Jewell Real Estate Agency Newsletter - Early Winter 2012

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WINTER STARTS MELLOW

Winter came in like a lamb this year, unlike the past two Decembers that were snowy with below average temperatures. Statistics show that here in South Jersey the calendar year 2011 was the wettest ever and one of the warmest on record. It was also a year of many weather extremes, including Hurricane Irene.

Folks are hoping that this winter is a mild one. The last two winters brought back memories of our childhood winters, with too much snow that stayed on the ground too long. No matter what type of winter we get, we still look forward to April.

NEW BREWERIES

Cape May County has two new microbreweries, following a trend that is sweeping the nation. The Cape May Brewing Company opened this past summer with their plant located at the Cape May County Airport complex. The Tuckahoe Brewing Company opened in December at a warehouse in Ocean View, Dennis Township.

The two breweries join just four others in the all of southern New Jersey. Cape May and Tuckahoe offer their varieties of beers in several local restaurants. They also offer tastings and small purchases at their brewery locations.

Added to Cape May County half-dozen fairly new wineries, it seems like upscale locally produced alcoholic beverage trends are catching up to the formerly sleepy county.

GIVE US YOUR SAND

The city of North Wildwood needs sand for yet another emergency beach replenishment project. Nearby Wildwood Crest has too much sand on its beaches. A match made in heaven?

It appears so, if the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will issue the necessary permits.

North Wildwood needs 96,000 cubic yards of sand to fill in the damage brought on by Hurricane Irene in August and the big October storm. The areas of concern are the beaches at 2nd to 4th Avenues and 22nd to 26th Avenues. They also hope to eliminate the areas where ponding occurs after a very high tide.

North Wildwood would be trucking the sand instead of dredging, dropping their costs from about $15 per yard to around $8. The savings would be roughly a half million dollars. The project would be funded 75% by FEMA, with the rest picked up by the two municipalities.

If North Wildwood can restore its beaches while Wildwood Crest can decrease the hike across its wide expanse of sand, it would seem like a win-win.

MORE SAVINGS

North Wildwood seems to be tightening its belt, to the benefit of taxpayers. The city has combined the positions of tax assessor and business administrator, saving about 80,000 bucks a year.

Lou Belasco, the tax assessor for the past five years, is also assuming the role of city administrator, a position left vacant when Ray Townsend left earlier in the year. That drops the combined salaries of $186,000 to about $100,000.

BEESLEYS POINT BRIDGE

Cape May County has put out to bid a project to demolish the drawbridge portion of the Beesleys Point Bridge, located in Upper Township. The span formerly connected Route 9 between Cape May County and Somers Point in Atlantic County. Privately owned, the toll bridge was closed a half-dozen years ago because it had become unsafe.

County Freeholders recently passed a $1.2 million bond for the demolition. They hope the work will take place in February.

Many locals are hoping that the rest of the bridge can stay in place, to be used for walking, biking, and fishing. That’s unlikely. The NJ Turnpike Authority is expected to include demolition of the entire span over Great Egg Harbor when it builds a new bridge for the Garden State Parkway in the next decade.

WEST CAPE MAY LIQUOR LICENSE

West Cape May has approved a bid for a packaged goods store. The winning bid of $615,000 was the only bid received by the borough, which had set a minimum bid of $600,000.

The liquor store will be located at 106 Sunset Boulevard, the home of the former Vanthia’s Restaurant.

Ballot questions to allow liquor sales within the formerly “dry” town were defeated twice before finally being approved in November, 2008.

The one restaurant liquor license is still up in the air. Due to the economy, commissioners planned to allow liquor sales until 12 midnight. Some locals petitioned to have sales stop at 10pm, as was originally approved. Until that matter is settled, the retail consumption license can not be put out to bid.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Cape May Point Mayor Carl Schupp has brought up a good point about seasonal unemployment for lifeguards, beach tag checkers, and such. If they take the job knowing the exact start and finish date, are they eligible for unemployment compensation? After all, there was no expectation of a full-time job.

It seems that four lifeguards filled for benefits, costing the borough $15,000. In neighboring Cape May, about 30 of their 150 seasonal workers filed claims. In these tough times, municipalities need to watch every penny.

The NJ State League of Municipalities approved a resolution at the November conference calling for stiffer requirements. The next step will be to search out legislators to sponsor bills in the State Senate and Assembly to apply tighter restrictions.

FAST FOOD FADING

Cape May County is losing fast food restaurants at an alarming rate. Or is that good?

The county, whose sole industry is seasonal tourism, has never had the demographics to support many franchise chains. That’s why you’ll never see a Friendly’s or a Target. Besides the nonexistent liquor license issue, you’d never see an Applebee’s or TGIF.

The county has seen the demise of three Wendy’s, a Taco Bell, two Burger Kings, two Kentucky Fried Chickens, and a Papa Johns. The new Sonic in Rio Grande just cut their winter hours to four days a week.

Part of their fall is due to a shrinking year-round population, part to the economy, and part to the search for healthful food. Fast food establishments in Cape May County are an example of survival of the fittest.

BENCH PLAQUES

Wildwood Crest is rethinking its bench plaque program. Of the borough’s 230 benches, 136 have dedication plaques. Folks who bought them for $375 will soon find out it wasn’t forever. Town officials want to replace the benches with new ones that cost about $850 apiece, and charge $500 for five years. Stay tuned for the outrage that will no doubt come from the public.

JEWELL REAL ESTATE AGENCY

We love to talk about real estate and our island. We’re always glad to share our insights, observations, and vision with you.

Stop by our office at 5602 New Jersey Avenue and chat. Or give Joyce or Douglas a call at 609-729-8505. We answer phones 6am to 9pm EVERYDAY and you always get a real, live person. That’s service!

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