STONE HARBOR – The good news for Stone Harbor: there was an increase of $36.8 million in ratables. The bad news: over 30 active construction projects this year led to a revolt among property owners clamoring for protections from the noise and construction trailers ruining views and taking up parking spaces at summer’s height.
Borough Council devoted most of its Oct. 3 work session to dialogue with representatives of local contractors and suppliers concerning four proposed changes to Stone Harbor’s construction ordinance.
For what many called the “sacred” period between July 1 and the Friday after Labor Day, the changes would ban demolitions, limit the hours when work could be done at a site from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., prohibit work on Sundays, and allow only interior work on Saturdays.
Restrictions would also hold for Memorial Day Weekend, the Friday after Thanksgiving and July 4 regardless of the day it occurs.
The larger-than-usual crowd at the council meeting had significant numbers of contractors hoping to preserve some flexibility in work rules. “This is a tough way to make a living,” one said.
Contractors React
Representatives of the contractors pointed out the complex nature of the homes being built in the borough.
“Many of these homes take a year to do,” one said. “We are building someone’s dream house,” another pointed out saying that the restrictions could turn a one-year job into a two-year ordeal. “Practically, we only have eight months a year to get much of the work done.”
Michael Weber, a representative of supplier 84 Lumber, explained that the contractors are often at the mercy of events outside their control.
“The storms in Texas and Florida have driven up the price of lumber 25 percent or more,” he said, pointing out that contractors in Stone Harbor may have signed deals months ago and have to absorb those increases.
Jim Barnes, another contractor, noted “We have protocols to minimize the impact on the neighbors.” He sought some “give and take,” complaining that oversight of existing ordinances had been “overzealous” of late.
Four New Rules
Those remarks highlighted a key issue in the work session dialog. Council was seeking input on the four new rules that have been proposed through the Administration and Finance Committee.
What they heard from contractors were concerns with the existing ordinances dealing with issues like the placement of trailers and dumpsters, sidewalk maintenance and signage.
Contractors wanted some relief from existing rules while the council considered new measures.
Residents Speak
Resident Bernadette Parzych applauded the money being invested in the community for these “big houses,” but decried the impact the construction was having “on the quality of life.”
Life in the summer months is marred, she said, by parking problems, unsightly trailers, dirty walkways and ceaseless noise. “Some trailers have taken up residence,” she said.
Parzych, the wife of Council member Ray Parzych, said: “There are two reasons people invest in Stone Harbor – July and August.” She added, “90 percent of our bills are paid by the second homeowners who want to enjoy those two months a year.”
Parzych called for consideration of a ban on external construction for the full two months. She reminded council, “You are in charge here.”
Mayor Judith Davies-Dunhour asked Borough Clerk Suzanne Stanford to read into the record a series of emails from property owners critical of the current construction environment and seeking tougher rules and enforcement.
A representative of the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association said the organization, which claims members by 1,000 property owners, supports the proposed changes to construction rules.
Another resident spoke of the “Developer Specials” by which she meant the “no-name” contract crews that descend on a property, disregard existing ordinances and intentionally forego any signage that would identify the firms involved in the construction project.
Council Discussion
While some on council acknowledged the need to ‘tweak” the proposed changes, most argued that the town was considering nothing that other communities, like Avalon, have not already enacted without any lasting harm to construction projects.
Davies-Dunhour acknowledged that the borough needed to balance the rights of residents who want relief from the endless disruption of construction with the needs of those investing in the borough and seeking completion of their housing projects.
“They are both taxpayers,” she said.
Council member Charles Krafczek pointed to many contractors in the room who try hard to run clean sites within the borough’s rules.
Council member Karen Lane spoke of the “bad apples” that cause much of the problem by not policing their site appropriately.
With the discussion on the proposed changes likely to continue, Council member Joan Kramar urged the contractors to select a spokesman to work with council going forward.
Most seemed to agree with Council member Parzych that “This is a complicated issue.”
Yet, Parzych warned the contractors that something as extreme as a total ban for July and August “is not outside the realm of possibility.”
Kramar said, “Maybe we approve too many permits at one time,” but there did not appear to be much interest in discussing limits on permits.
Two factors seemed paramount in the discussion: anger in the community and a conviction that neighboring towns have enacted similar rules without harm to growth.
Balancing that was the over $36 million increase in ratables.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
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