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Residents press Brielle council over Sports Club zoning, 45-foot height and lack of public notice
Summary
Residents at the March 23 meeting criticized the process that led to a 45-foot height allowance at the Sports Club site and said they were ‘blindsided’; borough counsel said the zoning outcome resulted from court-ordered mediation tied to a challenged Fair Share Housing Plan.
Residents pressed the Brielle Mayor and Council on March 23 over zoning and public-notice issues tied to a proposed new building on the Sports Club site and Bond Ordinance 1168.
George Mervine and several other residents said they felt “blindsided” when the Sports Club site was permitted up to 45 feet in height, which they said conflicts with a 35-foot maximum in the zoning ordinance. Attorney Surenian told the council that the height and the Sports Club zone resulted from mediation after a Fair Share Housing Plan was challenged; he said the Plan filed in June 2025 prompted court-ordered mediation and that the borough faces state-imposed deadlines and an obligation of “four hundred plus units.”
Residents asked why the public had not been informed during the process. Surenian said mediation is confidential and that, once a case has a court docket number, it becomes publicly visible on e-courts. Council members acknowledged the concerns, with Councilman Shaak saying the borough had been “blindsided” by the state’s arbitrary dates and Councilman Nolan placing the issue in a wider regional context.
Speakers also described perceived pre-public engagement by developers: Virginia Loftin alleged owners of a local business had access to concept plans months before the public saw them; council members said developers often contact potential stakeholders before a formal plan is filed.
The council said it plans further internal discussions — including meetings with the project architect and engineer described by Councilman Shaak — to address residents’ questions about design, setbacks and the possibility of amending ordinance language to separate building construction from street and drainage improvements.
