Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on March 19, 2015

A new zoning plan for Long Branchs West End was presented at Tuesdays planning board meeting.(Photo: Dan Radel/Staff Photo)

LONG BRANCH The planning board is recommending changes to the city's West End zoning ordinance which could allow a previously rejected synagogue and repertory company to be located there.

The new zone called the West End Overlay Design District would "allow for certain uses in the West End that wouldn't otherwise be permitted in a C-3 zone," said Dave Roberts, the city's planning consultant.

The West End is presently zoned for mixed commercial and residential use.

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The change could open the door for a former applicant Menachem Learning Institute to build a synagogue at the site of the vacant West End theater. The applicant was denied in 2013 and then sued the city in a separate religious discrimination case alleging the zoning board discriminated against it when it rejected their proposal.

Planning board attorney Martin J. Arbus said that litigation is on hold while the city considers the new zone changes.

According to Roberts the new plan would allow for religious uses on the second floor of a building that has commercial retail on the first floor. The building has to be on a parcel of land that is 20,000 square feet or more.

The plan would allow conditional uses at the former West End School to include arts and entertainment venues. The New Jersey Repertory Company is under contract to purchase the building and turn it into a theater.

Continued here:

Synagogue coming back to Long Branch?

Category: Synagogue
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