O.C. mayor proposes environmental panel
Posted on Friday, January 19th
OCEAN CITY — Mayor Sal Perillo is launching a new environmental commission as part of his initiative to make the city greener.
City Council endorsed the commission during the proposal's introduction and will conduct a public hearing on its creation Thursday. Perillo proposed the commission as part of his efforts to make Ocean City a “model of environmental sensitivity and responsibility,” he said during this week's budget address. During last year's mayoral election, Perillo's opponents criticized him for representing developers in his law practice. As mayor, Perillo appears to be casting himself in the role of environmental steward. “Actions will speak louder than words,” Councilman Roy Wagner said, calling some of the plans public-relations window dressing.
The commission is charged with conducting studies and making recommendations to the Zoning and Planning boards and City Council. The mayor will appoint its seven members as he does with the other boards.
“Let's hope the mayor appoints people who are truly passionate about conservation and preservation of our environment,” said Councilman Jody Alessandrine, who lost to Perillo in last year's mayor's race. Alessandrine said he pitched similar commissions during his 2002 and 2006 campaigns. “Zoning and planning were completely ignoring some of the environmental repercussions of overdevelopment,” Alessandrine said. The subjects under the new commission's purview include the purchase of open space and protecting the city's natural resources. The commission will need council's consent — and checkbook — to buy land or development rights on property, Council President Jack Thomas said. “It has the ability to make recommendations. That acquisition would have to be approved by council,” he said. In creating the environmental commission, the city abolished its coastal conservation commission and its flood prevention and control board, which has met twice in 15 years. The new commission will assume the duties of those groups, Business Administrator James Rutala said. The city will be eligible for certain state grants through its environmental commission, Rutala said. The commission's true power might rest in its advisory role for zoning and planning applications. “It doesn't mean they're the ultimate authority,” Thomas said. “But the Planning and Zoning boards should be listening.” Despite the city's abundance of construction — more than 18,000 properties packed into seven miles of former cow pasture — Ocean City is surrounded by environmentally sensitive land and water. Thomas said this commission will be entrusted to protect the city's natural resources. “If you take into consideration the beaches and the north end where we share Great Egg Inlet, there's a lot of area we should be careful about conserving,” Thomas said. The new commission is just one of the city's environmental initiatives. The city bought its first two hybrid sport-utility vehicles last year. And it is looking into using soybean-derived fuel as an alternative. The city and Board of Education are cooperating on a solar project designed to save thousands of dollars in energy bills at seven public buildings. The city plans to promote recycling as a way to cut the city's trash-disposal costs at the Cape May County landfill. Garbage collection and disposal cost Ocean City $2.6 million last year. City Council generally supports the mayor's environmental agenda. Wagner said he endorses the mayor's commission and thinks the solar project will offer genuine savings for taxpayers. Thomas noted that council signed off on the purchase of hybrid vehicles and the solar equipment. And it is taking steps to encourage people to ride bicycles instead of driving on the island. “I think the council would like to see us move ahead as soon as possible and start implementing environmentally friendly things in Ocean City,” he said. To e-mail Michael Miller at The Press:
