All of the collusion between the "rest of the members of the Board of Fire Commissioners" and the Township Committee is for nought!
Larry Loigman and exposure on FAA News carried the day.
Lakewood's Township Committee today adopted Ordinance 2023-018 on final reading, but with a height limit of 75 feet instead of 150 feet.
As the news was very first broken here on FAA News, back in March the Township Committee introduced Ordinance 2023-018 which would permit 150 feet high rise buildings in a portion of the Township.
Prior to introduction of this Ordinance, Township officials reached out to the Board of Fire Commissioners and asked them to review their high rise proposal.
Fire Chief Jonathan Yahr drafted a report which quietly admitted that the proposal would require the career department to be increased as well as for additional fire apparatus to be purchased, yet at the same time confidently assuring the Township that "we can handle your high rise building proposal."
Subsequently, as first reported here on FAA News, BOFC Vice Chairman Larry Loigman penned a letter very clearly warning the Township Committee that the need to the need to double the size of the career department, and acquire sufficient apparatus, training etc which would be required due to the construction of higher rise buildings than currently permitted in the Township, would increase our property taxes $6 million annually.
Mr. Loigman so eloquently noted, "the additional tax revenue which the Fire District would receive from a large office building would contribute only a negligible amount to that budget."
As previously reported here on FAA News, following exposure on FAA News regarding the topic, and the troubling issues therefrom, - which were based heavily on Mr. Loigman's letter - the Township Committee tabled the adoption of the Ordinance, and instead asked the Board of Fire Commissioners to clarify the extent of the tax increase.
To cover up after this massive exposure, as reported in-depth heavily here and here on FAA News, the rest of the Board of Fire Commissioners shamelessly colluded with Township officials to draft a letter that would make Mr. Loigman's exposure as "the odd man out."
At the end of the day, all this amazing collusion was in vain, as Mayor Ray Coles announced today that the Committee will amend the Ordinance to permit a height of only 75 feet instead of the proposed 150 feet! Coles specified that the reduction in height was because, despite receiving the cover up letter from the rest of the members of the Board of Fire Commissioners, the Committee did not feel comfortable advancing a proposal that did not have the blessing of all members of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
Township Attorney Steven Secare stated that because the amendment is a reduction in height, no new introduction of the Ordinance would be necessary.
Curious minds still wonder which, as of yet unnamed developer is the the cause of the turmoil behind this Ordinance...
Township officials have been mum regarding how many buildings they anticipate will be built thanks to this Ordinance.
As previously noted on FAA News, a precursory review of tax maps indicates that the entire area to be rezoned is over 1.3 million sq feet. At a Minimum Lot Area of 3 acres, it appears that over 10 buildings could be built here. (Taking into account roadways and drainage basins the net product will likely be less than that).
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2 comments:
Flim flam falnery will get the variances for 150 feet anyways due to incredible public necessity to enrich the developer.
Lyin’ Brian will find some kind of convoluted logic to claim that 150 foot tall buildings are inherently beneficial. LOL.
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