Margate and Ventnor getting closer to a deal that would allow dumping dredge materials into the watery hole known as Shelter Island.
Shelter Island is co-owned by Margate and Ventnor. Back in the 1920’s, Shelter Island was dug out. The dredge materials were used to build up portions of Margate & Ventnor.
Margate needs approval from Ventnor to dump their spoils on Shelter Island.
Signing a ‘tidelands application’ is the important, initial step. Listen to audio:
Margate engineer, Ed Dennis, prepared a ‘Tideland Plan’ and associated application documents. Margate almost ready to submit those documents to the State of NJ.
Since Ventnor co-owns Shelter Island with Margate, Ventnor needs to sign off on most applicable documents.
Ventnor has some concerns.
What’s the impact of using Shelter Island as a dredge spoils disposal site?
How will Margate control any negative impact to people that live nearby?
DREDGING MEMORANDUM EXCERPTS August 16, 2021
Dredging Committee met with Ventnor officials regarding Shelter Island, dredging and Bureau of Tidelands application.
Ventnor attendees: Commissioner Lance Landgraf, City Engineer Ed Stinson and City Administrator Maria Mento and Timothy Maguire, Esq., City Solicitor. Representing Margate: Joe Johnston, Ed Dennis, myself and Roger McLarnon.
Primary issues: Ventnor’s fair share of capacity of Shelter Island and nuisance odors caused by placing dredge material into the Shelter Island hole. Ventnor owns half of the island and therefore, unless we agree otherwise, the capacity is one-half owned by Ventnor.
Regarding nuisance, Maria Mento, Ventnor City Administrator, seemed to be concerned regarding odor. She lives on the Mile Stretch and apparently believes odor from dredge material could reach homes. My experience has been that if there is any odor it is for a very limited time. The odor is the same as the odor at low tide.
Distance from center of hole at Shelter Island and closest home, (end of Harvard Ave), is over 1,500 feet as measured on Google Earth.
Ventnor can get city wide permit similar to what Margate intends to apply for. Both Avalon and Ocean City have received city wide permits. We also advised that Army Corps looking to dredge Mile Stretch and indicated possible need of about 10,000 cubic yards.
Commissioner Landgraf said he will advise the other (Ventnor) Commissioners and would get back to us. We specifically asked for consent by Ventnor to allow application for license to be submitted to Bureau of Tidelands.
A license is required in order to put dredge material at Shelter Island also known as Hole 86.
Scott Abbott. Margate City Solicitor
Shelter Island disposal site for dredging material in Ventnor and Margate
Shelter Island was former home to a sewer dump in the back bays of Margate & Ventnor.
Ventnor curious how Margate is handling dredging permits. Citywide permit would include privately owned areas dredged by private property owners who wouldn’t be able to bear the cost associated with testing dredging materials.
Disposal site for spoils, aka dredge material, for Margate, Ventnor and potential third parties.
Concern: smell of dredge material. Material is being put into the water, so there’s not really going to be any odor problem because it goes right from a barge or pipe.
When dredging, you’re really limited by so many different things. Seasonal migratory birds, fish. If you get 50,000 cubic yards a year done, that’s a lot. Maybe use this dredge hole to restore the marine habitat.
- Tidelands Application
- Citywide Permit
- Stockton Study
Margate Business Admin Deaney talked dredging finance. Grants, etc. might be available. Permit good for 5 years with 5 year extension. 10 year period of time to break it up and minimize cost of any one dredging event that year.
If part of the intercoastal, maybe we get some federal dollars. Maybe we frame Shelter Island site as a resiliency project. That may be best angle for FEMA money.
Dredge spoil: used for local land reclamation. Sometimes deposited on land. Sometimes deposited at sea.
There is some fear that Margate over-fills their 50% share of hole.
Just deposit the spoils on Essex Ave. That won’t inconvenience anyone. If it does, too bad.
Shelter Cove (as we called it since I as a kid) is loaded with natural, Striped Bass habitat.
If they (fill in the hole) in the middle of the winter, it would displace a ton of Striped Bass. They are almost endangered. Population is already falling up and down the east coast.
This is a ridiculous idea. If anyone has anything to say about it, call me 609 470 0968
I’m going do my best to stop you idiots
Maybe stop fishing for them and the population will come back.
Im sure the Ventnor politicians will vote for it. Look at the mayors record. Voted yes to put a child molester protector in charge of the ventnor children. Why would you go along with the margate politicians who dont work as a team with the other local towns
Since apparently you know everything Earl, can we look forward to seeing your name on the ballot?
Laura, I guess your on the side of the child molester protecters. Children’s lives is not to be played with and there is 0 tolerance in my book of life
I must have missed the part where I said anything if that kind, Earl. I know the big words I used may have confused you. I simply said that since you apparently have answers and criticisms for everything, that I assume you’ll be running for office to unseat the incumbents? And before you ask, no, I can’t run as a second homeowner for 25 years.