Jack Plackter was featured in the Press of Atlantic City article, "Duplexes Hurt Ocean City Family Plan, Critics Say." Full text can be found in the April 7, 2015, issue, but a synopsis is noted below.
Despite a need for single-family homes in order to bring in year-round residents, duplexes continue to be built in Ocean City. In OC, the overall population is declining, resulting in issues like emptying schools.
Businesses are being closed in order to create space for more duplexes. Many argue that this type of housing does not encourage the single-family-type residents the city wants.
City officials say that they simply build the type of housing that is predominant in each area. Jack Plackter states that this land-use rule is not a legal obligation. "If they would like to see areas within the city transition to single-family zoning, the city has the right to change the zoning," he says.
"They're not legally bound to stay with a prevailing use. Provided the city follows the appropriate process, if they want to de-intensify its zoning, they have the right," Plackter added. Instead, though, the city continues to rezone areas for duplex developments, which is likely due to political reasons.
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