City Council to Weigh “Area in Need of Rehabilitation” Designation for Former Wonderland Pier Site

On Thursday, August 21, 2025, the Ocean City, N.J. City Council will hold a public meeting to consider a resolution regarding the former Wonderland Pier property at 600 Boardwalk. The council will consider asking the Planning Board for its recommendation on whether to designate the site as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation”. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall.

Designating the property as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation” would not change the property’s zoning standards, result in any development approvals for the site, or be based on any specific project proposed for the future. The designation would be based on the property’s current condition. Any project developed on the site would still require approval from either the Planning Board or Zoning Board. The City Council will not discuss or consider approval of any development for this site at this meeting, and no presentation is planned.

According to a summary provided by the city solicitor, the process for designating a property as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation” involves several steps. First, the City Council adopts a “Referral Resolution” to refer a proposed “Declaration Resolution” to the Planning Board. The Planning Board then has 45 days to review the proposal and submit its recommendations. If the Planning Board does not respond within this timeframe, the City Council may still adopt the Declaration Resolution. The property is officially designated as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation” if the City Council adopts the Declaration Resolution.

A property can be designated as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation” if it meets certain criteria set forth in state law. These criteria include, but are not limited to, a significant portion of structures being in a deteriorated or substandard condition, a pattern of vacancy or underutilization, or environmental contamination that discourages investment.

If the property were to be designated as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation,” the next step would be the potential adoption of a “Redevelopment Plan”. This plan, adopted by ordinance after a consistency review by the Planning Board, would establish the land use controls for the area and would essentially become the zoning ordinance for the site. The Redevelopment Plan would reflect the specific development or project to be constructed.