By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Sea Isle City is planning nearly $9 million in new capital projects throughout town, including road construction, a dog park and a stormwater pumping station to protect flood-prone neighborhoods.
Other big-ticket items include renovations to the 40th Street restrooms overlooking the Promenade and upgrades to the city’s aging water and sewer pipes.
City Council gave approval Tuesday to two bond ordinances, one for $7.7 million and the other for $1.1 million, to finance the projects.
“One of the hallmarks of good government is ensuring that public assets and infrastructure are maintained and improved,” Mayor Leonard Desiderio said in a statement about the capital projects.
The projects are part of Sea Isle’s capital plan, a sweeping blueprint for construction work and infrastructure improvements throughout the city.
Council amended the capital plan on Tuesday to include more funding for a handful of projects, including the dog park, handicap-accessible ramps to the Promenade, improvements to Excursion Park and new sleeping quarters for firefighting crews that work the overnight shifts at the fire department.
Knowing that many families choose their vacation destination based on its pet-friendly reputation, Sea Isle has been looking to build its first dog park for years.
The project will give canines their own place to play at a site in the north end of town at Seventh Street and Landis Avenue.
City Business Administrator George Savastano said the hope is to have the dog park ready in time for the 2023 summer tourism season. The estimated cost is $1 million, but Sea Isle is seeking funding from the Cape May County Open Space Board to pay for it.
The bond ordinances also reflect the city’s priority to alleviate flooding on the low-lying island. Road construction and drainage projects are planned throughout town as part of that strategy.
The city also plans to build a new stormwater pumping station from Landis Avenue to the bay between 42nd and 44th streets.
Savastano said the plan is to build the pumping station in 2023. He didn’t immediately know how much it might cost, but Sea Isle previously estimated the price tag at $4 million.
Sea Isle built its first pumping station in 2019, in the flood-plagued bayfront neighborhood of Sounds Avenue and 38th Street. The project cost about $800,000.
Pumping stations intercept floodwater and channel it back into the bay much faster than it would normally take to drain off the streets after a coastal storm. They have proved effective in Ocean City, Avalon and other shore communities vulnerable to flooding.
The funding ordinances will also allow the city to purchase new vehicles and equipment for public safety and the Public Works Department, as well as an upgraded public safety communications system that will integrate Sea Isle into the state radio network.
Other projects that are planned include renovations to the 40th Street public restrooms and improvements to the Department of Public Works building adjacent to the JFK Boulevard bridge.
The heavily used restrooms on 40th Street are located just steps from the oceanfront Promenade and are also adjacent to the Excursion Park Band Shell, the popular venue for the city’s festivals, summer concerts, movie nights and family dance parties.
The exterior of the aging building will be given new doors, windows, some siding and roof work. Inside, the ceiling, walls and floor will be renovated. There will also be new lighting fixtures, sinks and hand dryers, city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said.
No construction date has been scheduled yet for the restroom project, although Custer indicated that work might be done over the winter or next spring. Funding for the project has been estimated at $100,000 in the capital plan.
