Stone Harbor Planners Present Findings

STONE HARBOR — Borough planning board held an open meeting Sept. 1 to present findings and preliminary observations of studies conducted by Dr. Richard Permiciaro, Director of the Atlantic Cape Community College Center for Regional & Busi-ness Research.
Over 200 residents gathered for the meeting in the Stone Harbor Elementary School Auditorium. Mayor Suzanne Walters and members of borough council were also in attendance.
During the month of July, Permiciaro con-ducted a three-part study including a residential mail survey sent to all residents and homeowners. Of the over 3,000 residential surveys sent out, he received 865 in return at a 28% return rate.
He said he conducted four randomly selected focus groups divided in to categories of full-time residents, seasonal, long-time (categorized as 30-40 years), and newly retried residents.
A business survey was also conducted, with a 17% return rate.
Permiciaro showed a power point presenta-tion showcasing data collected from the studies.
He told the crowd he conducted similar stud-ies in Brigantine and Margate, Burlington, Vt. and North Haven, Ct. He said the purpose of the study was to provide a profile of the current state of the borough and a vision for future devel-opment.
He said he asked par-ticipants of focus groups, “What kind of businesses do you want?”
Permiciaro said respondents would like more restaurants, specifically with outdoor dining and basics like a pharmacy and gas station.
He said he asked study participants, “What are your plans for five years from now?” In response he said for most moving to Stone Harbor was a purposeful decision and they plan to stay here.
He said it was important to pay attention and consider who’s moving into the borough, how much money they have, and what their interests are. He said this was especially important for the future of downtown.
One reoccurring concern was the lack of alternate transportation, especially from elderly residents, he said.
In a survey of reasons for choosing to purchase property in Stone Harbor, the biggest reason for both full-time and seasonal residents was natural environment, followed by investment, peace and quiet, and family.
Permiciaro was bom-barded by questions and comments by attendees, which quickly turned to general comments about the state of the borough. One attendee compared the borough to neighboring Avalon.
“They’ve had a com-munity center for 40-50 years. They have money they don’t know what to do with, and a new, free library,” the woman said.
“We need to remember this Seven Mile Island,” another resident com-mented. “We should be working with Avalon and progressing to-gether.”
“For every person who wanted to be like Avalon,” Permiciaro responded, “others (participants in the study) said let’s not get like Avalon.”
Another attendee of the meeting raised the issue of children in the community, “What are their needs?” she said.
Crowd concerns also included criticism of attention to detail in the gateway area, also around town. One individual asked about the Shelter Haven property located at 96th Street and Third Avenue; a vacant lot awaiting groundbreaking on a reported high-end hotel and spa.
Another resident commented on power lines, asking if they could be moved underground.
“Make it look like a thriving, wealthy com-munity that it is,” one woman said.
“We’re not at the place to make a plan yet,” Permiciaro said, in an attempt to redirect the meeting.
“We want to talk about vision, where the effort should be put next.”
Permiciaro offered preliminary recommendations for the borough, including developing a better means of communicating with all homeowners especially those not living full-time in town. He suggested the possibility of an advisory board to represent second-home owners and cleanliness and public works hours in summer time should be renewed and made clear to all. He said it was important to begin to form a vision for the entire community.
One resident called for new leadership, con-demning mayor and council.
Mayor Walters stood to defend the borough in response to direct comments from attendees, noting street lights, flags and plantings have all been planned and ordered for the gateway area, but county hired contractors have fallen through.
Walters also noted Shelter Haven is a private property council cannot force in to motion and that the proposed structure has all zoning approvals and the borough has not held it back from moving forward in any way.
Councilman Julian Miraglia also spoke in defense of the borough, inviting attendants to join planning meetings to help ignite the changes of which they spoke, maintaining that mayor and council are addressing these issues and are doing their best to handle them.
“If you would, be patient with us,” Miraglia said.
“It won’t be about trees and flowers in the long term,” Permiciaro told the crowd.