AVALON – Developer Tim Kerr has an application before Avalon’s Planning and Zoning Board for a 310-seat restaurant and bar, at 2800 Boardwalk, the site of a building, located at 29th Street and the beach, that houses a pizza parlor, indoor arcade and ice cream shop.
The proposal, in an area zoned as public conservation, would require numerous variances. The Planning and Zoning Board scheduled a meeting Jan. 12, 2021, to consider the application.
The application calls for the demolition of the building, which represents a non-conforming use, and the construction of a 44-foot high, two-story structure, with a 310-seat restaurant, banquet facilities, bar, ice cream parlor, and outdoor deck seating on part of the second floor. A liquor license would be needed to operate the bar for banquet events.
The decision to carry further discussion into the Jan. 12 meeting followed a Dec. 1 Planning and Zoning Board meeting, at which some residents who have homes in the proposed structure’s vicinity voiced opposition to the plan and questioned its many variance requests.
Since that meeting, some of those who object to the proposal took to social media to voice their concerns. One unsigned piece, on Facebook, calls for support to block the application at the Jan. 12 meeting.
Among the many requests, the application requires variance approvals for parking, loading zone and trash pickup locations, side and front setbacks, and signage. Also, the application seeks waivers on the requirements for lighting and landscape plans, as well as for the normally required traffic study.
Worries in the social media opposition are noise and impeded ocean views. The applicant claims “there will be no detrimental effect on the surrounding properties or the neighborhood.”
The application further states that “the proposed plan will reduce noise and intensity of use,” adding that it would also “not impede views.”
While some neighbors call for a rejection or significant modification of the proposal, the applicant claims that the benefits “outweigh any detriments of the plan,” stating that “the plan will provide a much-improved visual environment to the site and neighborhood.”
The Jan. 12 meeting is scheduled to occur at 6 p.m., at Borough Hall. Those who wish to participate without attending the meeting in person can do so through a telephone conference facility by dialing 1-877-510-2588 and entering passcode 139-589. The connection is audio-only.
Throughout the many months of the pandemic, Avalon provided only telephone access to its government meetings.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
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