Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
This morning we heard from David Fox who attended the HPC/OGNED ZOOM meeting last night regarding OGNED’s application for a necessary Certificate of Appropriateness. The meeting was supposed to allow for questions from HPC and the public. Some thought it would be a slam dunk for the OGNEDers.
We could not attend, but after attending that stultifying meeting of April 20, we thought it was a “done deal.” The HPC was tossed around like a rag doll by OGNED’s bullying aggressive lawyer Krimko, and then there was the OGNED architect who seemed to be an expert in ugly ersatz Victorian designs. As a consultant for OGNED, his conflict of interest regarding what’s best for Ocean Grove was apparent.
Here is a link to our post about the April 20 HPC/OGNED meeting. It looks like we might be wrong.
And here is what we concluded on April 17, 2022:
“Clearly WAVE/OGNED and the Township have finally, after 14 years, successfully positioned themselves to turn the Ocean Grove North End into Asbury Park South: a crowded, ugly, pseudo-historic, money-driven mess.
“During those 14 preceding years, no attention was paid to the views of the Grove’s dominant citizen group—OG residents, and no attention was paid to the legitimate legal concerns presented on Blogfinger.
“Now all that is left is to iron out architectural details with the HPC and to smooth out the feelings of the Neptune Planning Board.
“The Blogfinger issues are now left in the dustbin of history.”
JACK JOHNSON AND FRIENDS: “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”
“But I got to stop wishing, got to go fishing, down to rock bottom again
Just a few friends, just a few friends”
But David contacted us today , 6/9/22, and said, “At about 11 pm yesterday, the HPC voted to deny a certificate of appropriateness to the North End development. This will very likely be appealed. A vote was required at that time as a legal provision requires decisions to be made within a time frame.”
As of this morning, June 9, 2022, that’s all we have.
As soon as we know more, we will share. If you attended and want to tell us of your observations, just email to Blogfinger@verizon.net. You can be anonymous.
We emailed one of the HPC commissioners for information, but so far she has not responded. This has happened before with those people. They are very secretive, but I believe they have a responsibility to be open with OG citizens.
Maybe the HOA will report to our readers about what happened, but the chances of that are next to zero. They have failed to oppose the North End plan ever since its 2007 inception.
Will these proceedings result in Ocean Grove being true to its Master Plan and its history?
From La Cage aux Folles It’s George Hearn and Donald Pippin: “I Am What I Am.”
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