MONMOUTH BEACH — Planning Board Chairman Peter Fitch was lambasted by a borough resident who also questioned the motives of a Planning Board member in voting for subdividing a lot on Monmouth Parkway, which would have created what generally is known as a flag lot.
Ed Moro, who lives next door to the lot in question, brought his complaint to the Borough Commission at its monthly meeting on Sept. 14.
The subdivision of the lot was denied by the Planning Board on a 3-3 tie vote. Board Attorney Scott Arnette held at the time of the Planning Board’s consideration of the subdivision, that the lot that would be created was not a flag lot, even though a driveway to it would be the only frontage on Monmouth Parkway. He said that in Monmouth Beach the applicant is allowed to count the end of the lot facing on the river as frontage.
Moro, who lives at 71 Monmouth Parkway, blasted Fitch for “coaching” applicants who appear before the Planning Board.
“The man is opinionated. He thinks he’s J.C. He thinks he knows everything,” Moro said. “He’s not supposed to advise someone what to do.”
Moro then criticized board member Tim Britton for saying he had to vote for the subdivision of the Monmouth Parkway lot because he similarly subdivided a lot on Navesink Drive. After that lot was subdivided, Britton built a new house for himself on the river on what would be considered the flag lot and renovated an existing house facing on Navesink Drive for a rental.
Moro said Britton, a builder, builds fine houses and that he was sure that Wallace would build a nice house on his lot if it were subdivided.
He then asked, “Or is Mr. Wallace a front for him?” referring to Britton.
Wallace, contacted later, said he had no agreement with Britton to build a house. In fact, he said he had never met Britton before the Planning Board meeting and didn’t know he was a builder.
“I don’t even have blueprints,” he added.
“There’s no collusion going on between the board or anybody, certainly not me,” he said.
Wallace’s plan was to tear down the existing house on the lot and build two new houses on conforming lots within the building envelope allowed. He had previously planned to keep the existing house and build just one new one, but he needed a variance for encroachment on the street and was denied.
Wallace said he still hadn’t decided whether he would appeal the Planning Board’s denial of his application. “Do I need more aggravation?” he asked.
Mayor James P. McConville III told Moro, in reference to Fitch, that sometimes people say things that are inappropriate.
Commissioner William C. Barham said the commission has no right to intervene in a Planning Board action, but said the “coaching” of applicants by the chairman could be perceived as a conflict of interest.
“I don’t believe anybody should be coaching from the bench,” he said.
Barham also said he didn’t want any more flag lots in the borough.
“I think we can ask the Planning Board to be a little more proactive … so we can pass ordinances to keep Monmouth Beach as it is,” he said.
Commissioner James F. Cunniff said the Planning Board should never have turned down the application. He noted that the Planning Board’s attorney told the members they couldn’t deny the application but they did it anyway.
“That’s the stupidity of it,” Cunniff said. “Because they turned that down, it’s going to cost you and all the taxpayers … because he’s going to take that to [Superior Court in] Freehold. It’s going to cost us $20,000-$30,000. “
Moro said he had found no reference in the zoning ordinance allowing flag lots and doubted if Wallace could prevail on an appeal. Borough Attorney Dennis Collins then looked for the flag lot provision in the ordinance but, after several minutes of searching, said he couldn’t find it.
“It’s not in there,” Moro maintained.
When Cunniff and McConville were asked if they agreed with Barham that flag lots should not be allowed, both said each case should be examined individually.

