Did you know about the plans for our town center, to build a self-storage facility right in the middle of our main shopping district? Yes, it’s true. Imagine a warehouse-like facility frequented by out-of-town transients, open 24 hours to strangers coming in and out unchecked, owned by the McDonald’s of self-storage, which is based out of state. A quick money sale with no regards to the tax-paying retail/residential rateables as outlined and signed off on as our “Master Plan” study, which we paid for, not to mention that this self-storage facility would back right up to peoples’ homes. Is this what our family-oriented, close-knit community wants? Are we about money over community progress?
We consider this a VERY non-partisan issue; it affects ALL of us and no matter what party, everyone we spoke to is against this plan. Read about it here.
Legal Notice, The Coaster, with requests for special variances such as reducing mandatory 25-foot yard buffers to 5.9 feet, etc.
Letter to The Coaster editor, by Resident John Pietrunti:
I am a Neptune City resident and recently saw advertised in the press that there is going to be a Public Hearing at the Land Use Board Meeting upstairs at Borough Hall on Tuesday, August 14th at 7:00 pm, regarding a big self-storage company that wants to develop self-storage units in the center of our town, at 3rd and Union Avenues. This appears to be contrary to Neptune City’s Master Plan. I reviewed our town’s 2016 and 2017 Master Plans, found on the borough website at www.neptunecitynj.com and this company is asking for a variance that The Board will take final action on during the August 14th meeting.
It seems that a long-standing Master Plan envisioned a Center of Town or Main Street on the East and West sides of Hwy 35 and 3rd Ave. While we have seen some development, this idea may have stagnated. A storage facility built in the center of our town would most likely be a death knell for such a vision. It seems wasteful and against the vision of a “center of town” to build such a facility at the site, where people have been rehabilitating homes and creating community. People who will be using the storage facility won’t necessarily be spending money in town or coming here during business hours.
Understanding that it is never a bad thing to bring businesses into town, I question whether this is the wisest use of that specific area, next to Stop-n-Shop. Why not solicit developers willing to create a mixed use space with housing and shops, and/or a usable space for movies and/or live performances, creating a true “center” of town, with the Community Center as a hub? Residents often talk fondly about Two Guys, which used to be at this location. I’d like to see more businesses that people will frequent and spend money often not self-storage.
If we want Neptune City to evolve and experience the positive change that has resulted along the Jersey Shore, it would seem that the present local administration should pause before moving forward with this storage facility. I hope residents attend the August 14th meeting.
John J. Pietrunti
Concerned Neptune City Resident