Why does the HOA support the Township on the RSIS issue? Partly it’s fear of curb cuts.
The Home Groaners Board has taken the Kool Aid and has jumped on the bandwagon which says that RSIS parking standards are no good for Ocean Grove because our streets would be covered by curb cuts that would reduce on-street parking. That is one reason why they want the exemption from the RSIS.
But, there will be no curb cuts if the RSIS standards are left in place and enforced. Our lots are too small for proper off-street parking even if a multi-residential developer wanted to supply such parking. So, since he cannot offer off-street parking (curb cuts, garages, parking lots) then he has to settle for building single family houses or just donating his land to the town for a much needed dog park.
The only elements in town which should get a parking exemption (ie a Special Standard) are new single family houses. Allowing them the parking exemption will allow a builder to erect a single family house with no curb cut, driveway or garage.
We will continue to cover this story so that you all can understand what’s going on, and then you can offer an informed opinion. Will the HOA listen to its members and poll them on this subject?
Thursday, December 17, 2015. As you now know, we were not given the chance to counter Neptune Township’s request for a Special Area Standard regarding parking in Ocean Grove. Several of us attended the SIAB meeting today and we did have prepared statements. I was allowed to leave my planned statement as part of the minutes today. Here is that statement:
My name is Dr. Paul Goldfinger of Ocean Grove where I am a long time homeowner.
I am also the editor of Blogfinger, an Ocean Grove web site, and the only media source that has been covering this matter. This blog allows Ocean Grove residents to discuss issues about our town. We also conduct opinion polls which, although not scientific, give an idea as to which way the wind is blowing.
I am qualified to speak about the views of Ocean Grove citizens due to the 2.5 million visits to my blog, since it was founded in 2009, and most of those visits are by Ocean Grovers. I have moderated thousands of comments and discussions on the site including those regarding today’s topic.
In my opinion, the people making today’s presentation to this Committee do not represent the homeowners and citizens of Ocean Grove.
Instead, I believe that they represent the interests of developers who would compromise our historic designations by seeking more condominiums and other similar buildings without parking in our town—- doing so by willfully violating RISS parking regulations.
The planner who appears before you today was hired by the Neptune Township Committee, but our recent poll (Nov 6) of citizens showed that 84% of over 300 respondents do not trust the Neptune Township Committee to do what’s “fair and just for the town of Ocean Grove.”
Condominiums, such as have been allowed in our town in recent years, endanger our historic designations because those buildings are not historic, they tend to be eyesores, and they promote congestion and parking problems on our streets. If you grant the special area standards requested, you will legitimize such development and make it easier for more such buildings to be constructed.
Neptune Township says that their request is only about historic preservation, but this Special Area designation is not needed in Ocean Grove for that purpose. What is needed to help citizens maintain historic preservation is for the State to make sure that RSIS parking standards are enforced for multi-residential buildings so that we do not have any more condominiums constructed without parking.
In my opinion, the people of Ocean Grove want the Township to have neighborhoods with single family zoning throughout town. That is the true historic precedent which has existed for some time and is the acknowledged preference of Ocean Grove’s citizens.
In another opinion poll on Blogfinger, Dec. 7, 272 citizens voted on the question of “Do you prefer 25 single family homes (original zoning) at the North End Re-development Area to the current plan’s 165 residential units? ” 88 % said yes they favor single family homes. If this Committee grants a special area standard, it should only be for single family homes.
The people of OG, in my opinion, are concerned that the Township can simply ignore a law that they don’t like—RSIS parking standards. If we the people must obey the law, than so should the Township, and Neptune should not be rewarded for violating New Jersey law , because granting them their request will send a message to our citizens that breaking the law is acceptable to this Committee.
Our homeowners have invested large sums to remodel our houses to historic standards. We moved to OG because we love the historic preservation which is going on. We do not want more commercial development, especially without off-street parking provided.
Today Blogfinger has received some more details about this matter. This is Part 2 on this topic:
In November, 2014, a meeting was held, at the request of Neptune Township, between town officials/consultants and the SIAB’s (Site Improvement Advisory Board) streets and parking committee to discuss how Neptune might obtain a special area parking standard (ie exemption) according to the RISS rules. The meeting concluded that Ocean Grove qualifies for such consideration. They also concluded that Neptune Township had to follow procedures including formal acceptance by the Township.
But somehow, Neptune failed to adequately complete the application properly and thus, on June 18, 2015, at the Board’s public meeting, due to the fact that “Neptune hadn’t yet submitted a formal application, its members approved a motion to dismiss without prejudice this topic from its agenda.”
On July 15, 2015, a letter was sent to Mayor Jahn from Joseph H. Doyle, Jr., Chairman of the New Jersey Site Improvement Advisory Board. We have a copy of that letter. In it, he tells her that the request for a special area parking standard for the historic Ocean Grove neighborhood has been taken off the table.
Today, October 15, 2015, we received a copy of an email dated August 20, 2015, which represents the most recent contact between the DCA and Neptune officials.
That email, below, is from Mr. John Lago, DCA Housing Research Manager to Jennifer Beahm, who is the planner from CME Associates who wrote the application dated July, 2015.
“Thank you for the paper and electronic copies of the special area parking and street standards for the Ocean Grove neighborhood in Neptune Township, Monmouth County. The paper copy was delivered to the Department on August 7, 2015. An electronic version was shared with the Site Improvement Advisory Board (SIAB). The material is close to a complete application. Two items are still needed:
A resolution from the municipal governing body that briefly describes the application and the reason for the exception to the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS). This requirement is specified at NJAC 5:21-3.5 (e) 1; and,
Proof of publication by the municipality that Neptune Township is seeking approval of a special area standard. A notice of the special area standard, like the one drafted for your application, must be published in a local paper. It should briefly describe the special area standards, let those in the public know a copy of the application is available with the municipal clerk, and tell them how to get a copy of this information. (See NJAC 5:21-3.5(c)1.i.)
Once the Department has this, it will file a notice in the NJ Register of receipt of the application, including a summary of the contents, and the time, place and date of the public meeting at which it will be discussed. This will officially announce receipt of a complete application and begin the process SIAB goes through to publicly review the application.
Editor’s note: We will continue reporting on this subject. It is about more than the request for an exemption to the RISS parking rules. It is also about the way that development has occurred in our historic town. We will see if the State sees through the request which is, at its core, a smooth sailing pass-through for developers in a town that is already too developed.
The people of Ocean Grove care about parking, but parking questions are just symptoms of bigger related issues including quality of life, fresh air, peace and quiet,and maintaining the town as an authentic place with character and beauty and not just a source of riches for developers and taxes for politicians. The politicians in this town have a pattern of ignoring us in Ocean Grove. This RISS matter is part of that. Why do you think that they are pushing this exemption?
The State says that it is concerned about preserving our history as it considers the request, and we hope it gives a voice to our citizens as it has promised to do. We will be presenting some of the highlights from the application, especially the parts that justify the special exemption. And if it does reach the Planning Board, we should crowd that room in opposition.—-Paul Goldfinger Editor @Blogfinger.
FATHER JOHN MISTY: “Nancy from Now On” It’s a moody thing, but the last part of the lyric—-watch out!
“Forgive me how it was
A place under the sun
Before the devil made me run
Run boy, run boy”