By carolyn o’connell
Staff Writer
FARRAH MAFFAI Construction work is well under way at Beachfront North, a 15-acre community being built along the oceanfront in Long Branch. Developers Matzel and Mumford, Hazlet, and The Applied Cos., Hoboken, are building The Bluffs at Beachfront North with 104 seashore-styled townhomes and The Grand Resorts with 179 condominium residences.
OCEANPORT — The borough’s sign ordinance will go through another round of negotiations before any changes are made.
The adoption of changes to the ordinance came to a screeching halt after a real estate agent, Pauline Poyner, who had petitioned the council for amendments to the law, said what was proposed was not what was sought.
Poyner, who works out of Coldwell Banker’s Rumson office, was seeking a three-hour window in which directional signs indicating an open house is being held could be displayed.
She sought to have the ordinance amended after her open house signs were confiscated by the borough police and she had to go to court and pay a $35 fine for violating the existing statute.
The language to address directional signs did not appear in the new ordinance.
During a council workshop, Councilman Michael Mahon suggested that the amended ordinance be withdrawn so the council can discuss it further, in order to get closer to what the real estate agents wanted.
Mayor Gordon Gemma did not agree and said that something should be adopted. "They may not have the whole loaf," said Gemma, "but now all open house signs are illegal. We can’t do selective enforcement."
Mahon replied that he did not disagree with that; however, he would like to see language that would allow directional signs.
Other issues about the ordinance addressed by the governing body included where signs on private property could be placed and how to handle enforcement of the rule.
Borough Attorney Francis A. Margalotti said that since there has been so much talk about the ordinance, it would be best if it was tabled. Margalotti cautioned that when making a substantial change, it should be reintroduced.
During the public portion of the meeting several real estate agents took the opportunity to address the governing body.
Poyner stood before the council and requested that they consider the directional signs for a limited time during one day.
"I hope I don’t see directional signs for Cub Scouts and for the Oceanport Fair and not for Realtors," said Poyner.
Poyner then suggested that agents should notify the borough of an upcoming open house.
Gene Schecter, a broker with Century 21 Schecter Realty, Eatontown, said he too had police officers take his signs during an open house. "There needs to be an immediate enforcement equal to everyone," said Schecter. "Maybe requiring everyone to get a license from the borough."
Schecter said having open houses helps expose a homeowner’s house and helps get more money for the home.
"The signs are horrendous on Monmouth Road and Commerce Road [West Long Branch]," said Dot Schulze of the Dot Schulze Agency, West Long Branch. She suggested that the governing body speak with Joe Gallo, West Long Branch’s zoning officer, who has taken some measures to enforce that town’s sign ordinance. Schulze also said she was OK with notifying the borough of an open house.
Dennis McCarthy, a resident of Tecumseh Avenue, said, "Sometimes there is too much government, but in this case it’s good that someone is doing something about the signs all over the borough.
Earlier Gemma noted that some companies seem to be advertising open houses every day, and that it is causing proliferation of signs.
Frank Camassa, a broker with the Camassa Agency, West Long Branch, agreed with tabling the ordinance, pointing out that for sale signs are only allowed to be displayed for 90 days.
Camassa explained that a typical listing [a home for sale] can stay on the market for six months or longer. He suggested the governing body also take a look at that part of the ordinance and make changes based on the needs of the market.
Tecumseh Avenue resident Scott Poyner stated that the borough police are now practicing selective enforcement, and inquired when the ordinance would be rewritten.
If, at the next meeting, the council can work it out and accept a final draft, Gemma said it would be introduced at the May 15 meeting. Then it would be adopted on June 15 and be in effect by July 17.
"The ordinance needs to work and can’t be left open for a challenge. We need to speak with other towns," said Gemma.