North End Project Gets Green Light: Township Committee to finalize plan and appoint developer
By DON STINE
Redevelopment of the North End in historic Ocean Grove took a major step forward on Monday when the Neptune Township Committee adopted an ordinance authorizing the project.
We are still so far from the end concept of what will be allowed (in the project) and it may change over time, said Mayor Randy Bishop.
But both committee members and some of the public said this is at least a start.
The redevelopment plan has seen several revisions after receiving review and comment from the public, Planning Board, Historic Preservation Commission, and the Ocean Grove Homeowners Association. The next step involves finalizing the plan and appointing a developer for the project. The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, which owns the property, has already signed an agreement for the property with WAVE, an Ocean Grove-based developer. Ocean Grove resident Bill Gannon, a principal in the company, who hopes to be appointed as developer said he was happy the plan was adopted by the committee.
We appreciate the year and a half of meetings that the committee and the people participated in and we look forward to negotiating to become the developer, Gannon said. Were rolling up our sleeves and getting to work on the new plan.
The current plan calls for an 80-room hotel, a maximum of 85 condominiums and single family homes facing the homes already existing on Spray Avenue. Some commercial units in the boardwalk area will also be allowed, including restaurants and shops.
The single-family homes were added to the plan and the number of hotel units and condominiums reduced after public outcry over too high a density for the project.
The number of units may be changed as the plan progresses, however, Bishop said.
I want to see (density and impact on the surrounding neighborhood) going down, not up or it will not have my support. I believe it is time to look responsibly at what must be done, he said.
Residents are divided in their support or opposition to the project- as was the committee.
Bishop, Deputy Mayor Dr. Michael Brantley, and Committeeman James Manning Jr. all voted in favor of the ordinance with Committeewoman Mary Beth Jahn voting against it.
Committeeman Thomas J. Catley has removed himself from voting on the issue because of his long-time friendship and some business associations with the proposed redeveloper, Bill Gannon of Ocean Grove.
Brantley said he is happy weve gotten to this point and that the project will bring ratables to the township.
Manning said the North End is a critical piece of property in the township in need of redevelopment.
Its a couple of years away from anything being built there but this ordinance gives us a framework to work with, he said.
Jahn said she cannot support the project and believes it will have a negligible public benefit.
She also criticized the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association- as did some other residents- for not being true to the historic nature of the community.
The Camp Meeting plays the historic card when its convenient but tries to get around it when its not, she said.
Some residents backed Jahns statement, saying the township and the Camp Meeting Association are allowing multi-family uses on the North End site when they are prohibited there under the Master Plan.
Supporters of the project say the multi-family uses are needed to make the project financially viable.
Mary Layton, Ocean Grove, said she finds it extraordinarily ironic that the Camp Meeting Association is exempt from rules that are required of other residents in the historic district.
The Camp Meeting deserves no more consideration than the rest of us living in Ocean Grove, she said.
(Ignoring the Master Plan) is a total violation of our trust, said resident Kevin Chambers.
The ordinance requires that the redevelopment project receive a certificate of appropriateness from the townships Historic Preservation Commission.
Other residents said they support the project and that it is long overdue.
Get the rebirth of the North End goingand move forward with the proposal, said Ocean Grove resident Archie Castle.
Some residents expressed concern that hotel units will not be allowed to be converted into condominiums and that financial information of the redeveloper, once appointed, be made available to the public.
Personally, that is something I am very disposed to do, Bishop said regarding not allowing the conversions.
Bishop also said he sees no problems in making the finances and principals in the redevelopment company available to the public.
Manning said there has been no discussion of tax abatements for the project but that he may favor payments in lieu of taxes instead.
Bishop said he is against tax abatements for private residences.
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