City Council Adds Schilling Estate Discussion to Executive Session

City Council sent a revised agenda Wednesday listing a new item for discussion in an executive session on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Council will vote to "authorize a closed session ... to discuss the application to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection by the estate of Helen Schilling to obtain certain permits relating to a development proposal regarding 19th Street & Boardwalk, Block 1901, Lots 8, 8.01 & 10."

Because of what the city has described as "the continued possibility of litigation in regard to this matter," the executive session is closed to the public. City Council in executive session on Thursday.

The resolution for the closed session suggests that Friday, Aug. 17, is the last day for the city to request a review of the DEP's permit for the project.

Representatives of Schilling's estate are seeking permission to build a luxury home on the land, while neighbors and other Ocean City residents oppose the idea of "building on the beach." The battle focuses on a unique stretch of undeveloped land along the Ocean City Boardwalk between 19th and 20th streets.

The group of neighbors offered the estate $700,000 earlier this year, but their offer was turned down. A second and higher offer also was reportedly rejected.

__________

More on the Schilling estate:

• .
• See interactive satellite map of the property.

__________ 

Richard Hluchan, the attorney representing the estate, said earlier this year that the estate remains open to any offer for "fair market value" on the three beachfront lots.

Hluchan represents the trustee (a BNY Mellon administrator) of the estate of Helen Schilling (who passed away in 1998). Helen and Charles Schilling (who died in 1980) had no children and no heirs, and the beneficiaries of her estate include Shore Memorial Hospital, Abington Hospital and the Ocean City Tabernacle.