Meeting Minutes

APHOA Membership Meeting
August 15, 2024
Asbury Park Public Library

• Dom Latorraca began the meeting by introducing AP Public Library Director Kathleen Melgar and thanking her for the work she and her staff did in providing the large library space for our meeting after regular library hours. Kathleen reminded the audience of the activities and events that the AP Library is providing each month. Be sure to regularly check their website for what is being offered.
• Dom reminded everyone that this year’s Porchfest date is September 28, with a rain date of September 29. A Porchfest representative was scheduled to attend the meeting to sell the new Porchfest t-shirts, but was unable to attend. Please remember that Porchfest is now a separate legal entity from the APHOA, but APHOA members provide much needed volunteer support for the event. Check out the website at apporchfest.org
• An APHOA financial report was provided with information updated a few days prior to the meeting. There are 84 members/households. The web development expenses have been paid. The current checking account balance of $2,901.68 reflects that it was not necessary to use any of the 2023 carryover balance of $2526.40 to meet the initial expense in re-vamping the website. The new website will require a $40/month expense for updating. Anticipated 2024 expenses include the cost for forums for local candidates to city council and school board.
• Guest speaker, Dan Davidow, attended for a discussion of the details surrounding planned improvement of the various boardwalk structures by Madison Marquette. Dan has been hired as a consultant by Madison Marquette and has been tasked with helping them obtain tax credit subsidies for the redevelopment of the Convention Hall complex and interfacing with City government on waterfront issues. He now meets with City officials on a regular monthly basis. Dan took a variety of questions from the audience, and in so doing provided more detail of the requirements necessary for progress in re-developing these boardwalk structures. A combination of tax credits, private financing, and funds from Madison Marquette are needed. Convention Hall has been evaluated by several engineers and the engineering issues involved are significant. So, the initial State grant of $13 million recently received by the City for improvements to the Paramount Theater and Convention Hall cannot help much with these structural issues. Dan acknowledged that the priority of the City working with Madison Marquette is to re-open the Paramount Theater. Dan agreed to come back to a later APHOA meeting with updates as progress continues to put together the financing for what may be a $150 million project.
• City Manager Lillian Nazzaro and Deputy City Manager John Hayes were also part of the speakers panel and willing to respond to any audience questions as well, although most questions were directed to Dan. Eileen Chapman was on the agenda, but a scheduling conflict forced her to miss the meeting.
• This discussion consumed the remaining time for the meeting, so we were not able to hear from Kevin Strickland about the initiatives for local girls’ sports that he started while involved with the AP Little League and is now doing with soccer. We hope to have Kevin speak at our next meeting.

APHOA Membership Meeting
June 22, 2024
Asbury Park High School

• Jordan began the meeting with a preview of the new APHOA website. An overall map of the website was displayed. The website was shown to include: a list of Happy Hours in town; a featured small business; info about the organization: the Neighbors United initiative to provide free home maintenance and repair; a list of non-profits that APHOA supports and connects with; calendars of hyper local events and meetings; and a page with ways to contact the organization.More pictures of homes and selfies from members were requested that will be shown on the website in a rotating fashion.
• City Councilwoman Eileen Chapman gave an update regarding City government. She mentioned that the Environmental Shade Tree Commission just assisted a homeowner with landscape maintenance so that she could avoid a citation.An RFP has been issued for a parking garage. It will be a public/private partnership, and will be located at Main Street and Springwood Avenue with 400-500 parking spaces. IStar will be building a parking garage at Kingsley and 1st Avenues.At the end of September, Madison Marquette will provide design plans for the Paramount Theater. The State grant to Asbury Park of $13 million can be used to improve the structure and façade of the Paramount Theater and Convention Hall. Madison Marquette is seeking two more grants totaling $100 million to build an amphitheater at the Casino building.Also, Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn mentioned that this Wednesday at the City Council meeting there will be a presentation of inclusionary zoning issues and providing 20% of every development as affordable housing.
• Mike Sodano, board president of the AP Arts Council presented an update on arts activities in town. Three galleries are having events tonight. The AP Arts Spot opens next week on the 4th Avenue pavilion on the boardwalk. On July 8, Siren Art performances begin every Thursday in July-August on the 2nd Avenue beach at 6:00 pm.The APin3 Film Challenge will issue guidelines for this year’s films in early August. Last year, there were 30 entries and 300 people attended the Premiere event. Music Mondays begins at Springwood Park on July 1. There is jazz every Tuesday beginning July 2 at Blackbird, 131 Atkins Avenue. Tomorrow at Blackbird there is a fundraiser for the Turf Club from 5-8pm. Tickets are $75.
• Mark Gerbino, Acting Superintendent of AP School District did a presentation that included the following: There was an $8 million shortfall in the budget for next year, as a result, 34 staff positions have been cut; 21% of the budget goes to charter schools; the central office will leave the 4th Avenue building and will relocate to MLK Middle School with a savings of $250,000/year; $1.1 million has been cut from the central administration; the elementary schools will be restructured for the coming year, Thurgood Marshall will house pre-K to 2nd grade and Bradley will house 3rd through 5th grades; the District is looking into leasing its own buses, providing its own program for special needs students, increasing grant funding, using facilities to generate revenue, and bring back CTE programs; and the District is also considering the sale of the maintenance building on 2nd Avenue and the possible relocation of the IT building.
• Dom made a brief presentation regarding APHOA finances. The current checking account balance is $3,213.56, however significant payments for the website re-development are anticipated in the near future.

The meeting concluded with an offer of a tour of the high school for any interested members.

AP HOMEOWNERS MEETING
APRIL 19,2024
ASBURY PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Board (Attending): Jordan Modell, Fred Dupont, Dominic Latorraca
Invited Guests: Amy Quinn, Lillian Nazzaro, Gene Dello

• • Jordan Modell – The board has Mail Chimp for emails. Jordan and Dom are learning the software so that more informational e-mails can be sent.
  • Dom Latorraca – The officers met and hired Dan Baum to revamp the website and streamline the back- end processes. Also, Dom passed out a record of the current finances. Currently, much of the roll-over funds from last year will be used to fund the work on the website.
  • New Initiative – Thanks to Laurie Balbo who brainstormed possible projects, including this one. Tentatively named “ Neighbor Helping Neighbor”, members will provide free, simple home repair and maintenance projects to homeowners and non-profits. In some cases, homeowners may barter services or donate to the APHOA. We will be looking for volunteers and for those who need assistance.
  • The new City Manager, Lillian Nazzaro, appeared by Zoom. She introduced herself and gave everyone information on her background and experience.
  • Gene Dello from the City’s police force discussed the bike and dog enforcement processes on the boardwalk that will be in place from 5/16/24 to 9/14/24. He also:
    • Encouraged people to get their dogs licensed and update their rabies shots;
    • Mentioned that if you have a camera system in your home, register with the City. It can help the police identify anyone involved in criminal activity;
    • Stated that on 5/21/24 six Class 2 Police Officers will graduate from the Police Academy;
    • Announced that AP Police Dept. is the most awarded police department in the State;
    • Offered his personal phone number 732-684-2431;
    • Stated the department currently has 83 FT police officers.
  • Joe Grillo announced that a fundraiser is being held on 5/7/24 at Fantasia Restaurant on Cookman Avenue for the AP Police Union. The cost is $25.00.
  • Dom Latorraca announced that the Asbury Arts Council is one of the non-profits that APHOA is connecting with this year. Members will be asked to volunteer with the APin3 Film Challenge event. Two of the winning films from last year’s APin3 event were shown to the members.
  • Amy Quinn gave an update on actions and activities by the City that included:
    • 8-10 Concerts will be held at Springwood Park this Summer;
    • Blackbird Event Center is having a concert series as well;
    • The City has received $20 million from the State for boardwalk improvements, i.e., bathrooms, railings, Paramount Theater, and Convention Hall;
    • Construction of the new firehouse has begun;
    • A new UEZ Director has been hired;
    • City passed an ordinance allowing Ancillary Dwelling Units;
    • New murals have been painted on the sewage treatment plant;
    • A lot of business owners downtown say they are having a harder time this year than during the pandemic;
    • City did a new request for proposals for a new scooter company;
    • The City is evaluating each new construction project on its own merits, and is requiring 20% of each project be affordable housing. If so, the City considers offering a PILOT for the project;
    • None of the PILOT projects at the waterfront or elsewhere contribute to the school budget;
    • City will be putting out a request for proposals for the parking deck construction on Main. It is anticipated that it will be a public-private partnership.
    • Questions from the members included why Madison Marquette is not making necessary improvements to the Paramount Theater and Convention Hall. Amy explained the City cannot legally force Madison Marquette to make the improvements under the terms of the 2002 redevelopment agreement. The City’s recourse would be eminent domain that would be a lengthy and costly legal process if the properties continue to be neglected. Madison Marquette is currently seeking grants for improvements and additional construction.
  • Joe Grillo, Wendi Glassman, Tracy Rodgers, Kenneth Saunders, and Shadab Maghsood presented information on behalf of the AP School Board (board members Jessie Ricks and Barbara Lesinski were in attendance) that included:
    • It was noted by Jordan that the AP School District has the lowest test scores in the State and seems to have more square footage per pupil than a District such as Ocean Township:
    • The goals of the School Board are to give a quality education to the children, be fiscally responsible, and provide transparency;
    • The sale of the school maintenance building on 2nd Avenue is anticipated. It has been valued at $3.2 million and those funds could be directed toward student learning;
    • The administrative offices on 4th Avenue will be vacated and administrators placed in school buildings at a savings of $250,000 per year;
    • The physical footprint of the school district will continue to be reduced. The School District has an IT building which serves other entities as well, and the legal viability of saving money there is being evaluated;
    • The current State school funding formula is flawed. With regard to Asbury Park, the formula includes the incomes of residents in PILOT areas that do not pay school taxes, when the formula determines how much Asbury Park residents should pay toward their school district;
    • Asbury Park residents pay for their students to attend Charter schools. There was a discussion of the loss of students to the Charter schools that included the limits on a School District to market to parents compared to what Charter school can do, and a member noted that the teacher’s union leadership presents negative messages about the school district at times;
    • Members were urged to attend school board meetings at Bradley Elementary School. Meetings begin at 6pm. The next scheduled meeting is April 25;
    • It was noted that more students in the district schools will bring more State funding.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:00 pm.

Meeting Minutes from APHOA Meeting 4/20/24 / AP Library

Carrie Turner, Executive Director of the Asbury Park Arts Council (APAC), and Mike Sodano, President of APAC, provided an overview of the Arts and Culture Plan guided by a Steering Committee designated by the City of Asbury Park that included representatives from the community, city administration, county, and state officials. This plan will be presented to the Planning Board for adoption into the Asbury Park Master Reexamination Plan.

Notes for Boardwalk from Dan Jacobson and Madison Marquette

• THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS – CASINO AND CONVENTION HALL
• MURPHY TAX CREDITS KEY – OTHERWISE, MM DOES NOT HAVE RESOURCES TO MOVE AHEAD,
• SEE RENDERING ON ASBURYPARKSUN.COM
• MM WANTS THE CASINO TO BE TAX-EXEMPT – AND THE ON OTHER END OF THE BOARDWALK WITH THE AMPHITHEATER ON THE BEACH WILL BE WITH STONE PONY REPLACING THE SUMMER STAGE
• IF APPROVED, PARAMOUNT AND CONVENTION HALL WILL GET REDONE
• MM SAYS THEY WILL RENOVATE THE GREEN SPACES AND MURALS

Notes on Development Proposal on Asbury Avenue between Langford and Comstock

REDEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS- SUMMARY PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES

Ground Floor:

• Nonresidential uses permitted in the (B) Business District.
• Mixed-Use Community Facility Space.
• Residential lobbies, utilities, and amenities.
• Parking.

Upper Floors:

• Multi-family residential dwellings.
• Residential lobbies, utilities, and amenities.

REDEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS – SUMMARY

• Maximum Density: 115 dwelling units
• Minimum Affordable Housing Set-Aside: 40%
• Maximum Building Height: 4 stories / 55 feet, excluding any penthouse level
• The Main Building entrance shall face Asbury Ave
• Parking: 1 space per multi-family unit (no requirement for non-residential space)
• Sustainability regulations

NOTES FROM WHAT OUR TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR SENT DOM

Changes to Grand Ave

In 2022 The City of Asbury Park hired Dynamic Traffic Engineering to review Grand Avenue and propose changes to help improve safety along the corridor. After reviewing historical crash data, performing traffic counts, and visiting the site, it was apparent that Grand Avenue regularly experiences higher vehicle speeds than the posted 25-mile-per-hour limit, and a number of intersections are the site of a significant number of traffic collisions. In response to this, Dynamic Engineering conducted Warrant Analyses at all intersections along Grand Avenue. These analyses are to determine what traffic control is most appropriate for each intersection based on the volume of vehicles traveling through them. As a result of the review of crash and volume data and the Warrant Analyses, it was recommended the City alter the traffic pattern of Grand Avenue to All-way stop intersections at the Monroe Avenue, Sewall Avenue, First Avenue, Second Avenue, Third Avenue, Fourth Avenue, and Seventh Avenue intersections. A four-way stop intersections better controls traffic at busier intersections and gives all vehicles a safe opportunity to travel through or turn. Having vehicles stops also improves the line of sight between vehicles by providing drivers more time to look around and notice waiting pedestrians or crossing vehicles. The Sixth Avenue and Eight Avenue intersections did not have a high enough volume of vehicles to warrant a four-way stop and so will remain two-way stop intersections. The Monroe Avenue intersection was found to not have a high enough volume of vehicles to warrant a traffic signal and would be better served by a four-way stop.

Additionally, from Cookman Avenue to Sunset Avenue, a buffer was recommended to narrow the travel lane to 10.5 feet. This created a traffic calming effect called visual friction that encourages slower driving while providing more space for bicyclists and scooter riders. The new traffic pattern will result in lower overall vehicle speeds, safer pedestrian crossings, safer use for bicycles and scooters, and fewer traffic collisions without causing congestion along Grand Avenue.

Employee Parking:

Historically, Employee Permit holders are not permitted to park within the Central Business District between the hours of 10:00 am and 10:00 pm. In the past, this has been very difficult for our Parking Enforcement to enforce due to shortcomings in our previous permitting and enforcement systems. These systems were replaced in 2022, and parking enforcement is now able to properly enforce this parking regulation without issue. Employee Permit holders parking in the Central Business District must park on Lake Avenue, Grand Avenue, or Summerfield Avenue between the hours of 10:00 am and 10:00 pm.

Construction reservation of parking spaces

All metered parking spaces that are occupied by dumpsters, construction vehicles, or anything else are paid for through our City’s Reservation of Parking Application. Our Parking Clerks review every application on a case-by-case basis to ensure that as few as possible spaces are used, that these spaces are made available to the public as soon as possible and that they are paid for. We regularly deny applications in areas that we believe can not accommodate reservations due to high parking demand. Our parking enforcement is updated with a list of reservations regularly. If they find someone who has not properly reserved their space, they are made to contact the Parking Office and submit an application.

Large construction for development projects must go through a meeting with a number of city staff, including Transportation, Zoning, Public Works, Police, Fire, and Construction. The City recognizes that these projects sometimes need to take street space but works to minimize their effect on parking and pedestrian walkways for as little time as possible.

Tickets in Error

At times parking tickets can be issued in error. This can be for a number of reasons, but we have made significant improvements to stop this from happening. The updated permitting and enforcement systems have allowed us to find many and correct many issues in our permit system that historically caused incorrect tickets to be issued to permit holders. The new systems also allows for quicker communication between our parking enforcement and our parking payment vendors (apps and meters) to ensure people who paid don’t receive tickets. There are still occurrences where the parking enforcement cameras misread a license plate (“O” and “0,” for example) or our vehicles misinterpret the zone (of which we have many more due to a mix of metered parking and permits). Additionally, it takes a couple of minutes for payment information to reach our officers. It is common for vehicles to receive tickets one to ten minutes right after making payment. This is a limit of technology and general, and while we have made improvements to this, it is not something we can entirely fix.

We are committed to building our system to avoid these errors, but ultimately technology is limited, and our systems are operated by humans who make errors from time to time. While I do not believe we will ever be truly perfect at issuing tickets, I think we have made amazing progress towards decreasing the number of incorrectly issued tickets. If you ever receive a ticket you believe to be in error, please email a copy of it to tickets@cityofasburypark.com. We review all tickets received and regularly dismiss tickets as needed.

Parking Meters

Our parking kiosks are aging and are in their sixth year of use. There are a significant number of moving parts in the parking kiosks, and as they continue to age, these parts need more regular maintenance or replacement. We perform maintenance on many of them daily and refurbish and repair them as much as possible. A year ago there, we had anywhere from six to ten kiosks at a time out of service due to missing or broken parts. Today there are zero parking kiosks that are not functioning. We do have kiosks that go down for a day or two while we make repairs, and there are some issues we still struggle with, but we make sure to have them operating as quickly as possible. If you ever find a kiosk that is not functioning, I encourage you to use one of the parking applications on your smartphone. You can find them all by visiting Parkingapp.com. The Passport, ParkMobile, and PayByPhone apps are available for use in other cities you may visit as well.

EV Chargers are located at:

Mattison Avenue between Main Street and Bond Street (approx.. 711 Mattison Ave)
Seventh Avenue between Kingsley Street and Ocean Avenue (approx. 113 Seventh Avenue)
Springwood Avenue between Union Street and Sylvan Street (approx. 1101 Springwood Avenue)

For Grand Avenue, many intersections are to become 4-way stops, but not all. Traffic signals are remaining at Asbury Ave, Fifth Ave, and Sunset Ave. 4-Way Stops are being introduced at Monroe, Sewall, First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Seventh.

For Valet Parking, the St. Laurent has not submitted an application for a license, and the City is not looking into launching its own Valet services.

We are updating our records and the 2023 meetings will be online soon.