Fate of Little Silver Condo Complex May Be Decided Tonight

On Tuesday evening, the Little Silver Planning Board will discuss and potentially approve Carriage Park, a .

State Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-12) is expected to be there to voice his opposition, as will Chet Apy, a retired attorney who has been leading a group of residents objecting to the project's size and scope.

Apy addressed the borough council during a public workshop Monday evening to brief them on the matter. He and other members of the public asked council members to consider what the development --which is being developed by Javin L.P. -- will look like and its impact on the surrounding area.

"These are not little units," said Apy. "The bigger ones are 3,300 square feet. This whole project is very different than Alderbrook, or Townhomes, or the other multi-family projects in town."

Some opponents described the proposed development as "inward-focused" and "fortress-like," stating they felt the design ought to be reconsidered as part of a cohesive redevelopment plan for the area surrounding the train station, which serves as an entrance to the borough from Shrewsbury and Oceanport.

"In a perfect world, I think we'd all like to say 'let's develop that as a whole,' and one of the mechanisms is the redevelopment statute, but you've got to be very careful about that," warned Councilman Daniel O'Hern. 

"This project unfortunately has been approved to some people's chagrin, but it's been approved, and if you start taking that and lumping that in and declaring it in need of redevelopment, I guarantee you're getting a lawsuit challenge. It's a wonderful concept, but I don't know that it would fly."

Apy also expressed the need for updated fiscal impact and traffic studies, as he said the last studies were conducted in 2003.

"It's before the planning board, let's see what happens, let's see what comes out of it," said Mayor Robert C. Neff, Jr.

The Little Silver Planning Board meets tonight at 7 p.m. at . The meeting is open to the public. Residents will be given the opportunity to voice their opinions during the public portion of the meeting.