Five Things to Know About Thursday's Council Meeting

At Thursday's public meeting, City Council banned smoking a city parks and playgrounds, agreed to ask the state to abolish future lifeguard pensions and heard a pitch for helping a marina project in town. Here are five other things that might be of interest.

• Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance: City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that combines a flood damage prevention ordinance passed in April and one approved on first reading on Sept. 12. The changes let the city use the less restrictive FEMA flood maps released on Aug. 27 or the "best available flood hazard data" (as newer versions of the flood maps are approved). The maps determine required elevations for new or substantially reconstructed homes in Ocean City. The new ordinance incorporates Ocean City's requirements for residences to be constructed at base flood elevation plus two feet. The combined ordinance will be reviewed by the Planning Board for consistency. City Council scheduled a public hearing and second reading for Oct. 22.
• Bayside Dredging: Business Administrator Mike Dattilo reported that Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian hosted a meeting of other shore community mayors to develop a "spirit of cooperation" on common issues related to dredging shallow channels and lagoons on the bay side of the barrier islands. Cape May County Freeholder Marie Hayes helped facilitate the meeting, which was attended by representative from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The group will meet again next month.
• Sand Harvesting: Dattilo reported that the proposed sand-harvesting operation that will move sand from the north to south ends of the island this fall "would never compromise the storm protection value of one area over another." He said sand will be taken from either side of the Ocean City-Longport Bridge, where beaches are growing.
• Best Towns in New Jersey: In public comment, Ocean City resident Jay Lamont took note that Ocean City was the only town from any of the nearby southern New Jersey counties to make it onto New Jersey Monthly's 2013 list of the "Top Towns in New Jersey."
• Road Improvements: City Council approved a request for bids on road and drainage improvements that include: Stenton Place, Pelham Place, Arkansas Avenue, 1100 block of Simpson Avenue (east side) and 12th Street between Bay and Simpson avenues (south side). City Council also awarded a $1 million contract to Landberg Construction of Mays Landing for the following road projects: Asbury Avenue (39th to 42nd streets); 42nd Street (West to Central); 41st Street (paving from the meadows west of West Avenue to Asbury Avenue and drainage to Central Avenue); 40th Street (paving from West Avenue to Asbury Avenue and drainage to Central Avenue); 39th Street (from West Avenue to Central Avenue); 56th Street (from Central Avenue to the beach); 52nd Street (from Central Avenue to the beach); West 17th Street drainage improvements; West/Asbury alley (from 8th to 9th streets) and City Hall parking lot resurfacing.