EV chargers will soon come online in Ventnor and Longport.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
The frequent chant, Where can I plug in? will soon be answered in the Downbeach towns of Ventnor and Longport. Both municipalities are in the process of installing electric vehicle charging stations that can be used by the public for a fee.
Ventnor is installing three charging stations, two of which will be available to the public.
The first is a Level 2 charging station located at the Public Works yard for exclusive use by municipal vehicles. A Level 2 charging station is being installed behind City Hall. A Level 3 direct current or Fast Charger will be installed on New Haven Avenue next to the Ventnor Cultural Arts Center.
Level 2 chargers provide 15-50 miles of range per hour of charging, while Level 3 chargers can provide a full charge in 20-60 minutes.
Longport is installing a Level 2 charger behind Borough Hall at a cost of $26,000. The borough received a $6,000 grant from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection which reduced the cost.
Ventnor applied for and received several grants to cover a portion of the $275,000 project, including $150,000 from the Board of Public Utilities and $75,000 from the DEP. Atlantic City Electric is expected to provide incentives totaling $120,000, Public Works Supervisor Ed Stinson said.
Both municipalities have introduced or adopted ordinances regarding the public use of EV chargers.
Longport's ordinance was approved on June 7 and covers requirements for the safe and efficient installation of EV chargers on residential, multi-unit dwellings, condominium complexes, and commercial properties according to state law and requires a development application to the Zoning Office. The Board of Commissioners will set the fees for charging at the station behind Borough Hall based on kilowatt hours at a future meeting.
Longport Administrator A. Scott Porter said he was hoping the charging station would come online before the end of June, but there are still a few details to be worked out.
Ventnor's ordinance is up for a public hearing on July 13. It includes a $1.25 fee for up to four hours of charging at the Level 2 station, and $3.50 for each additional hour. EVs can park in the charging area only when they are being charged. There's a 30-minute grace period for the owner to remove the vehicle from the parking space after the charge is completed. They could receive a parking ticket if the vehicle is not removed in time. The Level 3 charging fee is 35 cents per kilowatt hour for up to one hour.
Ventnor Acting Administrator Tom Ciccarone said the charger at the rear of City Hall would come online after the adopted ordinance is advertised on July 20.
Stations will become available shortly thereafter, he said.
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