Essex and Sussex Settlement Agreement Changes Reached

The Spring Lake Council has opened the door for changes in the age requirements and other management operations at the the Essex and Sussex Condominiums.

Residents crowded the council chambers during the council’ s Tuesday meeting and erupted into applause as the governing body voted unanimously on an ordinance to amend the borough code, allowing for changes that residents say will revitalize the adult community.

"I thank the E and S residents for their patience and cooperation," Councilwoman Janice Venables said, noting the many years it has taken for all involved parties to come to an agreement on the changes.

"You are our neighbors," Councilwoman Priscilla Reilly told the Essex and Sussex residents in attendance, explaining that the issue seemed to be on the forefront of residents' minds during her campaign before the November 2010 election.

The new ordinance will lower the minimum age from 62 to 55, a move that the Essex and Sussex owners feel will create a broader market for unoccupied units and lessen the financial burden on individual homeowners.

The changes also will allow management to determine the frequency of dining room service. Since units in the Essex and Sussex do not have kitchens, facility's dining room were initially to serve three meals per day, 365 days per year.

Since many of the homeowners maintain multiple residences or choose to dine in area eateries, the cost of full, year-round meal service proved burdensome, residents say.

The historic oceanfront building was first constructed as a luxury hotel in 1914 during Spring Lake's heyday as a resort town. At that time, the Jersey Shore was a popular vacation destination and the coast was dotted with similarly grand structures. As the regional demographic changed and the area became more residential, progress saw many of the area's resorts demolished to make way for homes.

The Essex and Sussex stood dormant for many years and eventually fell into disrepair. The property, once the host of the rich and famous, was boarded up and changed hands several times.

Eventually, a developer purchased the property with the intent of turning it into an adult community. Concerns over the new use for the property led to a legal battle between the borough and the developer with the eventual outcome being a settlement agreement laying a number of ground rules that would allow the former hotel to function as a permanent residence in 1997.

Since that time, the condominium owners took over ownership of the property and control of its operations from the developer. As economic turmoil loomed, the homeowners association sought some relief from the borough to maintain their financial viability and attract new residents.

One of the most contentious issues, however, has been the use of the building's ballroom for banquets and other functions. Essex and Sussex residents saw banquets as an important revenue generator, while neighbors feared that a change would turn the facility into a "wedding factory," with high traffic, loud noise and other associated problems.

The 1997 settlement agreement limited the total number of functions held in the building to 25 and required that the honoree of the function be a resident.

Changes to the settlement agreement will lower the total number of events to 18 from 25, but will now allow residents to "sponsor" events without being the honoree.

Proposed changes to the settlement agreement were met with some opposition, voiced publicly to the borough council. Residents of the neighborhood surrounding the building were concerned with how changes in operations would affect their quality of life.

A group of concerned citizens went so far as to acquire legal representation to ensure they would have a voice in any discussions between the Essex and Sussex homeowners and the borough.

Several years of meetings and discussions eventually led to a number of changes being made to the rules put in place by the settlement agreement.