solicitor King suggested tabling the discussion to gather more information. Motion made by Mr. Yeager to table the R-1 discussion, seconded by Mrs. Reed and carried 8-0. Those in favor: Mr. Belasco, Mr. Elwell, Mayor Mullock, Deputy Mayor Sheehan, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Gorgone, Mr. Yeager, Mr. Jones. Those opposing: None. Those abstaining: None. Uses & Zoning Controls S-1 & S-2 Districts Planner Hurless shared that this recommendation is to include the retail sale of prepared foods and goods and eating establishments to the permitted uses in S-1 District with no changes recommended in the S-2 District. Motion made by Mr. Belasco to send the recommended S-1 District changes outlined in the memorandum by Craig R. Hurless, PE, PP, CME, dated July 20, 2021 to City Council, seconded by Mr. Elwell and carried 8-0. Those in favor: Mr. Belasco, Mr. Elwell, Mayor Mullock, Deputy Mayor Sheehan, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Gorgone, Mr. Yeager, Mr. Jones. Those opposing: None. Those abstaining: None Parking Trust Account Planner Hurless read the current parking trust zoning regulations and said the Parking Trust Account has been used infrequently and was set up for historic conversions but not written as such. The Master Plan Reexamination recommendation is to strike §525-49E. Solicitor King said the provision is not fulfilling the intended purpose. After discussion, it was determined that the matter should be sent to City Council for policy decision. Motion made by Mr. Belasco to send to Council that the Master Plan Reexamination recommendation is that §525-49E Parking Trust Account provisions be struck as it is underutilized, perhaps because it is unclear, with Council to consider if should be struck or language should be added to make it more clear or makes it more likely to be used or not used, seconded by Deputy Mayor Sheehan and carried 8-0. Those in favor: Mr. Belasco, Mr. Elwell, Mayor Mullock, Deputy Mayor Sheehan, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Gorgone, Mr. Yeager, Mr. Jones. Those opposing: None. Those abstaining: None Flood Regulations - Building Height and Lowest Floor Regulations Planner Hurless described items 30 and 31 and said the proposed revisions are to change the measurements of heights and lowest floor elevations from 1929 NGVD datum to the 1988 NAVD datum to be consistent with other municipalities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ City of Cape May Planning Board Minutes, July 27, 2021 2 Motion made by Mr. Belasco to send the Master Plan Reexamination recommendation to City Council to change §525-59D Flood Height Regulations – Building Height and Lowest Floor Regulations as outlined in the memorandum by Craig R. Hurless, PE, PP, CME, dated July 20, 2021, seconded by Mr. Elwell and carried 8-0. Those in favor: Mr. Belasco, Mr. Elwell, Mayor Mullock, Deputy Mayor Sheehan, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Gorgone, Mr. Yeager, Mr. Jones. Those opposing: None. Those abstaining: None Motion made to adjourn by Mr. Jones at 7:46 PM with all in favor. Respectfully submitted: Karen Keenan, Board Secretary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ City of Cape May Planning Board Minutes, July 27, 2021 3