Updates from the HCTA on Zoning
FINAL DRAFT
Issue Status/Update
HCTA
December, 2006
ISSUE: PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES
SUMMARY: New zoning changes were introduced but then tabled by the Commissioners late last year after significant opposition. Since then a group of local architects, residents and taxpayers have been meeting periodically to provide suggestions and improvements to the Commissioners. The Borough is currently contemplating making certain other changes to existing zoning ordinances, posting them for public comment and potentially adopting them in 2007. We will post and comment on any additional proposed changes prior to the Commission taking any action.
BACKGROUND: In November 2005, an anonymous postcard was sent to resident of Harvey Cedars informing them that the Borough Commission was prepared to adopt significant restrictions to current zoning regulations at a scheduled Commission meeting. Over 100 taxpayers attended that meeting to express significant concern about the content of those regulations and the process of adoption of those changes.
In response, the Borough Commissioners agreed to table any proposed changes until they could better understand the view of the Borough’s residents. A Zoning Ordinance Committee was established by the Borough to review the proposed changes and provide feedback to the Commissioners. The committee was composed of several local architects and taxpayers in the borough representing various backgrounds and viewpoints. The committee members expressed interest in working cooperatively together to arrive at informed recommendations to the Commission considering the interests of the community of Harvey Cedars.
In January 2006, an open meeting was hosted by the Mayor and Commissioners at the Firehouse in Harvey Cedars and attended by more than 100 residents and taxpayers. At that meeting various points of view were expressed and considered by the Commission. Also during the two hour meeting, several areas of zoning ordinance inconsistency were discussed as were potential “loop holes” in zoning language. Again, no uniform agreement was arrived at and the Commission again declined to take action on any proposed changes to residential zoning ordinances.
Following that meeting, the Zoning Committee was again tasked by the Mayor and Commission with generating suggestions for improving and clarifying zoning ordinances in the Borough and to develop ideas for the Commission to consider with the goal of ensuring the zoning ordinances in Harvey Cedars were logical and understandable and that residential buildings in the Borough were kept within appropriate parameters without establishing undue penalty or setting significant restrictions versus existing code.
The Committee met several times during the course of 2006 to exchange ideas and consider these points of view. We would describe these meetings as professional and respectful and conducted in accordance with the goals set out above. However, it is important to note that while several members of the Committee continued to emphatically articulate their view that many residents desired significant reductions to current zoning codes, we felt (and continue to feel) that the majority of taxpayers in the Borough are not in favor of significant restrictions to current parameters.
In November, 2006 the Committee met to review several specific suggestions to Commission to consider with regard to proposed changes.
NEXT STEPS: The Commission has indicated several next steps with regard to this issue. First, the Commission has asked the HCTA to update you on the progress of this issue. Subsequently, the Commission has suggested posting the new proposed changes on the Borough’s web site for review and comment by residents and taxpayers. We strongly agree with this approach and encouraged the Commissioners to do so. We will also post any proposed changes to our web site with commentary prior to any action being taken.
Following a period of public review and comment, the Commission proposes to incorporate additional feedback and adopt revised zoning regulations in accordance with the Committees suggestions and provide an extended period prior to implementation of the revised code in order to accommodate current rebuilding or renovation projects underway in the Borough.
While not perfect, we believe the process and the outcome with respect to proposed zoning ordinance change in the Borough will be significantly better than formerly anticipated and will provide a much clearer set of guidelines which are more consistent with those across the Island and which are in the best interests of the Community of Harvey Cedars.