Sea Isle City Land Measure

Assembly OKs Sea Isle City land measure
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Published: Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Updated: Tuesday, December 13, 2005For Brian Buckley, a state law would be the greatest Christmas present of all.Buckley and eight other homeowners at 47th Place in Sea Isle City are watching the Legislature carefully as lawmakers are moving a bill that gives them clear title to their properties.On Monday, the state Assembly unanimously passed bill A4483, which would resolve the 63-year-old land discrepancy that was only discovered recently.The bill also must pass the state Senate and be signed by acting Gov. Richard J. Codey.But legislators are faced with a lame-duck session. After Jan. 10, unfinished legislation must start from scratch, thus delaying the process for homeowners nervous about where their land ownership stands.On Dec. 1, 1st District lawmakers drafted bills in the Assembly and Senate. On Thursday, the bill passed through the Assembly's Environmental and Solid Waste Committee.A Senate vote could happen Thursday at the earliest, said Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic."It has to go this quickly if it is to go lame duck," Van Drew said. "This is about as quickly as a bill can move."The bill would allow Sea Isle City to trade two parcels of city-owned land to the state Department of Environmental Protection in exchange for 47th Place properties. The state has owned the properties since 1942, when the city deeded the land to the state for dredging. The state never returned the land, but the city sold it in 1966.In May, the state notified homeowners of this recently discovered discrepancy. During the past seven months, many homeowners have been shocked, optimistic, disappointed, then optimistic again.Last month, when a land-swap agreement appeared ready to clear the matter, the state Attorney General's Office said legislation was needed to authorize the deal."Things look good now, but we've been thinking that since May," said Buckley, who lives in Pennsylvania and owns the second floor of a duplex at 384 47th Place. "So we're just hoping it finally goes through."The bill has moved quickly so far, and Van Drew said there's a good chance it will pass by Jan. 10. But there are always intangibles."This is a big bureaucracy, and it's complex. There's always a possible roadblock," Van Drew said. "It's that old saying, it's not done till it's done."

To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:BIanieri@pressofac.com