By LINDA G. RASTELLI
Yes, there’s a mention of a bar in the concept plan for what a made-over Fair Haven business district might look like.
But that’s as racy as it gets. Borough residents are emphatic that they’re “very wary of attracting non-residents to Fair Haven through any tourist-oriented events,” according to a newly released Project for Public Spaces report, available on he borough website.
The 39-page report, paid for with $40,000 in grant money, summarizes PPS’s research into what the town wants to be, and make recommendations for getting there. It has ideas from both planners and townspeople who attended several “visioning” meetings this year to discuss the borough’s future.
“It’s pretty ambitious,” admits Mayor Mike Halfacre, “but there are a lot of good ideas in it.”
What happens next, the mayor says, depends upon how much buy-in the town can get from retailers and citizens to implement its various recommendations.
Some suggestions that may prove controversial, the mayor says, are to implement mixed-use development in the downtown so that housing could be placed above stores, and to run a bike path down River Road. Retailers are concerned with losing parking to a bike lane, he notes.
The borough council needs to review the report and choose what aspects to pursue, based on input from retailers and residents, he adds.
The report includes a summary from a June 23rd town meeting at which residents brainstormed what they’d like to see in Fair Haven. At the top of the list for new retail, which residents though was lacking in general, was an ice cream parlor.
A pharmacy and a bar were also mentioned.
The town only has two liquor licenses, Halfacre says, and space is tight for any new retail. “There are no vacancies, but if there was, the Acme shopping center would be ideal for an ice cream parlor,” he says.
For the waterfront, residents expressed a desire for more access to the river and street vendors. Also mentioned: a museum, outdoor concerts — in a gazebo or on a portable stage — theatre and a farmers’ market.
The town has already taken steps to attract a farmers’ market to the fire station area, Halfacre says, adding that a weekday market may be preferable to a weekend market in terms of attracting vendors.
The mayor hopes to gain cooperation from the Acme shopping center tenants, he says, as well as other business owners, to have shared parking in the back and to create “plazas” with greenery and benches in the front of some stores along West River Road, to change the feel of the downtown and make it more pedestrian-friendly, as suggested by the report.
“We’d like a visual narrowing of West River Road — which is a county road — with striping,” he says. “We have some grant money to do that, and now we just need the county’s permission.”
Bringing more tourists into Fair Haven would require dramatically changing the attitudes of the Fair Haven Police Department. Unless and until doing 35 MPH in a 30 MPH on River Road is not treated like a major felony (Involving a fine of almost $500 if you want to take the plea bargain and avoid the points), Fair Haven will remain what it is now — an over-developed, overtaxed suburb that one must, unfortunately, drive through in order to get to Red Bank or Rumson.
Typo…I meant to write "doing 35 MPH in a 30 MPH zone" … I left out the word "zone."
Perharps a wall around all of Fair Haven can be constructed to keep out the terrible "non-residents".
They should do something about that Pond on River Road. It's a disgusting pea soup 6 months out of the year and the first thing you see when coming into FH from Red Bank. A simple inconspicuous fountain to move the water around would fix that eye sore.
I believe that pond is still privately owned.
a,
You are correct. The pond is still privately owned. It was offered to the town, but the town felt they could not accept it. It needs a good clean-up.
I smell Eminent Domain!!
Biggest waste of 40,000 dollars I've ever seen.
just proves what we always knew, Fair Haven thinks they are better then everyone else.
GOD, if your there please pray for all those lost souls in that town.
My dad, Mike Brady, was an architech and he would have never done something this stupid.
Why would anyone want to be a tourist in fair haven… What do they think they are Cape May or something… give us a break!
This made my night, I needed to laugh at something, and this hit the spot!
Dear Greg Brady,
Thank you for always keeping me in your thoughts. I will pray for the good people of Fair Haven to not make such a mistake. I know if Mr. Brady were around he would design a really cool retro building. Alice says hello. Thank you.
I see they want to start a farmer's market. Well here is someone who could run it after she loses the election:
http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=B3&Date=20071005&Category=MULTIMEDIA02&ArtNo=710050803&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=9
Paid for by Karcher for Farm Market 2007
heck - they think they are Nantucket.
GOD,
You always make me feel better.
I think I'm up to $15 in the plate now, its well worth it!
I once knew a man from Nantucket his…
I just read this entire report in 10 minutes… its the biggest piece of fluff Ive ever seen…. Nothing but pictures and Very stupid paragraphs…
way to go FH just wasted another $40,000
Look what tourism has done for red bank…higher taxes, split the town, and huge immigrant problems.
I thought it was grant money? usually that has to be spent, or it is lost..
The $40,000 came from the state in the form of a grant. RB received funds from this program for their study also. Wonder why NJ has the highest taxes in the nation?
Hey Fair Haven Residents. We still have 5 Christmas trees left for sale this year. Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount.
We are the 3rd driveway on the left with the big McMansion you can't miss it. Ellen our Fake Tree Farmer will be glad to drag your freshly cut pine tree several hundred yards out to the curb for you.
Happy Holidays!
http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=B3&Date=20071005&Category=MULTIMEDIA02&ArtNo=710050803&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=6
Most of the residents of Fair Haven moved here because they liked the town as it is and I suspect that most of us still feel the same way. We certainly didn't need to engage the services of Project for Public Spaces to help us turn Fair Haven's River Road into Red Bank East. We are already dealing with that stark concrete streetscape of the easterly business area of River Road. Enough, already ! ! Please !
was goin on ere!
A bitch session btewixt R.B.
And F.H.
2 differd worlds…
an a neverbe Cape Frustrated…
Id like 2 open an Ice creme place in
F.H.
Did once in R.B. and haven de rent 3xed n 1 place, tanx Dieter…,
I moved 2 mini mall
only 2 hav da x (thin she was) mayorass Sharonass De Ribiero baddd mouth me outta town…
jest Me "2cents Worth"!!!
Ahhh Remember…..?
Oy Veh,
ummm…………… WHAT?
oy veh,
You have to take an English lesson.
Feel sorry for you.
Richard.