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Commission pushes back on social-media claims, says site plan keeps front school commercial; urges public engagement on master plan
Summary
Commissioners defended the approved site plan for the former Ventnor professional campus and the front school building, saying any conversion to residential would be a substantial change requiring a new application and public notice; they urged residents to attend planning-board hearings and forthcoming master-plan outreach.
The commission spent substantial time on Feb. 12 clarifying the redevelopment status of the old professional campus and the historic front school building.
Commissioner Lance told the public the planning board approved a site plan on Nov. 18, 2025 that mandates commercial use for the front school building and said, “any attempt to convert the historic structure into residential units would constitute a substantial change” that would trigger a new application and public notifications to nearby property owners.
Commissioners said they invited former Mayor Kreischer to meet and hoped to clarify points raised on social media; staff characterized some online comments as misinformation and encouraged residents to contact city staff or attend meetings for authoritative updates.
The panel also previewed a master-plan reexamination process required every 10 years (last completed in 2017). Staff recommended vendor-led public outreach including a possible charette or public display at a highly trafficked venue so residents can review drafts and comment. Commissioners noted that the redevelopment plan and subsequent site-plan approval included design changes requested by the governing body and planning board, and emphasized that the front school is subject to binding site-plan terms intended to preserve commercial use and curb appeal.
Public comment at the meeting included support for the commission’s transparency from long-time resident and bike-shop owner Mike Wiesen and a safety request from resident Nicole Jacobi about traffic-calming measures on Edgewater Avenue.
