Design: Seasons General Store in Ocean Grove, NJ
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net
On December 17, 2015, a planner for Neptune Township will make a presentation to the Parking and Streets Committee of the N.J. Dept of Community Affairs which will affect Ocean Grove’s future. Her name is Jennifer Beahm, and she is asking the state to make Ocean Grove exempt from RSISparking and streets regulations that are designed to insure that developers provide off street parking when putting up condominiums and other multi-residential structures in Ocean Grove such as Mary’s Place. The Township is asking for Special Area Standards which are awarded only for special reasons such as historic preservation.
She will say that the only reason* for making this request is to protect our historic designation. But she will not tell them that the real reason for the request is to allow further development of multi-residential uses such as condominiums without parking being required—–something that has been going on illegally in town for years.
The truth is that there is no fear of ruining our historic designation by leaving the regulations intact because there is no room for off-street parking in our built-up community so therefore no multi-residential buildings can be permitted if the state regulations are simply left alone and enforced.
This is a huge scam which will ruin our town, and the State can solve the problem by simply enforcing the existing RISS regulations in Ocean Grove.
So who will represent you at the meeting and stand up for what’s right: the Township Committee? the Home Groaners Association? Township bureaucrats? the Historic Preservation Commission? the Chamber of Commerce? The Camp Meeting Association? The NJ Attorney General?
Right now it looks like only Blogfinger (with myself and Jack Bredin) and Kevin Chambers will be there. Will any of you show up? We hope so because the DCA committee will be sold a bill of goods by Neptune Township.
*The application to the NJ Site Improvement Advisory Board, submitted on July 30, 2015 says, “..the proposed special area standards were crafted for the sole purpose of preserving the historic development pattern of Ocean Grove….”
If you want to express your opinion to Trenton, send a note to Mr. Joseph E. Doyle, Jr. Chairman, NJ Site Improvement Advisory Board. Send an email via
Mr. John Lago of the DCA.
John.Lago@dca.nj.gov Tell Mr. Doyle that those Neptuners who will be making a plea regarding Ocean Grove’s future do not represent the views of those of us who live in the Grove nor do they represent the best interests of our town and its historic designation.
Here is a link to our recent article about this: Trenton meeting link on BF
And please continue this poll. I want to take it with us to Trenton:
Joel T. Scranton sent an e-mail too! I took 5 minutes to copy Blogfingers position, paste and send a note saying I support this position to: John.Lago@dca.nj.gov Then I Signed and listed all my contact info. HOW HARD ,HOW LONG it was EASY. I hope more join in and do so.
Sent my email too.
I plan to be there.
I have sent an email to Mr. Doyle asking for the RSIS exemption to be denied.
Does anyone know if the OGHOA is going to Trenton to speak? If not, they should be ashamed. Where are they when we need them? This issue is square in their sweet spot of responsibility.
Ditto for OGHPC. Where are you guys??
OGHOA and OGHPC — please support your town and fulfill your responsibilities!
My husband and I plan on going to Trenton. I wonder how many of the 244 people who answered the survey will attend. We have room in our car for three passengers in case anyone is interested in carpooling.
…The proposed Special Area Standards were crafted for the sole purpose of making money for friends of the Township Committee.
Thank you for bringing this to attention. It is impossible for me to get to Trenton on Thursday, but I just sent an email to Mr. Lago.
I just sent my letter to Chairman Doyle. I implore all the readers of Blogfinger to do the same. It only takes a couple of minutes. You need to act now to save this town.
The simple fact is, is that the Neptune Township Planner is the real danger to the Ocean Grove Historic District. I am going to submit to have Ocean Grove listed as one of New Jersey’s 10 most endangered sites with Preservation New Jersey because of the Planner and the RSIS Board. The irresponsible actions of these two has already done irreversible damage to the community.
Fran: Well said. I will report back, but absent an actual witnessing of the hearing, a note to the DCA will let them know how citizens feel about our lack of transparent and representational government.
They need to know that if they grant the Township’s wishes, we will see more condoization of our favorite historic town and greater potential risk to the investments we have all made in true historic houses. We need to protect the historic preservation of our town. Will more condoization cost us our historic designation in the future? And won’t the town be terrific if it were all zoned single family detached from here on in. —Paul
Caejos: Hopefully many of you will go to bear witness to an exercise in democracy or lack thereof. At best, some of you will get up and address the committee to tell them how citizens feel about this matter. I know that Jack, Kevin and I will do that.
Are we going?
I can’t get down to Trenton this Thursday, but I will definitely send an email to Mr. Doyle of the SIAB via Mr. Lago of the DCA. We have to let the SIAB know that Neptune Township is trying to hoodwink the Board about the Township’s true intentions, which will ultimately ruin Ocean Grove’s historic character, not preserve and protect it.
Hearing location: Room 129 at the Department of Community Affairs (William Ashby Building) at 101 South Broad Street in Trenton, New Jersey