By Steffen Klenk
Last Thursday, members of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce heard from county legislators about proposed rulings and issues that would affect businesses and the greater community at large. State Senator Michael Testa Jr. and Assemblyman Antwan McClellan spoke about changes to the state’s minimum wage to $15.49/hour, effective Jan. 1, along with policies surrounding energy, offshore wind and the environment. “We have to have a much more realistic conversation about what our businesses need,” Testa says.
One of the biggest issues discussed included the potential impact of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) new Rule for Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL), formed after the signing of Executive Order 100. The order, signed by Governor Phil Murphy in January 2020, established the New Jersey Protection Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) initiative. According to the DEP website, the regulatory effort would aim at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making built environments more resilient to the impact of climate change.
Cape May County officials say the new rules would not only increase construction costs for public and private projects and put distress on low- and moderate-income families, but would impact development opportunities for affordable housing, impact ADA access, and expand flood hazard areas, leading to a decrease in development. McClellan says realtors, contractors, and seniors need to be concerned. “If you sell your home, you (may) have to raise an additional five feet.”
Meetings are being held to discuss the new DEP rules and their potential impact on county residents. A town hall is scheduled to be held at Ocean City Yacht Club, 100 Bay Road, on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m.
During the meeting, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian was honored by legislators for his devotion to business. Gillian is the former owner of Wonderland Pier, which ceased operations earlier this month.
Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.
