By Paul Goldfinger,Editor and Jack Bredin, Reporter/researcher @Blogfinger.net
Thursday June 7, 2018: After a tumultuous and disorganized meeting last night, all 7 members of the Neptune Township Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to grant a developer a use variance which will allow the Aurora property on Surf Avenue to be divided into 4 condominium homes on a site that is currently zoned for single family houses.
The variance was approved even though the only reason given for granting it is to satisfy the developer. The owners’ lawyer was in no mood to take “no” for an answer. He said, “This is our plan and we’re sticking to it.”
At the last meeting a feeble case was made that changing the building from 32 bedrooms to 12 within that single building would be a good thing for the neighborhood and would justify changing the zoning even though the Master Plan and the existing zoning ordinance state that single family zoning would be best.
During the meeting, most of the time was spent debating the dangerous 4 parking spaces designed into the original proposal. When no conclusion was reached about parking, the group decided that the HPC should take over ruling on that issue, but after a 5 minute closed session (aka a “recess.”) someone woke up and stated that the HPC has no power to deal with zoning.
So, last night, after the group of consultants, board members and lawyers failed to settle that parking issue, they simply decided on a new plan for the Aurora site which was to grant the use variance and forget about public discussion or any of the land use law concerns such as parking. In essence it’s like a blank check .
It should also be noted that representatives of the Home Groaners and the HPC were sitting on their hands at the meeting.
At a 3rd meeting, which will be held on July 18, the Board’s lawyer will offer a resolution to memorialize what was voted on last night.
A court reporter was present to prepare a transcript of the entire meeting, and that should reveal what occurred for anyone who wants to read the boisterous journey into the weeds. It will document the lengths to which the Zoning Board of Adjustment allowed this process to go in order to satisfy a developer without satisfying the best interests of the town of Ocean Grove.
The record will show that the variance was approved despite the absence of any testimony to support the use variance, leaving the scenario open for any future decision by the developer including demolishing the building and creating more damage to the historic district.
The wind-up of this Board meeting seems to define the word “skullduggery.” But this is nothing new.
In fact, how long has this been going on?
PEGGY LEE:
Jack. You are correct. Perhaps the Committee has caught a whiff of napalm in the morning.
Pumper Nichol,
Could happen. Currently investigators are looking at Edgewater in Bergen County, and both towns have been using the same ‘Land Swindler’s Handbook’ for years.
The fix is in. There is no doubt. The AG should investigate. P.N.
Once I learned that a developer had purchased the Aurora with the intent of redeveloping it into condos, I concluded that no developer would proceed with such a purchase if he were not quite certain of his ability to obtain a variance.
To borrow from the movie “Casablanca”, “I am shocked to learn that gambling is going on in this establishment.” “Your winnings, sir.”