Joyce Klein presides over this HOA meeting. Blogfinger photo. 2/23/24. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Barbara Burns. HOA Legal Affairs Committee. Paul Goldfinger photo. 2/24/24.
Let’s have an O for Robert Ignato, MVP, lawyer, HOA Legal Affairs Committee. Paul Goldfinger photo. All still photos obtained from the ZOOM view screen.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net and member of Zoomer Nation. 2/23/24.
a. The OGHOA had a meeting this morning, 2/24/24 regarding the North End.
The ZOOM audio shut down intermittently, so I missed some important items presented by the HOA Legal Affairs Committee—-Robert Ignato and Barbara Burns.
This is not the first time that the HOA ZOOM technology has faltered. Something needs to be done.
b. This HOA meeting was about the forthcoming (Feb 26) Township Neptune Committee meeting where OGNED wants to have the Township Committee approve two resolutions and one ordinance which the HOA oppose. (See below:)
c. Here is a link to a Blogfinger post on Dec. 1, 2023, right after the November Township Meeting where these items were tabled.
d. What will be discussed at the Township Feb 26 meeting? Below is how the HOA explained it in their “Mayday email.”
“At Monday’s meeting, the Township Committee will vote on two key resolutions and one key ordinance. The resolutions are to refer an amended Redevelopment Plan to the Planning Board (# 24-142) and to authorize the execution of the proposed Settlement Agreement (#24-141) resolving the lawsuit. (re HPC) filed by OGNED against Neptune Township.
“Also on the agenda is an ordinance (ORD 24-10 to adopt the amended Redevelopment Plan.”
e. Over the years when we at Blogfinger discussed these issues, we thought that a signed Redevelopers Plan was set in stone and that changes would require starting the process over again. And the same was true of HPC approval which OGNED and some Committepersons want to end run now.
And there were some other aspects which were not covered today:
f. Regarding “climate issues” which were never referred that way before–basically it is about dirty ground water and risk of flooding from the project. Jack and I pointed out that the Township changed a tax map to call Wesley Lake a “Detention-Retention Basin.” We speculated that this meant that the new groundwater source would dump dirty water into the Lake and then into the ocean. We heard nothing further on that. Joan Venezia (HOA) mentioned this issue recently.
Here is a link to our article about that, including a map,
g . Regarding the environmental risks of the garage, Ms. Burns said that OGNED caused the DEP to “cave” on this issue as they granted OGNED a CAFRA approval; even though the property is in a flood plain. She also pointed out that the garage roof is cement. (impervious to water) But heavy rains could still be trouble.
And, after the original NERP, the garage design was changed to one raised floor. And a related issue: all roofs in the Grove must peaked; yet this plan has flat roofs.
Questions from the audience. 2/24/24. Blogfinger.net photoh. Nancy Clarke (HOA) speaking from the audience presented a surprising insight regarding the 5 Committee members. She says, “I do perceive a power struggle within the Neptune Township Committee.”
Nancy Clarke. Paul Goldfinger photos. HOA meeting 2/24/24
The Mayor is inexperienced and ill prepared to do her job which includes creating the agenda; so how was that agenda matter resolved?
In addition, Kevin McMillian, newly sworn in, was involved in much of the North End debates of the past. In fact he was Mayor in 2016 and he spoke to the HOA that summer about the North End. Should he recuse himself now? His voting record on these matters should be reviewed. Maybe he has a conflict.
i. We have pointed out for years on Blogfinger that there were illegal actions taken to create a Zone in Need of Redevelopment at the North End, and that permission granted by Neptune Township violated the MLU criteria for that designation and was done only to make more money for WAVE and the CMA by creating a multi-use zone instead of just single family houses. They should have been required to make their case legally.
j. Also, Barbara Burns said that the profits to be made by taxes generated with this North End project wouldn’t be very much, so she emphasized the most important question of all: “Why is this North End Plan so important to Neptune Township when other plans, such as single family homes, could have been implemented long ago?
She reminded us that this project has been debated for the last 20 years, and Neptune could have resolved the debate by simply trashing the WAVE/OGNED demands and doing something for we-the-people, according to existing zoning and the Master Plan. But they stubbornly refused to do the right thing for Ocean Grove. Follow the money? Conflicts of interest?
I would add that the HOA could have pushed for such a solution years ago if they hadn’t been so stubborn. They should have said “No” and demanded single family homes.
k. . We believe that Mayor Rizzo signed an illegal Redevelopment Agreement a few years ago, and now another version is proposed. The latest version needs to be evaluated in terms of changing such documents in the midst of a Redevelopment Plan
l. Another issue is about fire safety and how the trucks can maneuver at the North End. We brought that up in the past and never did get an answer about whether the OG Fire Department evaluated the plan. Recently Joan Venezia (HOA) mentioned the same matter.
m. The HOA encouraged a large in-person crowd to come to the Township meeting 2/24 although seating may be an issue. There will be on-line access.
n. Also, evidently the Neptune Committee members may not have read all the documents which they are voting on. So the HOA Legal Committee wrote up a simplified version for them. That should be on the HOA website.
If this Neptune Committee is in the process of disintegrating, then the HOA should get a lawyer and cry, “Foul!”
o. Someone in the audience asked an important question. “If the Committee votes “no” on these 2 resolutions and 1 ordinance, then, “What happens next?” Maybe the matter would be referred to the Board of Adjustment. (zoning.)
p. Another point which was new to me: The CMA evidently signed a “perpetual ground lease” with the re-developer. As a result, the CMA has little influence at this time, although they were major players in previous years. I guess they still own the land. Can anyone clarify this point?
Make a “comment” or write us at Blogfinger@verizon.net.
JANE BIRKIN AND SERGE GAINSBOURG. We’ve had enough English for awhile. Here is a French love song. Make love not war.
“Je T’aime Mois Non Plus”
Doug Macmorris
This is so wrong! They are going to give a connected developer the right to bypass the Historic requirements that every other homeowner in town has to abide by. Which pretty much totally destroys the process that has protected Ocean Grove since the 1980’s.