Asbury Park board carries controversial 700 First Avenue parking plan after heated neighborhood debate

The Asbury Park Zoning Board heard heated public comment June 23 on a proposal by 700 First Avenue LLC to build an 11‑space asphalt parking lot and three ground‑level decks at the corner of First Avenue and Bond Street. Board members and residents raised concerns about loss of front‑yard green space, headlight glare, lighting spill onto neighboring porches and whether small decks would constitute an expansion of a non‑conforming use.

Engineer Patrick Ludisi described the proposal and stormwater design: the lot is roughly 11,500 square feet and the applicant is proposing 11 off‑street spaces and a subsurface storm chamber system of eight SC‑34 chambers with 1,238 cubic feet of storage designed to capture the 2‑year storm. He told the board the proposed impervious coverage would increase from about 47.8% existing to roughly 83.2% proposed, exceeding the R1 maximum of 65%, and the applicant would therefore need variances and design waivers.

Planner John Takinos said the project seeks three types of relief (including a question whether the three small decks require a D2 expansion‑of‑nonconforming‑use variance) and argued the parking would reduce on‑street pressure in a congested neighborhood; he also proposed right‑sizing parking stalls to regain some open space and adding a pedestrian walkway to Bond Street to improve access to units. “We think the parking and decks together are a better plan with landscaping than an empty lot,” he said.

Neighbors said the corner is visible from many porches and objected to a paved front‑yard lot; several urged the board to require more perimeter screening, a relocated curb cut away from the intersection, smaller stalls and an accessible pathway. Owner Ron Rudolph said tenants repeatedly ask for on‑site parking because they currently park blocks away: “I’m doing this because the tenants are saying we can’t find parking,” he told the board.

Outcome and next steps: after extended discussion the applicant asked to continue the application. The board voted to carry the matter to July 28, 2026 without further notice to allow the applicant to submit revised plans and supporting reports addressing: parking stall dimensions and assignment; relocation or redesign of the ADA/accessible stall if required by the construction official; EV‑charging requirements; a groundwater mounding analysis for the subsurface chamber; revised lighting with shielded fixtures to limit spill onto Bond Street; and a clearer landscape plan to mitigate visual impact. The applicant agreed to consider reducing stall dimensions and adding a pedestrian walkway to Bond Street.

The continuation gives board professionals time to review the revised materials and for the board and public to evaluate tradeoffs between off‑street parking and preserved open space at this corner.