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City Of Belmar

86 new residences coming to downtown area.

Those of you who attended this week’s Council meeting or watched the tape of it know that developer Barry DiPeppe, who built the giant new buildings at 8th Ave. and 5th Ave., has two more planned for us.  The one below, with 26 residential units, will replace the building Strollos is currently in.

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Another 60-unit building will replace the beauty supply store at 707 10th Ave.  It will be four stories tall with parking on the first story.

There’s an APP story about the proposals here.

Like DePeppe’s other Belmar projects, these will be built under redevelopment agreements whereby the developer pays no property tax.  Instead he will negotiate a “payment in lieu of taxes” (PILOT) deal with the Borough.  The school will get more students but none of the PILOT money.  And the Borough will get less revenue than it would have under traditional development.  That’s the way redevelopment works.

BTW, because he took unallowable campaign donations in his freeholder race, Mayor Doherty is forbidden to have any involvement in development issues.  Mr. DePeppe is going to have to hammer out a redevelopment agreement with the Council and, I presume, BA Colleen Connolly without any discussion, input or consultation of any kind with the mayor.  I don’t believe that the mayor will not be involved, but if he isn’t what do we even need him for?  He should just go away already.

Belmar’s government has become completely dysfunctional.  The local Democratic party puts forward only candidates who will allow themselves to be completely controlled by the mayor.  Once elected they vote unanimously to support whatever he wants, even if it’s a violation of law and even if it’s a violation of people’s civil rights.  They even voted in favor of gutting our conflict of interest law, an action that was so unpopular that it was voted down by their constituents by a margin of nearly three to one.  Now the mayor has disqualified himself from participating in a wide range of important areas and expects us to believe that this Council is actually handling everything.

Message to Councilman-elect Mark Walsifer:  Please look very carefully at these redevelopment agreements and please use all your persuasive abilities to get them rejected if you feel they are not wanted by, or don’t serve the interests of, the people who already live here.

27 Comments

  1. A Reporter wrote:

    Big question does Matt or Maggie have a financial interest in these projects? Mark you have to check this out completely.

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 9:28 am | Permalink
  2. Belmartian wrote:

    There is no I in DePeppe
    There is no way DePeppe is partners with Matt or Maggie lol..His buildings are better than the crap that is there now

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:14 am | Permalink
  3. Tom Burke wrote:

    Incorrect reporting about school taxes in PILOT programs. The Borough can allocate a percentage of the revenue to public school education.

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:12 am | Permalink
  4. Concerned wrote:

    “Can allocate” What is the over/under?

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:36 am | Permalink
  5. Katrina wrote:

    Can allocate or must allocate?

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 12:04 pm | Permalink
  6. admin wrote:

    I have complained at public meetings about the school getting nothing from any of Belmar’s PILOT deals and no public official present ever corrected me.

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 12:15 pm | Permalink
  7. OLD MAN wrote:

    The people of Belmar re elected the demorat again

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 3:36 pm | Permalink
  8. Aileen Fahy wrote:

    I’ll be fighting on behalf of the school that developers pay their fair share. If they are going to get tax incentives, great. Take it out of their municipal taxes. The school didn’t ask for new condos, so the school shouldn’t have to suffer.

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 3:47 pm | Permalink
  9. Aileen Fahy wrote:

    Mr. Burke can I count on you to fight with me? Since you say the town can allocate for taxes for the school?

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 3:48 pm | Permalink
  10. Teddy Ehmann wrote:

    Sorry Dave:
    you and I and a few others attended that critical meeting extending the Seaport Redevelopment Area to it’s nauseating present point south of 8th. Too late to do ANYTHING BUT SUE. Sad fact is that the only way residents/property owners have to stop it , is to wait till it passes. With money ( or free attorney ) that will be easy. That is because the expansion 10th Ave. has nothing to do with the original area. Nothing.

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 4:00 pm | Permalink
  11. eugene creamer wrote:

    Shortchanging public education is only one redevelopment pitfall …. just read the executive summary in the State Controller’s report to learn more:

    http://www.nj.gov/comptroller/news/docs/tax_abatement_report.pdf

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 4:46 pm | Permalink
  12. Katrina wrote:

    Does any one know what the changes to the contract with depeppe that was supposed to be in the interest of Belmar are? They made a big deal about it at the meeting but again it was never exsplained to the public and I believe the council knew nothing at all about its content. If I’m not mistaken Brennan asked something like ” does it get us more money”? And was satisfied when Connolly said yes. They again voted on something they had no idea what it was

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 7:09 pm | Permalink
  13. callmecynical wrote:

    Read the material cited in comment #11. Can you trust this mayor and the administrator who has been called by Judge Gummer, “not credible”?

    Do not trust, verify!

    Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:26 pm | Permalink
  14. A Voter 2 wrote:

    Its not just $$$ for the school, how about starting standards starting with the teachers. Men should be looking professional, ie haircuts, no ear rings, at least wearing a TIE, women dressed professionally as well. The teachers set the example you could have a million dollar science lab, if the teachers are not kept to standards to act and look like a teachers the students will not be motivated.

    Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 10:40 am | Permalink
  15. Juice wrote:

    Well Mr Burke ? Did Matt give you the ok ? Claire you should be the first one standing up and asking for this !! Matt cost $200,000 and he comes in 3rd not good a return on that investment.

    Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 5:36 pm | Permalink
  16. Anonymous wrote:

    Conjested city styled living not a seaport village that is the direction of our quaint Borough.

    Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 5:44 pm | Permalink
  17. flower power wrote:

    Those who object to redevelopment projects of this magnitude could show up at Mayor and Council meetings and speak one by one, each for his/her five minutes and run the meetings till midnight. Save the Borough of Belmar from Doherty’s megalomania! Power to the people – do not let one ambitious politician ruin what has been a comfortable home town for many. That method is short of media-busting demonstrations outside the mayor’s house or outside of Borough Hall.

    Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 6:56 pm | Permalink
  18. Feisty wrote:

    60 units on 10th will add a lot of traffic to an already congested area.

    Yes, developers should pay taxes to benefit the school. Why give developers deals that shortchange the town. Focus on helping town residents, not big money developers

    Monday, November 14, 2016 at 1:29 am | Permalink
  19. Anonymous wrote:

    Isn’t 10th Avenue a State Highway? Wouldn’t a traffic study by the STNJ DOT/COUNTY ROADS department control or have input on the numbers of cars entering/exiting the Beauty Supply Building redevelopment area onto the highway before planning board approval?

    Monday, November 14, 2016 at 8:40 am | Permalink
  20. admin wrote:

    10th not a state highway. 8th is between Main st and Rt 35.

    Monday, November 14, 2016 at 8:51 am | Permalink
  21. eugene creamer wrote:

    Instead of “Fifth Avenue Flats” …. name it “Fifth Avenue Canyon”

    Monday, November 14, 2016 at 9:26 am | Permalink
  22. Maria wrote:

    Seaport village or seaport city? We all will have to decide quickly.

    Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 12:50 pm | Permalink
  23. flower power wrote:

    How to stop the planning board from approving? Those who do or do not want this, and probably the members of the planning board and council members as well, do not know what deals the mayor has made with the developer. He wants, the taxpayer residents pay, one way or another.

    Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 2:26 pm | Permalink
  24. Call a spade a spade wrote:

    Will Ollie be attending any of the meetings to protest the competition across the street. A seasonal liqour liscence is definitely better in that location on a busy corner than the harmons opening Salt next to the railroad tracks right? Parking. Corner traffic. Cars coming over bridge deciding which way to go. Looks like a great move #not. Wake up Belmar. Attend the meetings and speak up. Belmar will soon rival Cookman and surrounding streets w multi level buildings on every corner. At least ollies employees will have another spot to hang out on break

    Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 6:20 pm | Permalink
  25. Anonymous wrote:

    #22, Belmar, mini Newark, seaport City bounded by an Ocean?

    Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 8:29 pm | Permalink
  26. eugene creamer wrote:

    Northenders may need to rethink their coastal evacuation route.

    Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 9:54 pm | Permalink
  27. ALLTRUMPEDUP wrote:

    Aren’t towns required to auction off public properties to determine a fair market value?
    Perhaps Jaeger would be willing to expand their business and purchase boro land, not as McGovernless suggested, give away the north end of their property. Clueless!!

    Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 10:08 pm | Permalink

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