SOMERS POINT — City Council is considering allowing certain liquor license holders to extend their outdoor music past 11 p.m. on a trial basis.
Members voted May 28 to introduced ordinance 14-2026, which amends the alcoholic beverage, noise and time limit sections of city code, permitting outdoor music until 1 a.m. for businesses that are more than 100 feet away from a residential property. The new rules would expire Dec. 31, 2026, unless extended for as long as one year.
City resident AnnMarie Gibbs objected to the extension.
“There’s a lot of people in Somers Point that work. There’s a lot of people that do require sleep and peace and the rest of it. If it’s music until 1 o’clock and they shut it down, the noise will continue past that.”
She said she would like City Council to consider that the city is largely residential.
“We’re very open to entertaining people and bringing then down here to Somers Point and promoting our music and our restaurants and all the activities but I don’t know if 1 o’clock in the morning outside music is appropriate,” Gibbs said.
The issue came about as a result of Gary Holloway v. City of Somers Point, in which Holloway, owner of The Point, sued the city based on the police department’s enforcement of an 11 p.m. deadline.
City code currently prohibits unnecessary noise, all loud noise resulting from musical instruments, bands mechanical musical devices and/or any sound reproduction device, and live entertainment or patrons, from either the inside or outside of any commercial establishment, which noise is plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet from the place where it emanates between the hours of 11 p.m. and noon of the following day.
The new ordinance states any establishment possessing a retail consumption license whose property line is more than 100 feet away from the property line of any residential property may extend music for two hours.
Unless extended by resolution for a limited one-year period by Dec. 31, 2026, the 1 a.m. exception will cease to have effect beyond that date. Under no circumstances will the exception be in effect after Dec. 31, 2027.
Council President Kirk Gerety said the amendment would apply only to one property. It is The Point on Bay Avenue.
A second reading and final vote on the ordinance are scheduled for June 25.
Economic development:
Signs, disc golf, birders
Councilwoman Janice Johnston reported on the meeting May 27 of the Economic Development Advisory Commission.
The liaison to EDAC said she attended an Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce event and found “there is a lot of good, positive stuff happening in Atlantic City.”
“Builders are investing money, building a lot of residential on both ends, in the inlet and also in Chelsea,” she said. “It was good to hear that and hopefully they are trying to clean it up and change the narrative for what’s going on over there.”
Johnston also mentioned a meeting of the Atlantic County Economic Alliance during which officials discussed an updated 2015 study that found growth in the region includes health care, tourism, the second home market and aviation.
“That’s pretty much what the county is working on to try and promote all of that,” she said. “We have the casinos but with the New York casinos coming in, we have to diversify.”
Johnston said EDAC joined the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce and as a new member gets a free email blast.
“We are trying to get together and email to point out some good stuff that’s happening in Somers Point,” she said.
Johnston said EDAC has ordered welcome signs for new businesses and will visit each June 12.
In addition, ACEA interns from Stockton University will work with the city to improve its website and social media presence.
Johnston said she and John Helbig would appear at the next Recreation Board meeting to discuss bringing disc golf to the city.
She said the sport is growing in popularity.
“There are more disc golf courses across the country than Dunkin Donuts,” Johnston said. “It could be a way to bring new economics to Somers Point.”
Councilwoman Morgan Slaughter, also a member of EDAC, said the city is working with an ornithologist who will speak to the group about ways to attract birders to the region after the DeFeo Lane trail project is completed.
“There’s a lot of places that are just really good that we should be promoting,” Johnston said. “Statistics show that they spend a lot of money when they come to a town. It could be a good draw without costing us any money.”
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff