By Paul Goldfinger, Editor and Jack Bredin, research/reporter @Blogfinger
The Neptune Township Committee will present Resolution #17-469 at their next meeting on December 11, 2017. It is about a law suit that has been filed by the Warrington property owner against the Township.
The Township has said that the fire on March 3, 2017, which totally destroyed the derelict hotel, has resulted in the owner’s losing his prior construction approvals. But the resolution makes reference to plans for a basement innkeeper’s apartment. At no time does Resolution #17-469 make it clear that the approvals for a remodeled boutique hotel are now null and void because the building was totally destroyed in the fire of March 3, 2017.
The Neptune Committee will be authorizing a special counsel to defend the suit. They have authorized legal fees up to $5,000.00 .
Below is the Resolution from the Committee agenda for December 11.
It gives the impression, by focusing on that basement apartment, that perhaps the Township and the owner are trying to create a diversionary strategy that would, in the end, allow that hotel (or condominiums) to be built, using a plan that would seek relief from a judge.
But unlike the Surf Avenue Hotel situation where the zoning change for condos was granted before that fire, the Warrington never received a variance to put up a NEW hotel or condominiums. So Neptune should insist on single family homes. And, there are also a basketful of violations that would have to be overcome and which were listed in our article on Dec. 7 on the “Worrisome Warrington,” Blogfinger.net.
We challenge Mayor Brantley to acknowledge that since the Warrington was destroyed in the fire, no prior approvals are valid now and that Neptune Township will not allow a hotel or a condominium to be built at that site.
From the agenda for Neptune Township Committee meeting on Dec. 11, 2017. Blogfinger photo © CLICK FOR EASY READING.
WEEZER
Jack. That area near Founders Park is already a parking nightmare. And, in addition to the Warrington is that yellow building by the foot of the bridge where, we are told, another 20 condo’s are planned. And don’t forget the homeowners and their renters who are on Lake Avenue–a walkway with no parking at all. They already have turned Asbury Avenue into a parking lot.
Ocean Grove has already been over the top with its parking mess, and these new projects will add to the already impossible congestion.
Neptune Township and the OGHOA are presiding over the transformation of Ocean Grove from a wonderful family oriented, culturally rich, historic town to become Bombay West.
For the life of me I can’t figure out why those people who live around there don’t create a furor over this. Are they afraid to protest?
The resolution seems to focus on the basement apartment.
If that is the case in Court, and the plaintiff (Warrington) simply agrees to relocate the basement apartment to the first floor, then they most likely
will win the case and the local residents will have another 40 cars to compete for a parking space on the street.
However, if the Township in their resolution and in their answer to the complaint
tell the truth, and that truth is that the lot is not located on a street, then the Township cannot lose this case, and we should look forward to a single family house at that location.
Don’t hold your breath.
Kevin Chambers has consistently over the years been the most ardent defender of Ocean Grove. His analysis suggests the OG Homeowners Assn. should seriously consider filing an Amicus and appear in court. Perhaps your alienated “Groaner Ken” might wish to redeem himself and carry the message to the OGHOA board. Isn’t the president a lawyer?
Kevin. It is fascinating that you relate the zoning issues with the parking plan. As you know, the deep details of that HOA/Neptune permit plan have yet to be released, and no engineer has signed off on it, as far as we know. As usual the Township remains secretive and non-transparent, and the Home Groaners blithely whistle a happy tune or are complicit when it comes to the Township Committee. The permit plan will go down the drain along with the street runoff.—-Paul @Blogfinger
From Kevin Chambers, a Grover with a lot to say on this subject:
12/8/17 This post is very important because the Township failed to tell the truth at the Board of Adjustment meeting, and this is a way of going around the law to grant the use.
Here is the problem: When the state enacted RSIS (Residential Site Improvement Standards) it required each town to rewrite their definitions for all uses to include parking.
This prohibited the Township from using the OGCMA lot or lease-hold for their definition of a legal single-family lot because it could not provide parking. The Township was required to establish a legal lot size for the entire Township,that is 5,000 square feet. That makes all lots in OG pre-existing but non-conforming single family lots.
By law there can be no commercial or hotel lots, only single family lots. Since our lots are through lease-holds and are not fee-simple, in other words we do not own the land, the Township nor the court can merge or separate any leased lot.
The Warrington site is by law on a single family lot. That lot cannot be zoned for hotel use. It cannot be zoned for historic hotel use.
The Township knows this, and it is trying to get around this land-use law by letting the Warrington owner go to court and having a judge grant this permission.
This is very serious because all three attorneys and the planner are in on this deception. I believe that they have been committing fraud.
That is why this parking business is such a mess, because the proposed parking plan gives permission to the Township to continue its use of nonconforming lots instead of writing zoning that establishes a legal lot size for OG. And, though parking is in the MLUL (Municipal Land Use Law) it is State law. Every variance application must include parking. Without parking any and all variances applications are incomplete.
And regarding the current law suit, because the judges in Monmouth County are corrupt, this will go through.
Kevin
Kevin