February 5, 2015 fire on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove, NJ destroys a building at #50 Main Ave. CBS TV News Report
One year ago a rapidly progressive fire destroyed #50 Main Avenue and took with it some apartments and a few stores including Yvonne’s Restaurant, Smuggler’s Cove and Fusion. There was also some adjacent damage that ruined the coffee shop, The Barbaric Bean.
The plan was to rebuild by next summer, but things have slowed considerably. The foundation seems to be close to completion, but a shadow has been cast over the plans due to a law suit which challenges the project on a number of grounds including illegal density, violations of the State RSIS parking regulations, violations of the Federal Disability Act (including not providing handicapped parking) and a number of zoning complaints. With regard to the latter, if you look at the current foundation, it seems to extend beyond the legal setback, up to the sidewalk.
Another issue includes allegations that the lawyer for the Neptune Township Board of Adjustment illegally stopped the meeting in mid-stream for an intermission, allowing time for potential collusion.
The preliminary hearing will take place at Monmouth County Superior Court on February 24, 2016. The defendant is Kurt Cavano, the property’s owner, together with the Neptune Township Board of Adjustment. The plaintiff is Kevin Chambers of Ocean Grove, NJ.
If you want to attend you might have to call ahead to see if the hearing is open to the public.
Here is a link to the BF article from last October regarding this topic. If you go to that link you will find some additional new comments.
LONDON THEATER ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS
blogfinger.net 
My family has lived in Ocean Grove for four generations and there has always been an issue especially when we had to move the cars out from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday. I cannot believe that we are even having this discussion. I live at the North End where there was a hotel and we didn’t have this much discussion. Now Asbury Park visitors park in Ocean Grove because because they can’t figure out the parking meters.
Regarding the new building on Main Avenue, it will be a god-send for businesses downtown. There will be less number of apartments so less number of residents; it will be handicapped accessible. If you want to complain about something how about the lack of public bathrooms for our visitors.
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Actually there is one across from Auditorium Park that could be the bathroom center for visitors during the off season in town but the CMA closes it. It can be weatherized for operating, but whois going to clean it?
Anyway if you’re into donuts, stop in the DD outside of town; get yourself some donuts and relief right there.
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This comment came in Feb. 6, 2016 at 8:15 am, but it was posted to an October article on this topic. We are moving it here to be current, where it belongs. It is by Phillip Orton of Ocean Grove:
Dear Parking Panickers,
My wife and I just moved to Ocean Grove, but don’t freak out– we don’t own a car and won’t take your parking space!
We have always loved this unique town for its historical character, walkability, and access to an amazing transit corridor just 10 minutes walk away.
Please don’t replace rental units and storefronts on our treasured main avenue with parking, as some are suggesting.
And know that there are some of us who feel very well represented by the HOA and Neptune Township when they grant parking waivers with new developments. It actually tends to be needed to keep the unique historical character, as exemplified by this case on Main.
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In reply to Philip Orton. This comment came in on Feb. 6, 2016 at 11:17 am:
Phil: You have framed your argument with inaccuracies. No one wants a parking lot there instead of a mixed use building as before. Most people want that building back, but it needs to conform to the law.
This suit is about equal protection under the law. It is about preventing special interests from ignoring the laws to further their own purposes. An example would be to ignore setbacks so that a building can be bigger and to block walkways, or to create greater density and more demand for parking.
The RSIS debate is about new construction that should not be permitted without providing parking, like the huge condo on Ocean Ave. If they can’t provide parking, which most such projects cannot, then only a single family house should be allowed.
Of course there can be no parking at 50 Main except on the street, unfortunately, but disobeying or abolishing the law are not the answers there—–a variance might be, but I don’t think variances are possible in violation of state law. So how did they get permission?
If you love historic OG then you should oppose the Township as it favors developers who want to build more non-historic condos or big pseudo-commercial non-historic buildings like Mary’s Place.
In some ways 50 Main is a test case that fights for fair implementation of the law in our little town.
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This comment came in on Feb 6, 2016 at 1:16 pm
I know all this and agree the law should be followed, Paul- I read your blog all the time and it’s great.
Where we will likely continue to disagree is on density — I see it as completely consistent with the town’s historical character.
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This comment came in on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:12 pm, but was posted under an article from October. This stream is also being posted here to keep it current:
Phil: Thank you for your opinion, as misguided as it seems. I’m glad you are living in OG to keep us on our toes. But for you and What Problem?—consider this:
1.The overall parking needs for that new building will be huge. There will be some sort of unidentified facility in the basement, a place which was not used before
2. The restaurant will be bigger and thus will require more parking than before. The 6 apartments above will require parking, and no parking will be provided despite State law. Also, there will have to be handicapped parking for the basement facility, the restaurant and the condos, and that will have to be on the street.
Why would anyone with a private home in OG want to support businesses and projects that will suck up even more parking and density. If you don’t think there are parking problems in Ocean Grove, wait till your mom moves in and can’t unload her groceries.
3. Asbury Park has similar parking and zoning issues as we , but they recently permitted a 4 condo building on the lake; however that building will have an underground parking garage. Good for them, but if it weren’t for that garage, only a single family house could have been allowed over there.
4. If you care about OG history, consider this: The true historic character of this town is “one unit per lot.” Why would you support anything else??
5. If you care about the soul of this town, why would you support breaking state and federal laws in the interest of helping developers? Wake up Ocean Grove!!
6. I’m hoping to have a house call by Kevin Chambers to provide more information on all this—-Befuddled in the Grove (aka Blogfinger)
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Thank you “What problem” !! I agree. It will be a God-send for businesses.
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Philip Orton: 30 years ago the Township Committee determined that Ocean Grove had reached its ‘maximum density’ and the town was rezoned for single-family houses, but you know better.
The present committee has been gathering up future potential property values from all of us and turning them over to selected developers, by granting illegal approvals for multi-family houses. And you support this because you have no car ! ?
Neptune Township and/or the OGHOA cannot grant a ‘Waiver’ from State off-street parking requirements. Only the State can.
And, I don’t appreciate being referred to as a ‘Parking Panicker’ by someone who obviously has no idea of the zoning process.
You are entitled to your opinion, but, if people listen to you we can kiss this town goodbye.
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