Notice of Public Hearing- Ordinance 17 of 2026

City of Somers Point

Notice of Public Hearing

Ordinance No. 17 of 2026

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 250-61.2

WHEREAS, the economic development of commercial businesses benefits the City of Somers Point and its taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, the development of certain commercial properties, particularly along Bay Avenue and between Bay Avenue and Shore Road where commercial development is permitted or a conditional use, is constrained due to the size of the parcels; and

WHEREAS, there are several City owned and controlled parking lots situated along Bay Avenue; and

WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that a limited number of parking spaces within such lots, if made available for use by new commercial businesses which otherwise may not be able to satisfy the minimum number of parking spaces required for such development, is inherently beneficial, will promote efficient utilization of available parking spaces, assist traffic circulation and access, and will inure to the benefit of the new commercial developer, the taxpayers, and the general public which will then be able to patronize such new development.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Somers Point, in the County of Atlantic. State of New Jersey that

Section 1. The Somers Point Municipal Code Chapter 250-61.2 “No City-owned space excluded from minimum-parking-space requirement” - is amended and supplemented as follows.

Section 1.

Article 250-61.2

250-61.2a. Exception # 1

Notwithstanding the above language, the City Council of the City of Somers Point may, by ordinance, grant a deed of easement to the owner of a new commercial business situated within one hundred (100) yards of a City owned parking lot (to be measured from nearest property line to nearest property line along abutting sidewalks) giving the commercial property owner (the “owner/ applicant”) a right to the exclusive use of certain parking spaces within such lot which shall, at the sole expense of the business owner, be designated by signing described in Article 250-61.3; and the use of which spaces the business owner / applicant shall be solely responsible to enforce through arrangements with a private towing company.

The aggregate number of such spaces which may be made available by easement to all such new business owner(s) / applicant(s) in each such City owned parking lot shall not exceed twenty (20) percent of the total spaces within each such parking lot.

The City Council shall fix a fee for the annual use of such parking space(s) which may, from time to time, be amended through a Council resolution.

The grant of any such easement for use by such owner / applicant shall remain subject to all necessary approval from the Somers Point Planning or Somers Point Zoning Board, as the case may be, including any conditions which may be imposed by said board as a condition of approval. If such approval is not granted no easement shall be granted by the City.

250-61.2b. Exception 2.

In the alternative, the City Council of the City of Somers Point may, subject to receipt of necessary approvals by the Somers Point Planning Board or Somers Point Planning Board, as the case may be, enter into a Reciprocal Non- Exclusive Parking Space Agreement which shall permit the owner / applicant's customers, employees, and patrons of a new commercial establishment situated with the area described in Article 250-62.1a by which such persons may have the non-exclusive use of parking spaces within a specific municipal parking lot, and the City shall have the non-exclusive right to utilize parking spaces within the owner's lot for overflow parking when needed, and as available. Any such agreement used to satisfy a portion of the owner / applicant's parking requirements shall be further subject to conditions which may be imposed by the City and / or the Somers Point Planning or Zoning Board which approves such development.

SECTION 2. All ordinances of the City of Somers Point that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed as to the extent of such inconsistency.

SECTION 3. If any subsection, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid in any Court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the remaining portion of this Ordinance.

SECTION 4. This Ordinance shall take effect following final passage and publication in accordance with law.

Notice is hereby given that the foregoing ordinance was introduced and passed first reading at a regular City Council meeting of 6/25/2026 and said ordinance will be further considered for final passage and adoption after a public hearing to be held on 7/9/2026 at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1 West New Jersey Avenue, Somers Point, NJ 08244. Free copies may be obtained at the City Clerk’s Office, 1 West New Jersey Avenue, Somers Point, NJ, Mon.-Fri, 9am-5pm.

Shelby Heath, RMC

City Clerk

Posted on: 6/26/2026