A split Atlantic City Council gave final approval to a controversial offshore wind plan Wednesday night.
But not before hours of public comment as opponents came from all over the state to caution council against the move.
The Atlantic Shores plan would dig a line of cables through the Fifth Ward, with opponents alleging potential health risks and a negative impact on homes and streets in the ward.
A crowd heavily skewed against the project filled City Council chambers until the fire marshal ordered no one else allowed in as the room reached maximum occupancy.
Police stood guard at the doors to keep anyone from coming in.
Council President Aaron "Sporty" Randolph announced to those gathered that, once someone spoke, they were to leave the room to allow for someone else to come in.
Public comment lasted nearly 4½ hours.
Things became contentious at times, with the council president alleging many in the audience were disrespectful of the council and the proceeding.
But some in audience indicated they were the ones being disrespected.
It was also the first meeting for Fifth Ward Councilwoman Maria Lacca, who promised to push against the project that will impact her ward.
She took issue that the first vote in September garnered a 5-4 City Council majority due to Muhammed Huq, who was voted in to temporarily fill the Fifth Ward that was left vacant after Councilman Muhammad "Anjum" Zia was ousted by a judge's order.
That move came due to a successful lawsuit Lacca filed alleging Zia did not live in the city.
Councilwoman LaToya Dunston, and Councilmen Jesse Kurtz, George Tibbitt and Bruce Weekes voted no in the first vote.
On Wednesday, Lacca tried to vote to rescind September's vote, but could not get enough support to bring the topic back to the table.
Then, Kurtz tried to have the new vote tabled, saying changes to the contract were sent to council at 3 p.m., just two hours before the meeting.
That got no traction either.
Kurtz was able to get an amendment that would make sure Atlantic Shores would fix anything damaged to code, and follow FEMA if there were any issues there.
Attorney Lloyd Levenson, representing Atlantic Shores, said the contract already requires them to fix anything that is damaged.
Despite his amendment being added, Kurtz still voted against the project, along with Lacca, Dunston and Tibbitt.
But the Fifth Ward going no this time did not change the outcome.
Weekes stepped down from his council-at-large at the September meeting. His replacement, former Board of Education member Patricia Bailey, voted for the project, keeping the same 5-4 split.
Before the vote, Randolph assured Lacca that council did fully understand the issue.
"I wanted you to know that your colleagues did their homework, whichever way they vote," he said. "But we wanted you to know, we’re very informed. We attended lots and lots of meetings. We’ve done everything. We did our due diligence."
