By John Burton
RED BANK — The borough Planning Board is scheduled on Monday to again take up the controversial and convoluted application to construct a 76-room, six-story Hampton Inn at the corner of Rector Place and state Highway 35.
The application when first proposed nearly two years ago sparked lawsuits from a borough resident and owners of a Tinton Falls hotel who opposed it. It also led to confusion among local planning and zoning professionals and the borough council concerning jurisdiction. Due to some ambiguity in the then existing ordinance—which the council had attempted to rectify by changing the ordinance—it was unclear whether the proposal should be heard by the planning board or the zoning board of adjustment and just how high the structure should be built. The issue ping-ponged between the two boards, as the objectors raised concern over its height and location, situated next to a residential neighborhood.
Consequently, the developer, RBank Capital LLC, withdrew its plans so as to reconfigure it somewhat to meet existing requirements.
The developer hopes to build it at the northern entrance of the borough overlooking the Swimming River, on a long-vacant and rundown property that had formerly held a gas station.
The planning board meets at 7 p.m. at borough hall, 90 Monmouth Street.
