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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 14, 2005 14:06:04 GMT -5
Shoregirl:
I couldn't have said it any better myself...The officials down leave more than a lot to be desired. Thery are ruining things beyond repair here in the Crest.
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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 14, 2005 14:14:29 GMT -5
Want to hear something oddly interesting that should speak volumes about Wildwood Crest?
My cousin applied to get a simple building permit to add on to his Crest home last year (as well as allowing one of our industiral dumpsters to be situated in the drive-way) and it took longer to get that simple permit than it did for a certain developer to be granted his permit to not only demolish a motel but to begin building a condo at that site.
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Post by shoregirl on Apr 14, 2005 14:35:35 GMT -5
Hi Anthony,
Thank you, I appreciate your support. I'm just sooo frustrated with this whole issue of people that don't give a _hit about the culture and the real people that made the island what it has been for over 100 years. I'm sick and tired of hearing others say "well, can you blame the elderly owners for selling out, if developers come along and offer them millions?" A law should have been put into place the very first time a "condo"(glorified apartment is all they are) or a townhouse(glorified row home) was proposed for a site, for construction. The law should have been in place that no where on the island can a motel/hotel be demolished for a housing dwelling. I can understand the owners that bought these establishments back in the late 40's or 50's and even the 60's now getting too old to take care of them, but a sale of those properties should only be allowed for the purpose of running the said property as a motel/hotel, and improvement thereof of said property to enhance the business. The idiotic "yuppies" that are buying these hoping to make a small fortune on them are going to be in for a rude awakening when there is nothing left to come to Wildwood for, it will look like a boring Sea Isle, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Ocean City - where you pay to go on a beach the size of a "playground" (get real) and the kids are BORED out of their minds!! God, how much pizza and minature golf can you do?? We need people with "gonads" to take over the island, it is a wonderful place - we don't want to be left with faded memories.
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Post by Al Alven on Apr 14, 2005 15:46:10 GMT -5
I do agree that some drastic changes have to be made if the Crest is ever going to stem the tide and retain any sense of its cultural past.
Up until recently, I did not think that the current direction of the borough was necessarily the actual intention of the elected officials. But, now I am starting to wonder.
As Anthony pointed out, it just seems way too easy to get motel demolitions and subsequent condo-building permits approved. Way too easy!
I’m starting to believe that a very clear, conscious effort has been made to transform the town into what it is becoming. And that is, sadly, just another Sea Isle City, Avalon or Stone Harbor, towns that once had a uniqueness to them (though not nearly on the level of the Wildwoods) that have been reduced to dull, boring condo havens.
It’s so sad. Even a year ago, you could argue that the Crest was literally one of the most unique towns on Earth. Really. Actually, you could still probably say that to some degree. But, not for long, at the rate these great mid-century-era buildings are coming down.
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Post by wildre on Apr 15, 2005 6:41:49 GMT -5
As a followup to my orginal post here's the article from the Leader Very upsetting, to say the least. Bozo isn't the only Clown working on this Island, sorry couldn't resist.
Heading to Wildwood in about an hour, have to see this first hand.
re
Rubber-stamping development despite current law
Crest planning board accused of shaky procedures By MAUREEN CAWLEY Staff Writer WILDWOOD CREST - The planning board here approved plans for the demolition of two motels, the Lavender Hall rest home, Bayside Pizza, Wagon Wheel Florist and several residential properties at a marathon meeting on Thursday, April 7. The approved plans call for the construction of townhouses and condos to replace the demolished structures. Some of the plans were approved against opposition and in conflict with the borough's current land use ordinance. The ordinance in question would apply to two new site plans: one for Lavender Hall at 5700-5706 Pacific Ave., and another for Wagon Wheel Florist at 5401 New Jersey Ave. Both proposals were brought before the board by Michael Mitchell, who was represented by Ron Stagliano, of Stagliano & DeWeese. Plans for the Lavender Hall site are for the construction of four condominium units and two townhouses. The preliminary plan was tabled last month and a revised plan was presented on April 7. Attorney Dennis Coughlin, of Lavender Road, opposed the plan and told the board that it does not conform to the borough's land use ordinance. The Lavender Hall plans call for 1,000 square feet of living space on the first floor and 1,300 square feet of living space on the second floor of each townhouse. According to Coughlin, this is in violation the borough's land use ordinance. "The law says living quarters on the second floor shall not exceed living quarters on the first floor. I think there is a reason (for the ordinance). They specifically did not want to build up over garages and on the side of residential units," said Coughlin. "If that's not what you want, then you should change the land ordinance." Coughlin said that he had brought this conflict to the board two years ago, and board members had indicated that they would pass a resolution to change the ordinance. "We made a recommendation to the governing body," Coughlin said. "Nobody followed through from the governing body." Mike Preston, the borough's construction official and the joint construction officer for the Wildwoods, said that he remembered having the conversation with Coughlin. "I thought it was done a long time ago," he said. "The planning board just keeps approving and approving, and the law is written against it. The board doesn't seem to care what's there. All the development on the island is done on the same basis," Coughlin said. "You should have reminded us," said board Chairman Harry Mitchell. "It's not my job to remind you," said Coughlin. "I brought it up now. Now you can ignore it again." The plan passed with Mayor John Pantalone and Commissioner Matt Tomlin abstaining. The plans for the site of Wagon Wheel Florist include the construction of three townhouses that are also designed to have more living space on the second floor than on the first. This plan also passed with Pantalone and Tomlin abstaining. At the end of the meeting, members discussed old and new business before the board, including the issue of the ordinance in question. "We've got to change it," said Mitchell. "I don't remember seeing it," said Pantelone. "I don't think it ever came out of this room," said Tomlin. When asked by this newspaper why the board chose to approve plans when there was no ordinance on record to support them, Mitchell referred questions to board solicitor Stewart Kay. Kay indicated that the majority of the board thought that a resolution had been passed and sent to the commissioners, and they did not want to hold up the applicants' plans by postponing the vote until the board's next meeting on May 5. Kay said he felt that the ordinance could have been misplaced and might be found the next day. When asked what would happen if it was determined that no ordinance had been passed to allow for the approval of the Lavender Hall and Wagon Wheel plans, Kay said he was not sure. "I guess we'll have to deal with that tomorrow," said Kay. "I don't want to sound primitive but that's something we'll have to deal with if it happens." When Mitchell was asked by this paper if he thought it would have been prudent to table the plans until the status of the ordinance was determined, he said, "The meeting is over." Planning board secretary Darlene Devlin said this week that no resolution or ordinance pertaining to the approved plans had been located, and that board members were trying to resolve the issue. In a follow-up interview on Tuesday, Tomlin said that he believed the "livable space" issue was first presented to the board by Coughlin in December 2001. The board drafted a resolution in February 2002, but it was sent back for revisions. When the new ordinance was passed by the commissioners, it was "silent on the livable space issue," he said. A new resolution was supposed to be drafted by the board to clarify the ordinance in regard to "livable space," but for unclear reasons, it was left undone. Tomlin said he was pretty sure at the time that the resolution had never been redrafted, so he had abstained on voting for the site plans. "That was about 38 months ago," said Tomlin. "Much, much, much has happened since then."
Maureen Cawley can be e-mailed at maureen.cawley@catamaranmedia.com or you can comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext. 250.
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Post by FlyinGN on Apr 15, 2005 9:08:14 GMT -5
yep. This is common. Its who you know sometimes.. I deal with this everyday at work.. Frank Want to hear something oddly interesting that should speak volumes about Wildwood Crest? My cousin applied to get a simple building permit to add on to his Crest home last year (as well as allowing one of our industiral dumpsters to be situated in the drive-way) and it took longer to get that simple permit than it did for a certain developer to be granted his permit to not only demolish a motel but to begin building a condo at that site.
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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 15, 2005 11:06:33 GMT -5
Here you get to read exactly how things get done in this town!
This is a perfect example of the political ignorance and social corruption that gets passed off as "doing something productive for the benefit of the community" on a regular basis down here? It seems that all that gets done these days is handing out permits to level yet another motel for condos that simply ARE NOT SELLING as well as most developers had originally hoped.
Somebody better get hold of this mayor and his buddies and send them to a proctologist ASAP because I think they're seriously all way too far up each others butts to be running things properly down here.
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Post by SirCaz on Apr 15, 2005 22:37:08 GMT -5
We had some politicians in our town that ruled as they liked for several years. Finally enough people were fed up with it and the next election most were gone and the few that remained were much more interested in what the people wanted. You might try getting the next election to be their last.
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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 15, 2005 22:46:06 GMT -5
SirCaz:
I only wish and hope that more people around here might come around to thinking the way you do by the next election.
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