Press of Atlantic City

By JOHN V. SANTORE, Staff Writer
The Atlantic City Council successfully introduced a redevelopment plan for the former Atlantic Club on Wednesday allowing the property to host entertainment and amusement activities.
The site’s current owner, Endeavor Property Group LLC, has expressed interest in building a water park, Council President Frank M. Gilliam said Wednesday.
Planning Director Elizabeth Terenik said at the meeting that Endeavor is working to secure funding for its future projects.
Council did its part to settle a suit pitting the city against Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
It repealed a March, 2015 resolution permitting the city to use a $43 million bond sale to pay back a loan from the state.
Earlier this year, Borgata sued the city over the resolution, claiming the municipality had to spend the sale funds on the company’s hefty tax appeal settlement.
According to the city, Borgata has agreed to drop its suit in exchange for the repeal Council enacted Wednesday.
Council approved a $2.3 million contract with New York-based The Landtek Group, Inc. to conduct improvements to Andrew “Flags” Philp Field in Chelsea Heights.
Council also accepted a $39,973 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct environmental remediation work at the Altman Field Playground on South New Hampshire Avenue. According to the city, the grant will cover an investigation of the site, as well as 75 percent of remediation costs. The city says it has already received additional funding to pay for the remaining 25 percent of the project’s expenses.
Council voted to accept a $62,500 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to conduct coastal improvements following damage done by Hurricane Sandy.
A preliminary study of whether a non-condemnation redevelopment zone should be declared encompassing the 2600 block of the Boardwalk, as well as land directly behind it, was approved.
Also successfully introduced was a redevelopment plan for the former firehouse at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Connecticut Avenue that prohibits the property from hosting “the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages.” The building had previously been discussed as the future home of a craft distillery, but some community members objected to that use.
A week before a planed civil disobedience action by UNITE HERE! Local 54, Council passed a resolution unanimously supporting the protest, as well as the union’s “struggle to restore health benefits” to its employees.
The direction of traffic on Michigan Avenue between McKinley Avenue and Mamora Avenue was established as running northbound. A 60 day trial period will assess the feasibility of the change.
Three weeks after Council was disrupted by a verbal altercation between Councilman Marty Small and two members of the public, Craig and David Callaway, Council adopted a resolution setting new behavioral standards for its sessions.
Among other things, the bill prohibits personal attacks, requires speakers to address City Council collectively and requires comments to be related to the business of the meeting. It prohibits “political buttons, signs or placards” in the chamber, which Gilliam defined as “any signs,” as well as “audible comments from the audience,” which Gilliam said are remarks meant to agitate those assembled.
The bill prohibits “picture taking, video or cassette recording” in the chamber without the permission of the Council President, though Gilliam said that won’t apply to members of the media. The bill also prohibits the use of cellular phones in the chamber, and allows Council to eject those “causing a disturbance or disrupting the meeting through the use of loud or abusive language.”

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