Avalon Residents Oppose Proposed Hotel

AVALON – Comments from the public livened up an otherwise routine borough council meeting Aug. 27. Before the start of the meeting, a group of residents, opposed to a planned boutique hotel project on 21st Street, gathered outside of the municipal complex holding signs and donning matching blue shirts that read “No 21st St. Hotel,” “Respect the Island,” and “Visit us on Facebook @ Preserve Avalon.”
Five residents chose to address council to voice their concerns over the proposed project. Parking, noise, zoning variances, and public intoxication were among their list of concerns.
The residents told stories of frequent encounters with patrons of bars and restaurants that currently span the length of the street from Dune to Ocean Drives.
Mark and Carol Evangelist, who own a home on 22nd Street, said they are worried that problems they already face will be compounded by the building of a new hotel. Mark Evangelist told council “We are embarrassed to sleep with guests in our home with our windows open. This is not what we want for Avalon.”
Resident Doug Macauley said he is concerned about preserving the character of the town. “The Seven-Mile Island is the jewel of the South Jersey shore community for many reasons, planning for one, and administration,” he said. Granting variances for a hotel outside of the hotel district will be a game changer for Avalon.”
The proposed hotel would include 38 rooms, an upscale restaurant, and a banquet hall for weddings. The plans presented by the prospective developer would require variances for height restrictions as well as a hotel zoning variance.
Macauley and his fellow residents are circulating a petition in opposition to the anticipated variance requests. He said that more than 50 families from the area around the site have expressed their intent to sign the petition.
Last month, the developer invited local residents and business owners to a meeting to discuss his plans, and get feedback.
Council President Charles Covington noted that public comments would be better suited for a planning board meeting. He also told the public that no plans for the hotel have been submitted to the planning board for review as of this time.
Dredging
Borough Engineer Thomas Thornton reported that dredge material removal from Graven’s Island will resume within the next two weeks. The project was halted in late June due to traffic flow concerns.
Thornton said that the contractor will be removing the material at a rate of 1,000 cubic yards per day, and should be finished by mid-October.
The dredge materials are being removed to make way for new material to be dredged in the Back Bay Dredging Project, scheduled to begin later that month. Permits for the project are expected to be issued shortly, with a three-week bid period to follow. Council hopes to award the contract at its Sept. 24 meeting.
To contact Don Tozer, email dtozer@cmcherald.com.