by John Pietrunti, Neptune City Democratic Municipal Vice-Chair
Earlier this year, a plan came to light to approve a self-storage facility right in the middle of our town center, backing up to residents’ properties. It appears this issue is back, with no advance notice, and up for a vote to change the deed to allow this plan to go through. While progress is important, is this what is best for the town? Do the developers know our town, are they a part of our community and do they see this as a money-maker or an asset to our community? (Hint: No.) Read Part 1 with background here.
Yesterday I was in Winter Garden, Florida, where I visited the Crooked Can Brewery. The building in which it is housed was built by the brewery and also houses a butcher, food stores as well as other booths. I thought it was a great example of how thinking outside the box can help transform a downtown area.
Unlike Winter Garden, or many other small cities and towns throughout America, Neptune City is choosing to repurpose its downtown by creating a storage facility. It was a bad idea when it was floated a few months ago, and remains a bad idea. I understand that the outgoing Council is attempting to rush through a vote for this coming Monday to change the permitted use of the property to allow for such a use. Notwithstanding the fact that the terms of the deed have not been fully disclosed, the merits and potential benefits of the change of use have not even been identified.
I suspect those who are in favor of this development will fall back on arguments that it’s an “easy ratable,” with supposedly no impact on services, etc., but that cannot and should not be the only determinant as to whether we add a storage facility in the middle of an area which has been for years targeted as a town center.
We have just been provided our tax assessments for 2019. Property values in Neptune City are rising. The word is getting out. The entire Shore continues to be transformed. Why are only we in Neptune City not looking forward? Or at least that’s how it appears. Please attend Monday, Dec. 10th at 7pm if you can.