In the future, when visitors stroll through the Casino and emerge on the sunny OG side, what will they find?   Paul Goldfinger photo ©. Undated

Jack Bredin and Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net.    May 30, 2019.  Ocean Grove, NJ.

If you read the Blogfinger North End Update below, you will see that Administrator Vito Gadaleta painted a portrait of deceptive simplicity when he described the procedure for getting the latest  North End plan off the ground.

He said that all the “issues” have been resolved, so a signed Redevelopers Agreement, which has been missing in action since 2008, is now on the launching pad.

His statement made it seem so easy: just take it to the Neptune Planning Board and then on to the Historic Preservation Commission: a piece of cake.

But not so fast Mr. Gadaleta!  You seem to have left out some important issues which, according to New Jersey Land Use Law, require your attention.

This huge commercial, mixed-use-development at the North End  is on the verge of being approved,  along with  the consequent big money that will ensue, and the citizens need to take a close look.

So here are the issues which worry us, even though Mr. Gadaleta and the Fabulous Five failed to mention them in their announcement at the last Workshop meeting.

a.  Are they going to persist in calling Lake Avenue a “roadway?”  Are they planning to turn the north end boardwalk into a roadway?    Or are they planning a new road parallel to the boardwalk?

b. What plans do they have for processing dirty street water runoff ?

c. Have they applied for  a CAFRA/DEP permit to protect our coastal waters?

d. Where is the site plan that will show pilings and elevations according to post-Sandy construction regulations?

e. Have they obtained a security bond that will guarantee that the redevelopment project will be built as promised in the Redevelopment Agreement, soon to be signed as promised by Gadaleta?  Where is the letter of credit from a financial institution?

f. If they are proposing something different than the original (2008) North End Redevelopment Plan (NERP) then will they be scheduling public meetings for the input of citizens/residents ?

g.  What environmental studies have been done?  And what about engineering studies regarding the underground garage?

h.  If they plan to rebuild the Pavilion property, site of the recent fire, then will they get permission from the CMA  to provide access for trucks and other vehicles?  Will they provide parking as required by RSIS?  That property, east of the boardwalk, would not get parking access to the new garage.

I  If OGNED is the contract purchaser of the North End land, then will OGNED pay all the back taxes on the property?  And if the CMA sells the land to OGNED, then will the CMA be able to charge ground rents to those residents?

J. And for the part of the NERP west of the boardwalk, will there be enough parking to satisfy a traffic/parking study and will there be a way to get trucks and other vehicles  as well as utility access to those properties that face Wesley Lake?

K. Will the Planning Board be able to approve the new NERP  (which no one has seen yet) if some or all of the questions above remain unanswered?

So Blogfinger doesn’t know how many of these issues will apply, but it sure doesn’t sound as simple as portrayed by Vito  Gadaleta, spokesperson for Neptune Township.

TEDDY THOMPSON AND KELLY JONES  “Wondering.”

“Wondering
Yes, I’m wondering
Wondering if you might be wondering too
Lately, I’ve been wondering about this brand new rhythm in my heart
Lately, I’ve been been wondering why these thoughts won’t stop tearing me apart..”