By BILL BARLOW/Special to the Sentinel
OCEAN CITY – The Planning Board on May 12 cleared the way for the largest project Ocean City has seen in decades, unanimously granting final site plan approval for a 111-room hotel at 1101 Ocean Ave.
“I think it’s a great project for the city and I’m anxious for them to get started,” said board member Matthew Vanderschuere.
The Planning Board initially rejected the proposal back in 2016, after opposition from neighbors and others. In 2017 a judge found that denial to be unreasonable and ruled that the proposal met the requirements for the redevelopment zone where it is proposed.
Board member Michael Allegretto, in voting to approve the plan, said the use is allowed in that zone and the applicant answered all of the questions posed by the city planning professionals.
“I wish the applicants the best of luck in getting this project off the ground,” said John Loeper, the Planning Board chairman.
To be known as Soleil Resort, the project has been publicly discussed for a decade. Attorney Stephen Nehmad appeared before the board representing both Select Properties, Inc., the original applicant, and the newly formed Soleil company. Both are owned by John and Clay Heckler, brothers based in Colmar, Pa.
Plans call for a condominium hotel that includes a deli and café, a swimming pool and other amenities. Condo hotels refer to the manner of ownership, not the length of stay, with units owned individually but operating as a hotel.
As approved, the average unit will consist of three bedrooms and measure about 1,100 square feet.
“The redevelopment plan envisions a first-class year-round resort hotel at the corner of 11th and Ocean that will complement The Flanders Hotel, support Boardwalk business and stimulate tourism,” reads a report filed with the Planning Board. “The resort hotel is to be a destination that capitalizes on this unique location with architecture, amenities and a streetscape carefully designed to reinforce the historic architecture of The Flanders Hotel.”
Nehmad did not present testimony from the architect or engineer. At the meeting, held remotely, he described the final site plan as a truncated, almost pro-forma kind of hearing. The board granted preliminary approval in October 2017, he said, and the applicant has filed revised plans addressing all of the conditions imposed by the board as part of that previous approval.
Later in the meeting, Nehmad questioned the board’s plan to open the meeting to public comment on the proposal.
“None is required by your ordinance. And none is required by state law,” he said. “I’m just wondering why one is being conducted.”
Gary Griffith, the board’s attorney, said the board allows public comment on all applications.
Nehmad needn’t have worried. There were no comments from the public on the proposal.
Much of the property serves as the parking lot for The Flanders Hotel across 11th Street. Plans call for a three-level garage with 391 spaces, serving both the new property and The Flanders.
Parking will need to be available for The Flanders during construction.
“We certainly acknowledge our obligation,” to maintain enough parking for the neighboring hotel, Nehmad said. “That has always been part of our plan.”
Since receiving preliminary approval, he said, the applicants have met with The Flanders to iron out issues related to the project, including over parking.
“All of our differences have been put to bed,” he said. “And we acknowledge that the parking spaces must be constructed in our initial phase.”
When construction will begin is yet to be determined. Nehmad sought assurance that the approval would be in effect for five years.
“We hope to be moving forward with construction in the reasonably foreseeable future, but this is a big undertaking. The hotel industry has been walloped by the pandemic,” Nehmad said.
Nehmad stated that the condominium form of ownership may help financing of the project. He said many hotel projects he is working on statewide are on hold because there is no financing available.
“This, we think, is different,” he said.
But the past year has made clear that there are always unknowable variables. He said his clients hope to move forward soon.
At the same meeting, the board endorsed an ordinance amending city zoning to remove senior housing as a conditional use in the Boardwalk zone. But city planner Randall Scheule added that senior housing is not defined as a use, while it remains a conditional use in several other zones.
“We’re suggesting that the city may consider development of appropriate standards,” he said.
The board also began discussing returning to in-person meetings as state restrictions ease and the numbers of COVID-19 cases fall.
Starting May 19, the board would be allowed to have up to 50 people in a meeting, Griffith said, giving his opinion that the board could be back to meeting in person for the June meeting.
That would most likely be held in the Ocean City Senior Center, where the meetings were held before the board moved to entirely remote meetings.
The Ocean City Zoning Board has been meeting in person already, while City Council holds meetings at the Ocean City Music Pier with an opportunity for members of the public to participate remotely. Board secretary Jaime Felker said she would not be able to coordinate a hybrid meeting, with remote and in-person participants.
Griffin plans to call the governor’s office to request further guidance. He said there is conflicting guidance on the matter, and at the national level, there is even more conflicting information. Whether or not the governor’s office answers the phone will be a different story, he said.
“I think that we can go back into session and not be criticized,” he said. “I think we can open up and go back to meeting in person.”
But he added that he can find nothing that would prohibit the board from continuing to meet electronically.
Planning Board members supported returning to in-person meetings.
“It’s time,” said one of the members, while a staff member joked that pants will again be a requirement for the meetings.