The prospects for the site of the former Visiting Nurse Association HQ on Riverside are looking to be shaken up once again. The developers, Saxum, have come up with a revision to their last successful application for planning permission eighteen or so months ago. The new proposal includes bulk variance and design waiver relief for the site, and includes two extra apartments, almost 20% added commercial accommodation and nearly 100 additional parking places.
The Planning Board’s meeting is on Monday, April 4 at 7.00pm, 90 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
The full agenda is available here (.pdf): _04042022-889 (redbanknj.org)
And the item is as shown below (extract):
Well, it’s been quite a while since the last application was passed, albeit after quite a process by the Planning and Zoning committees, and contributions by the rest of the community, but still no visible commencement on the project. And now the speculators have come back as part of their usual winkling and planning blight tactics to propose an even more inappropriate plan.
In the meantime, circumstances have come to demonstrate the community’s fears regarding vehicle traffic in the area with at least two significant crash events, and the arrival of the borough’s long-awaited application for a controlled pedestrian crossing on Riverside Rd.
All the add-ons the speculators are proposing will actually increase the pressure, and surely the hazards on the roads in the vicinity. I dare say the proposers have some impressive looking “Traffic Report” from some very expensive “consultant” to help overcome people’s concerns. Hopefully, for once the boro’s decade-old Complete Streets policy and requirements will be covered, and regard made for the State’s definition of “traffic”;
“‘Traffic’ means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, street cars, and other conveyances either singly, or together, while using any highway for purposes of travel.”
I think probably not.
It looks as if we’re into the by now well-trodden trail of speculators and developers asking for something big, and quite possibly outrageous, then the boro’ settling for something pretty awful, but a bit better than the original proposal, because… you know? It could be worse.
If only that were the end of it…
Next, leave a site to run down, become an eyesore, a home for vermin, etc, a la Azalia Gardens, Then put in another atrocious proposal way over-stepping the previous agreement. It’ll be refused, but don’t worry, they’ll be back with a marginally more acceptable one that will get through… Hopefully, before the new Master Plan comes in.
So people of Red Bank, make sure you get in on those Master Plan consultations.