Parking Rates Go Up in Asbury Park

Council Meeting May 18, 2011 – [ This site missed the April 20th & May 4th meetings. Sorry for the gap in coverage.]


Council Approves Parking Fee Hike

Bradley Cove Protestors Demand Action

DAV Honored

APHS Debate Team Lauded

Present: Councilmembers Sue Henderson, John Loffredo, Mayor Ed Johnson, Jim Bruno – Absent: Kevin Sanders is delayed at airport. Clerk Steve Kay presiding.

Executive (Closed) Session Topics -

Exemption: Litigation – City of Asbury Park vs. i-Star/Asbury Partners Update (Scotland)

Exemption: Personnel – Chief Municipal finance Officer Interview

Exemption: Labor Negotiations – Collective Bargaining Update



AsburyRadio Arrived 6:25 pm – 25 minutes late

Fees for street closings –

City Atty, Fred Raffetto

Min of $2.50 via resolution, relates to event end of jun/ street closing to be charged on the basis of $2.50 per pkg spot, to compensate for lost parking revenue.

Chief Kinmon –

Reduce violence…can't hear, not on mic – from written agenda:Reduce Youth Violence Grant Partnership with Prevention First & Boys Club; Secure Our School Grant Partnership w/ Asbury Park Bd of Education; Community Oriented Policing Grant to Hire 5 police officers; Technology Grant for $250,000 – back to live mtg…next one is …policeman, secure our schools prog coop w/ our school bd…policeman’s office…4th grant is to the bureau…technology…$250k…just the one match…unintelligible.../

City Mgr Terry Reidy – off mic – boys and girls club a collaboration

Jim Bruno – how long is the grant

CK – 4 yrs

In 4th yr we hv to pick that up?

CK – this is for new hirees, correct.

JB – any retirees coming up?

CK – couldn't hear response

Thanks Chief

Interfaith Neighbors – Reidy – The need to feed initiative, reps of IN here – two women, conceived and dev by members of our youth corp – Heather Schultz, Geneva Harris…new program…Reidy asks her to use the mic…

Harris – marilyn schlossbach…funded by the …safe food preparation…thanks to the support of marilyn schlossbach, to west side community…Tuesday afternoons starting next Tuesday…applause

Harris distributes t-shirts to council “I Feel the Need -- The Need to Feed” Paul McEvily thanks supporters, sponsors, police dept. Marilyn supplies fresh fruit and volunteers herself serving people on site on WSide. Brendon Ward, another volunteer and the Youth Corps who got funding from the ? Wells Fargo ??…

Special Event applications:

Ms Lloyd, in place of Commerce Secretary Tom Gilmour distributes sheets w/ events on them – asks council if they hav qs on what she’s just distributed. Laughter/

Need 4 streets, they’d pay $1400/

Wicked the Musical w/ set up table to sell tickets 9/05

AP Technical Academy of dance to hold 13th annual recital

John Loffredo – I asked you not to have (inaudible) laughter

Matters to be introduced by council –

SH – another mtg of the redevelopment advisory committee/ hope everyone trusts the process we’re using, good diversity, recom that come out w/ rep all of those living in AP/ will keep you up to date.

JB – 5th Ave and Sunset…

SH – go to casino and see what they’ve already done for the swan boats, what they’ve done already is mkg me very happy

Ed Johnson – handicap ramp on 6th av, can that be opened now so that on weekends people can access it?

TR – yesw

EJ – this Sat VNA having health fair, 5th and Main St. By memorial, w/ announce first AP Mayor’s health initiative, w/ make announcement about event w/ tk plc july 16th, a morning of healthy living, w/ be our first hopefully not our last/ if you’d like to be part, pls see mayor/ kick off summer at transportation center wide variety of music, Friday 27th 6- 8 kickoff



City Atty Fred Raffetto (FR) – council w/ not be acting on any items from the executive session this evening.

Recess 15 mins

During this time the audience has filled in to nearly capacity, with Disabled American Veterans members, and men and many women who are objecting to the city’s plans to build 15 residential homes on Ocean Ave in front of Asbury Towers – “North Beach's Bradley Cove”. Representatives of the Surfriders Fdn, who has joined the Oceanfront Preservation Coalition, are here to support those residents – they’re all part of the Oceanfront Preservation Coalition. They wear labels saying …didn't get that...The city has already sold the rights to build the community on Ocean Ave road bed to Asbury Partners. Members pass out flyer: “new residential development demands more in services than it contributes in taxes” contains chart with actual examples.

John Kaplow is taping the meeting now.

EJ – banging gavel before and after meditation and pledge

Welcomes DAVs – presents proclamation to three reps of VFW Post 133 Asbury Park – renamed Corporal James Albert Pritchard, Memorial Chapter (a Vietnam War vet who died from Agent Orange) /

Much applause from audience for the DAVs.



Public Portion – ?? No, council continues w/ its business

Council Business --

Payroll resolution $894, 161.89, 4th of july parade contributions (?), payroll $1,186, 000.

Application Catering permit garcia’s social affair permits…several… all yes

Liquor permit…class one police officers: parisi, Hernandez, brooks, dickens, Nicholas, james croll(?), pkg officers… partial list

Temp budget – 4,000,005.67/ $10k beach, pkg utilities,

Resolution police patrol cars $400,000 14 vehicles – GAVEL again – state contract for $315k for vehicles…didn’t catch auto company named, not on agenda

Plans from Don Sammet, redevelopment dir for 4th ave pavilion moved to Planning bd

Spec hrg on ordinance Jun 15th – for amendment of parking

3.3 of redeveloper agreement, which describes Asbury Madison llc’s vending rights/ but if vendors feel improperly denied license they can appeal to the City Mgr. Will amend the beachfront vending ordinance to reflect changes for Asbury Madison LLC

EJ – public’s ground rules, state name and address, comments now must be related to this ordinance for vending. No one spoke: Amendments approved w/out comment from public.

FR: False Alarm ordinance – wnt to review more/ req action be deferred to next wk.

Hotel tax hearing - Public again offered opp to comment

Public: Mark Williams grand ave, it’s a tax on the occupancy, pays it when someone stays and pays. I thnk hotels in resort town supply goods and services when someone comes to visit/ don’t think we shd pay more bec nj leg passed law to do this/ don’t think it’s attractive to those who want to come here

Jerry scarano - Long Branch – pls explain what this proposes and what it was

FR – leg passed enabling leg allow munis to charge up to 3% tax on any hotel, bldg or at least portion of building set aside open for lodging of guests/ one of opps to raise revenue for city. Won’t take effect until 90 days after Trenton receives copy of ord from the city.

Jerry S. – can we repeal later

FR – yes always hv that opp

JS – gotta stop nickel and diming people to come here/ may need that 3% to pay for gas to get here.

All council voted yes

TR – Next ord. Towing Administrative fee – among actions city taken to reduce costs/ state has list of recomm. We’re getting $10 m from state this yr to balance budget/ state w/ support city if it’s doing everyting in pwr to reduce costs/ this particular fee is being recommended by state/ all yes

Ord establishing Parking meter rates – Annual resident Fee $30 in zone 1 – No. Beach, Zone 2 - Wesley Grove, Zone 3 - South Beach and Zone 4 - Central Business District

Guest and Employee passes $100 ea/ season – Employees have 700 use limit. Effective Jan 1 to Dec 31



JB – pls take separate areas of the ordinance to explain how it will go / let’s open it up to audience to comment on waterfront separately from downtown…

EJ – basically the same thing

City engineer Brian Grant: city amended existing pkg ord to allow meters on 200 block, the blk west of kingsley, was used for meters previously, also CBD, south of summerfield, north of lake…commitment to meter those two areas/ lkg to meter main st. from Neptune line to 6th ave. subject to state app’l, lkg to do in spring of next yr/ app’l to do 60 new meters for waterfront and 40 for CBDowntown/ new meters w/ allow pay using cell phones. Residential permits $30/yr in certain zones/ Wesley Grove zone, south bch, bet Asbury and ?, north beach zone everything north of 6th av. If no garage or driveway can get add’l permit for $30 / also guest passes for $100/yr, 50c /hr, $2/hr on ocean ave consistent w/ seaside and pt pleasant/ Ocean Ave premise is number of spaces to be accommodated is based on turnover of the space/ mk rate prohibitive enuf to discourage people from long term pkg, such as owners and staff. We w/ hv daily rate of $10 for whole day – 9 am to midnite/ pay by space system…w/ be like an atm mach prompt u to tk next step/ take to ticket booth and…? Hi expectations for these meters/ backlighting on the meters/ position next to street lighting, better signage/ in downtown w/ hv residential zones on grand, cookman ave and lake av/ utilize state garage, bet bond and bangs hv for residential/ employees come in morning and monopolize spaces, but s/b for customers using the shops.

EJ – if wnt to be heard pls come to mic

Marilyn Schlossbach – Sewell ave

How addressing employee pkg on ..

BG – hoping to get smart cards for employees / w chg them same as guests - $100/ Asbury to 4th w/ be for employee pkg.

Once get permits w/ tk names and numbers for all employees / can come down

MS - security is issue / had lot of muggings and break ins in the Asbury Av area

SKinmon – have lot of police assigned to that area. Muggings, Marilyn?

MS – yes

EJ – peak times/ closing times w/ hv extra protection

CK – think muggings hav’t been on bchfrnt

Todd Bergman – not only person who won’t shp in RBank anymore because hav to pay for priviledge/ wants to know if can buy a permit for yr.

BG – if buying in bulk can buy $50 card for $45 for anyone who wants to save.

TB – think extremely unfair to penalize people live in area all these yrs and charge them for...

Bob Dalton – Sunset Av

You talked about turnover, but meters from sunset north, what’s the reason going a blk past Kingsley?

BG – we’ve seen people park into loch Arbor / wd like to stimulate turnover there, too.

BD – but no businesses or amenities there now, 1 residential permit per household, if 2 cars?

BG – entitled to 2 permits if don’t hav a driveway…priced it on basis of places chrging $60 a mo. For one car to park/ guests and residents really opens up whole area.

BD – should’t be in zoning ord? when appv a conversion wdn’t u put in as part of conversion? On dailies, if guest visits once – I have to pay $100?

BG – you hv a choice cd pay the meter.

BD – if u hv a contractor for a week…how do they pay?

BG – they can also move the truck to the 300 block where won’t be meters.

BD – if my son’s a resident and here for summer, he’s got to pay $100 to wk for min wage…u hvn’t lked at all the issues…jst like u bought all those multispace meters and had all problems with/ expensive/ jst wanted to raise the issues hav’t been lk’d at/

[[3 min bell didn't go off/]]

BD – contacted AP sev’l yrs ago and never...

Caitlin…- live in Steinbach bldg, wk at the Berkeley w/ I hv to purch pass for my residence and my workplc? I shouldn’t be punished for living and wkg here. More police protection more st. lights?

TR – are more police and more lighting coming. Isn’t Steinbach bldg supplying prkg?

C – yes, I hv 3 cars so must pay $300.

TR – city made sure bldg bef app’d wd supply pkg, city can’t regulate what private owner charges for pkg. if hv to buy permit to park ans is yes.

BG – residential permits rep substantial discount/ if u hv a unit, you’re entitled to 1 lot for $30.

C – if I didn’t live and work in AP I wdn’t be paying $100 a month to park. Don’t see cop wlkg ar’d when get off wk.

George Kary – 200 blck of 6th

Do u plan to vote all zones together tonight or discuss separately?

I’ve been here all my life and in the 60s, 70s one reason people had problem was the parkg. You’ll jst chase people away down there/ u hv 2 hr limit/ pay 50c to go the dollar store?/ why not go to home depot? That’s what happened in 60s people wnt to malls where didn’t hv to park. Enforce the 2 hr pkg limit.

Louise murray – grand av

Realize permits are only for people who live in that area/ my brother goes to bch every day weather permitting, $10 a day/ every day/ sen citizen …what about families that take kids to bch/ it’s a little bit of a hardship/ is there way possibly come up w/ permit so residents can get some compensation for all yrs we sat and pd taxes while it was a ghost town. I respect what council has done to bld up town but feel s/be consideration for residents.

Rita Marano- sachman was supposed to bld garage for his tenants. Louise’s brother pay $70 w/ for parking? I don’t think so . and the 1.5 spaces what’s a half a space for? It’s not really right this has to be addressed bef u even pass this/ mon mall will be getting the business/ lines at meters longer than line at Convention Hall. Bad meter system: I’m gonna tell this story: I put my dollar in and got it back plus another quarter and a receipt to park!

Laughter

Gavel – EJ – my final warning…

Lady – Wednesday night when fireworks are on…

EJ – mam I’m sorry this is jst for the pkg ordinance

Jerry Scarano – w/ pkg meters that guy was cls to pt/ we’re going to get rid of the old meters and lose money on them, that’s bad business/ interesting we’re hvg boom w/ bchfrnt / hv to fig how many spots we need to provide/ sachman? not sure we realized it wd be a bait and switch situation/ maybe we’re not ready for next system this yr

Brent morgan – bands on a budget, 6th av

Understand cost of operating in this city w be another $500/ we hv 5 businesses on Bangs Ave…

EJ – after this w’ll open on public session –

Discussion – loffredo asks for...

JB – think we shd table downtown, did anyone tlk to Tom Gilmour – commerce dir – he says he has concerns

EJ – pkg commission consists of residents, business owners, officials, That’s where the 15/ 20 min pkg zones came from/ need for designated pkg came from. We need to hear it as we come to next step in process/ about finding the better process. Thnk we need to mv ahead w/ our watrfrnt and CBD/ still time to tlk about adjustments/ See 2 or 3 people here tonight who might join us on the commission/ I’m certainly ready to vote on all zones tonight.

JL – we didn’t vet it enough on our committee, but wk’d a long time on it, fees, approach changed throughout the yr/ is it perfect? Doubt it/ hv to start somewhere/ there are businesses that lets face it do struggle. But hv to start somewhere.

MSchlossbach – started to talk from audience and was stopped. Told council is in deliberation now.

SH – business owners are coming to me saying you’ve got to get this downtown, we need this/ I was a Kohr’s Custard girl, put more money in meter than I earned…

JB – we’ve got 4 mos / I don’t think a few more wks is going to hurt to discuss the downtown/ I got a newspaper that said we’re being greedy/ if we don’t double revenue, taxpayers w/ hav to mk it up, don’t wnt to layoff public safety/ I thnk bchfrnt can handle it/ downtown? I don’t know…stores ready to go under w/ this put them under? I don’t know…

EJ – we can app’v ord tonite and still lv it open to amendments.

FR – Yes

EJ – I’m saying we hv to deal w/ some concerns raised tonite/ these are things public needs to iron out/

FR – we’ll mv forward with ord tonite, or someone mak a motion to amend…

EJ – I wd mk motion to move ahead w/ ord as is/ revisit amendments later.

Move to open public session –

3 mins/ one time at mic –

Jim Iro – 109 mccabe av, Bradley Bch

Bradley Cove Dev and amendments to WRP, fisherman, he's surfer/ surfriders fdn/ I’d like anyone else who is here tonite and opposed to the Bradley cove deve to ples stand up / most of rm stood up/ people who hav money pinned on shirt spend money here and lessen tax burden on residents, ask those who live outside ap to sit down, those standing represent many more residents who cdn’t be here tonight/

OPC asking council to remove brad cove from plan as outlined in concepts document and move toward mkg it a public park.

EJ – pls sit down/ let’s say all of our pub comments extremely guarded/ ongoing deliberations, as per judge – (who is hearing matter between city and latest development rights holder, iStar Financial who took over Asbury Partners after it defaulted on loan to iStar.) that space is the most beautifl part of AP, I hear and hva heard every comment on the love for that space an ideas for the nonuse of that space, not falling on deaf ears/ jst can’t…ref to judge… first thing said the deputy mayor was what action has taken plac, there is no action , no chage no step forward, we intend to do everything we can to protect best interests of AP/

TR – tell where city is/ we’re in arbitration w/ developer/ judge Lawson make ruling sent us to arbitration which begins in early jun/ one of residents asked where we are/ charge filed against us in violation of a ruling. May sound innocuous, but we jst cannot make those statements tonight. Not mkg a stmt is making a stmt. ?

The Concepts document [a 43-pg doc by council and redevelopment director on their vision for amending WRP] a very prelim doc designed to cover a part of wtrfrnt dev wnts to deal w/ first/ not an inclusive docuemnet/ Joe (Woermer), I read your statement in paper today/ That doc actually developed bef got into negotiations w/ iStar [Note: At the hearing in which Lawson heard both arguments, iStar asked the judge to halt the waterfront redevelopment advisory committee, saying the City has a plan still inforce with Asbury Partners.]

Myra Campbell –

Wnt to congratulate council and mr famularo, the BB courts are wonderful. Re west side, dirt flying around. Is there a schedule when water trk is coming ar’d/ when w/ mattison have its first paving of black top/ Elizabeth av is being turned into a oneway, keep in mind design now is go off springwood ave…

Council – we turned it ar’d – we took your recommendation!!

MC – Relieved, happy

EJ – w/ see to water trucks, paving, etc. no one wnts to get rd done more than I do

Joe Woerner – we don’t wnt to talk about the litigation, we wnt to tlk about your amendments to the plan, you’re holding a mtg t’w to discuss amendments no?

SH – The [waterfront advisory] committee is meeting tomorrow...she describes the area to be covered at the mtg.

JW – don sammet put some serious time into (concepts doc), you say it’s not not a serious doc. You say we can’t do anything when we come out/ which discourages people from coming out, hence appearance of public apathy. I think we’ll hear this until the dev is done and you say that your hands are tied/ my facebook poll/ 115 against dev. 1 for/ bound taxpayer money of $250k to get the plan rights back [ref to ordinance passed to borrow $250k as a ligation fund] / to deny that is to say we can’t break out that section. [3-Min Beeper going off now] JW to audience Don’t let the city gov’t dissuade u from commenting tonight.

EJ – you’re entitled to your oopioon but not your own facts. I’m glad to see every person here, we’ll always be hear if it takes to 3 am/ no one here w/ dissuade u from tlkg/ not promising w/ giv u ans u wnt to hear. What w/ happen is we’ll comment on your words and phone will ring (from judge)/ everyone’s saying there was going to be an action tonight – ther’e nothing on agenda/ swhat some people were told was just not the case/ recommendations aren’t going to take place to’w. some people are very unhappy and it shows/ wehter pkg on sprnwood av commi it’s a process. U need to come on out and see for yourself.

John Loffredo – I think it’s presumptious to say what comm. w/ recommend and not recommend.

Jerry Scarano – LB – glad to hear dep of consumer affrs w/ offer suggestions to yu on how to save money. Thnk about healthcare reforms I mentioned, way to reduce main on cars, transit village, timesheets and timeclocks for city hall/ how to sell used pkg meters now word is out they’re duds? I was really surprised a small paper was willing to write about your health benefits. No one deserves health benefits the way you guys are getting them when you hav other alternatives, ways to get your health insurance/ don’t cry you’re raising money/ u guys raised over $? Las tfew elections.

EJ – as is said I was away…caught up w/ someone called me to say did u know/ he wks also for the county as Brookdale College Education Coordinator(?), resident said I’m less than a half time worker/ u said pickpocketing people of AP/ I wk’d for private agency in Newark when app’td to position, which didn’t offer health insurance/ only two cities at the time that offered health care to individuals/ I was very proud to cover my family. My grandmother always taught me if you are blessed and abusing benefits you better…and people saying something wrong and don’t realize that’s a mistake, when you say something wrong and know it’s wrong that’s lying. Chkg the 27 emails a day, 50 phone calls a day/ I love this job, I wk hard/ I earn my keep so when I’m asked the q do I deserve I know I’m right. We all sit down at table and figure out what we can afford to cut/ if we can mov forward and keep benefits this coundil has/ or if we decide it’s the premim cable pkg (i.e. the healthcare pkg for the council) we’ll deal w/ that/ but for you to say we do nothing less than ribbon cuttings,…in this town/ last wek was slow wk and I put in 44 hrs. People who serve here shape our whole lives ar’d this. To have someone say that it’s hurtful for all of us. Applause



Jim Henry – Comments on Bradley Cove – let’s assume arb goes totally against city/ and we’re stuckw/ plan that goes with Brad Cove/ if we cd switch benefits of what dev cd make on Bradley cove for another site/ whole plan cd go away, dev cd make same benefits as comparable dev as Bradley cove/ you’re in planning stage and you might wnt to consider it

JL – when can we start to say something about this plan

FR – under gag order now

Joyce Grant -

Wait – EJ

TR – what you just laid out is exactly what the city’s been lookg at and addresses what the dev has – to James Henry

Joyce Grant – 1701 Ocean Av

Following up on my que from last mtg, sea level rises due to globabl warming, lk of open space, tax benefits of open space and parks in lieu of development, environmental justice/ your response at that time had to do w/ financial issues/ when we save our land we save our money and preserve a qual of life in which we benefit/ economy, community and residents/ for each dollar of ;prp tax rev deveooped area requires $1.25 in services/ even in future dev of north end w/ be financially irresponsible. w/ your advisory committee 45 members of Oceanfront Preservation applied and only 2 were chosen.

EJ – huge flood affected north beach, I was in a row boat at north beach and I’ll never forget that/

Ken Liss – Long Branch

Family and I spend lot time in AP, two daughters, contour of beach wd change and wasn’t always best for kids in LB, but 7th ave is really great for kids, theater on cookman and restaurants so we spend a lot of time here/ one thing LB does have though is 7 presidents park/ there’s a walkway,LB park is like a buffer/ when time to consider the BC when time to mk a decision hope you’ll chage your mind.

Todd Bergman – I respect the am’t of wrk you put into council – not always your decisions/ I wnt to say we hv enuf wreckage on waterfront / empty lots that lk like London after the blitz/ why can’t we bld on those/ one thing joyce lft out is cost of hvg hsg on beachfront it very expensive – was on npr radio – we thru the flood insur program pay for their getting flooded out with our tax money/ where w/ we go striped bass fishing? what happen to seniors? where they walk their dogs? who’s going to buy it/ no one bought esperanza, north bch isn’t selling/ plenty of open land, don’t need more/ Also good for a polititican to have this many people come out to say we’ll support you if you do what we ask/

Frank – west side

3 concerns – thank you for prospect St. basket ball courts. My concern is security/ w/ cameras be inside the courts and w/ there be a sound box in case someone shoots? What type of camera w/; be used at night when courts are shut down.

JL – Sir, is that 24 hr?

James Famularo – yes w/ be 24 hr cameras/ infrared cameras/ can detect sounds, when shot sound camera turns in that direction don’t hv funding now for that gunshot detector though.

Frank Soffit– what’s going to happen to lot behind middle school? Or tennis crt?

JL – it’s not ours

Frank – w u do w/ bd of ed like BB crt?

JL – we’ve dicussed on number of occasions w/ boe nothing planned

Frank – Between Bangs and Ridge southside and northside, north deep hole hasn’t been smoothed over, been there cpl of months/

BG – yes, adding to project, replacing sewer main but not part of the orig scope, but essentially repave ridge from springwd to bangs/ we will tk a look at that.

Frank – hs on spwd and ridge/ boarded up been there a long time/

Megan ? – Clean Ocean Action – Bradley Cove dev encroaches on green acres land / concerned also coastal hazard v zone/ an important adaptation …destruction of primary dunes in contrast to…sediment control…plans w/ hav detrimental effects on water quality, pls remove bc from WFT

Harris – church on Atkins ave

Very happy w/ progress on streets moving along quite well, bldg interfaith is erecting/ w/ all the improvement we’ve got crack hse across from church, know youths playing in back of it, hazard to them.

JL – just going to PB now, scatter sites program. Then owners given ultimatum.

TR – city’s applied yrs in a row for community block grant second grant for $200 and something thousand. No spec timeframe/

BG – environmental dept has to review

Patrick McCartney –

w/ u discuss Bradley cove at committee mtg t’w?

SH – no we’ll be goving over every lot now and if there are better uses…ex we’ll lk at...

John Kaplow – I just want to thank you… for allowing camera.

Denise Richardson – free rabies clinic jun 18th 12 to 2 pm/ at firehouse, on county website APHS debate team did very well.

EJ – piggy bak on that debate team won every category in every single award/ they were recognized at freeholder mtg.

Adjourned