The North End along its northern edge near Wesley Lake. Blogfinger photo © 2015.
Condolandia (North End) as seen from Surf Avenue in 2015. Blogfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, MD Editor @Blogfinger.net
For the last ten years, the North End Redevelopment Plan (NERP) has been kept under wraps for obscure reasons. Instead of moving ahead with something that would be good for the town of Ocean Grove and for this region of the Jersey Shore, that large dirt zone has been allowed to fester by the Neptune Township Committee.
Why do you suppose the Committee would stick with a flawed and failed project? Whose side are they on—the developers or the community of Ocean Grove.? Since this plan was approved, no re-developer has ever been chosen. There is no re-developer’s agreement.
When that plan was conceived in 2007 , it was said to be immediately necessary to bring that property to life. It was called an “area in need of redevelopment.” For some reason, the Township decided that the property owner, the Camp Meeting Association, was incapable of developing that valuable piece of land on their own. They said that local government must take over.
The Township Committee ruled that the zoning had to be changed from 25 single family homes to a major commercial enterprise with 165 residential units—mostly condos, plus a hotel, stores, and an underground garage.
Was anyone fooled by that nonsense? Even a blind man could see through it. Did we really need to turn the OG North End into Asbury Park South? Was that going to save the town? Or was that going to save Neptune Township?
The misguided concept was approved despite the Planning Board’s Master Plan for the “historic district.”
Everyone knew that it was just trickery to allow developers to make a ton of money once the zoning change had been allowed. What is the motive for the Township to turn its back on its citizens? Is it only about ratables? Are there other variables such as special treatment for certain OG investors or for CMA trustees? It’s ironic, but many of those 25 properties were originally earmarked for CMA religious leaders.
This is what the NJ Land Use Law said back then about redevelopment projects: “Historically, redevelopment was primarily envisioned for totally deteriorated, blighted urban ghettos.”
For the last ten years, our elected officials have allowed the NERP to fester while developers figured out what to do, and there still are no answers and no progress. The only one who spoke out in support of the people was Mary Beth Jahn, former Committeewoman, who was forced out by her own party.
On January 1, 2018, a new administration will be sworn in, including a new mayor. It would seem like an opportune time to do something which should have been done years ago: They should nullify the NERP and restore the original zoning.
Then maybe the CMA will start construction on those 25 homes—something which should have been accomplished a long time ago. By now we could have had a beautiful residential area at the North End, with off-street parking.
Below are some notes about redevelopment plans per the New Jersey Land Use Laws:
a. ” No permit for the erection of any building or structure shall be issued unless the lot abuts a street giving access to such proposed building or structure.
b. “A delineated area may be determined to be in need of rehabilitation if the governing body of the municipality determines by resolution that there exist in that area certain conditions (pick one) such that:
“The owner cannot be found; unpaid fines and taxes exist; code violations cannot be rectified;
“—-or land that is owned by the municipality, or unimproved vacant land that has remained so for a period of ten years and that by reason of its location, remoteness, lack of means of access to developed sections or portions of the municipality or topography, or nature of the soil, is not likely to be developed through the instrumentality of private capital.” Source Hill Wallack, LLP
The truth is that the special designation of “area in need of redevelopment” should never have been granted by the Neptune Township Committee in 2007.
There was no reason to think that the CMA could not have brought their property to life without government help under the original zoning.
Here are two links that address public opinion on this matter:
Trusting the Township Committee 2017
THE TOKENS. In this song, the lion is a metaphor for the citizens of Ocean Grove.
Neglected to mention location: a smoked-filled backroom. This is New Jersey.
I.M.Radar, all land use decisions are to be made at open public meetings to which the Public and the Press have been invited to attend.
Whether it’s Neptune Twp. or Camp Mtg., greed is the motivation. More tax ratables from more units for the former, higher escalating ground rentals for the latter.
Ocean Grove residents sit on major township committees, commissions, and boards. Ocean Grove residents are very influential in the Camp Mtg. The developer also lives in Ocean Grove and continues to build in our community.
Using a current phrase: “a deal can be made.” 25 (pricey) homes. High taxes. High ground rentals. Exclusively built by the developer.
New Year’s Eve. Sufficient wine plus. Guests: all of the above.
The host ?
The North End Redevelopment scam, I mean Plan, is an assault on the Historic District and the residents of Ocean Grove, and the OGHOA has their fingerprints all over the Plan.
On Jan 1, 2018, there will be a new Administration in Neptune Township. I hope they take another look at this plan as was suggested by Mayor Michael Brantley.
This has gone on for way too long.