During the meeting, a comprehensive explanation of the ordinance was provided, highlighting the consensus reached by an ad hoc committee comprising various city commissions and boards. The committee engaged in thorough discussions about the pros and cons of artificial turf and its impact on the city’s landscape. The ordinance aims to preserve the city’s aesthetic and environmental integrity by limiting artificial turf to non-landscaped areas unless a variance is granted by the zoning board.

The ordinance’s preamble, drafted to explain the rationale behind the prohibition, cites reasons for the potential negative implications of artificial turf in residential areas. The Planning Board deliberated the ordinance’s consistency with the master plan’s historic preservation and conservation elements before voting to send it back to the city council with their findings.

In other board actions, resolutions for property-related matters were addressed. These included the approval of a resolution for Bogul Investment Properties LLC on Washington Street and another for Madison Cape May R LLC at 1025-1029 Beach Avenue. The board also reviewed and approved the minutes of the previous meeting, as well as the payment of bills.

It was noted during the session that the livestream was not functioning, which was subsequently addressed.