Intent to help protect city historic homes, buildings
CAPE MAY — The city introduced an ordinance providing for a determination of demolition by neglect during the Sept. 16 meeting.
Solicitor Chris Gillin-Schwartz said it is intended to protect the city’s historic resources, specifically in the historic district of Cape May.
“A lot of municipalities have similar provisions, New Orleans being an example, and towns with historic resources,” Gillin-Schwartz said. “What the city is doing is consistent with ordinances you see throughout the U.S., but this one is tailored to our city.”
The Historic Preservation Commission reviewed and recommended the ordinance Aug. 18.
Deputy Mayor McDade asked if there was an inventory or concern raised by the HPC that prompted the ordinance.
“Yes, other municipalities have similar ordinances like this and we really felt because of the key and contributing structures, something like this would be good to have codified in the city,” Councilwoman Lorraine Baldwin said.
Gillin-Schwartz added that to be consistent with past practice, they did not want to leave the code enforcement and other officials to be creative.
“We wanted to give clear direction,” he said. “This would be an example of giving our code enforcement and zoning officer some clear parameters and also giving applicants clear parameters and assuring due process.”
City Manager Paul Dietrich said the HPC has reached out to code enforcement and the HPC compliance officer about several properties in town, and they asked the city to come up with a solution.
“This process is geared toward compliance; not let’s hammer everybody with a bunch of fines,” Gillin-Schwartz said. “That’s a last resort, and we want to have those tools available. Giving this process and putting it in place is going to allow code enforcement to move in the direction of compliance.”
The ordinance is scheduled for a second reading and final vote on Oct. 7, with an effective date of Nov. 4.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
