It is all really necessary? It it’s an existing garage
Continuation of the application for the Kalian four story complex planned for E Garfield and First Avenues was put off by the applicant a few hours before the other night’s planning board meeting. But it was interesting to sit in on the meeting for the one application that was heard anyway. It was concerning and old, small, 1 car garage.
It was enough to make VeniVidiScripto wonder if there shouldn’t be some changes in the planning board regulations to make life at least a little easier for the poor guy who just wants to improve his property.
This is not to disparage the members of the planning Board. John McGoldrick is an outstanding chairman, each of the members is well-informed, very interested in each phase of their job, diligent in their research and smart enough that they ask many questions.
Heck, even the planning board attorney gets praised at these meetings…and for good reason. He too is great at the job. The borough engineer shows his knowledge, studies, has awareness of every application at every single meeting and is truly an asset to both applicant and borough alike. They don’t come any better than Doug Rohmeyer.
Nor do they come any better than Nancy Tran, the planning board secretary. Highlands has known how great she is for a long time, what with her handling everything as borough clerk over there. Plus some.
This week in Atlantic Highlands, she and her staff went out of their way long past work hours or obligations to try to let the public know as early as possible that the application everyone would be showing up for, the apartment complex, was put on hold.
But the poor applicant who simply wants to build a two-car garage in the back of his property has apparently been trying to get that done for a few years now. Ironically, the garage seems to bring considerable improvements to the properties along route 36, so why make it so difficult?
It was an old garage, fits one car, was built who knows when. It was close to the line of the adjacent property owner. All he wants to do, and was finally given full approval to do, was tear down the building, build a new and bigger garage on his own property, and build it further away from the adjacent line to his neighbor. Result: Further from the property line, new building, better esthetics. Should be easy.
But it apparently wasn’t. He applied last year, it seems, and his neighbor objected. Both had attorneys. So the attorneys meet to see if the dispute could be settled amicably. And it was. But some of the things the applicant agreed to seem a bit silly and overkill in their request. As part of the private agreement, the applicant for the garage agreed, at his neighbor’s insistence, it seems, that none of the trucks or anything else necessary for the construction will dare to stretch an iota over her land. Heck, its construction. Even if it some trash or a truck ventured over, it’s only temporary. But he agreed.
That isn’t all. But the applicant also agreed that as much as possible he would keep all the necessary vehicles, equipment or whatever OUT OF SIGHT of the adjacent property owner during the construction phase! These houses are on Route 36….hasn’t anyone seen a truck before? How does their garbage ever get picked up? How are deliveries made by UPS?
At the meeting, with the applicant, his attorney AND an expert present, he gave all the right testimony, though he was rather amusing at times. When asked about whether the new building will have gutters, he said the old one did not and it was there 100 years. “Where did the water go then?” he asked. But yes, there are gutters.
There were questions on shielding the construction views, the trees around the property, how impervious is the soil, a dry well, heck he had already agreed he had a dry well.
VeniVidiScripto is happy this very astute planning board wants to keep things looking the very best for Atlantic Highlands. Even if it does put a terrible expense and a lot of trouble on the shoulders of the poor guy who just wants a bigger garage because cars have gotten bigger over the years as well … maybe he even has more than one, who knows.
But seeing what a citizen had to go through for one garage in the back of his property on a state highway makes you wonder.
Should we even be thinking about a building that needs what looks like right now as a minimum of 44 excuses not to follow the law.
Granting that approval leads to more people moving into town, more views being obstructed, more motorists trying to find parking, at least two popular businesses closing and the owner who does not live in town doing it all apparently so he can make a lot of money. That’s without even thinking of all that First Avenue traffic especially when Sea Streak is coming or going.
Can’t wait to see if the Police Department, one more great department in this borough, has anything to say about the safety of coming in out of that residential area with a less than perfect view of oncoming traffic.
The planners and their experts will continue to ask a lot of questions of the bigger and far more impactful new building. But in the end, anyone wanna take any bets?
Regardless of anything else, in the end, do you think that building will get to be erected right smack next to its sister building? That building, too also got permission to be excused from a number of things the Master Planners thought was so important to preserve the appearance of the town.
How’s Atlantic Highlands looking to you these days? It’s up to you, the resident, the taxpayer, the parent worried for the safety of their children, the pedestrian, the guy who enjoys a beer at the little family-type bar that’s closing, or buys a lottery ticket at the popular deli, to keep letting the planner know you like the town the way it is. Some changes, OK, some improvements, perhaps they’re needed. But is this the answer to those things? And will it make the town or its people better?
The next meeting is September 7th at 7PM. Who will get lucky that day?
