By Liz Sheehan
SEA BRIGHT– A lot on Ocean Avenue, formerly the site of a Sunoco station, located north of Tommy’s Tap and Tavern, is an integral – and possible conflicting – part of future plans both for the restaurant and for Monmouth County’s proposed relocation of the bridge which connects the borough and Rumson.
Tommy Bonfiglio, the owner of the restaurant, wants to use the parking lot for 26 new parking spaces for his business. He said he owns the lot.
Bonfiglio has applied to the Sea Bright Unified Planning Board to use an upstairs room in his building for private parties for up to 70 people and would use some of the spaces in the Sunoco lot to cover a portion of the parking spots required for this plan, according to C. Lance Cunningham, the chairman of the planning board.
Asked if the board had taken into account that the county has designated the same parking lot for use for access to and parking for Dunkin’ Donuts and Oar Fitness, which will lose their present parking areas when the bridge is moved slightly to the south, Cunningham said “we have to deal with what’s before” the board.
“Right now the county doesn’t own it, Tommy’s does,” he said, referring to the lot.
The board heard Bonfiglio’s application on July 12 and will have a future hearing on the matter.
SEA BRIGHT– A lot on Ocean Avenue, formerly the site of a Sunoco station, located north of Tommy’s Tap and Tavern, is an integral – and possible conflicting – part of future plans both for the restaurant and for Monmouth County’s proposed relocation of the bridge which connects the borough and Rumson.
Tommy Bonfiglio, the owner of the restaurant, wants to use the parking lot for 26 new parking spaces for his business. He said he owns the lot.
Bonfiglio has applied to the Sea Bright Unified Planning Board to use an upstairs room in his building for private parties for up to 70 people and would use some of the spaces in the Sunoco lot to cover a portion of the parking spots required for this plan, according to C. Lance Cunningham, the chairman of the planning board.
Asked if the board had taken into account that the county has designated the same parking lot for use for access to and parking for Dunkin’ Donuts and Oar Fitness, which will lose their present parking areas when the bridge is moved slightly to the south, Cunningham said “we have to deal with what’s before” the board.
“Right now the county doesn’t own it, Tommy’s does,” he said, referring to the lot.
The board heard Bonfiglio’s application on July 12 and will have a future hearing on the matter.
At a June 8 public information meeting at which county engineers explained the proposals for the bridge, for which construction is planned to begin in 2020, officials said the former Sunoco lot was essential for the plan to provide for left turns onto and off Ocean Avenue as well as for parking since state regulations do not permit left turns in or out of Old Rumson Road, which is just south of Dunkin’ Donuts and Oar Fitness.
Bonfiglio on Tuesday said he had met with county representatives about the lot to discuss “how could we work together and make it work.”
Under discussion, he said, was perhaps having dual use of the former Sunoco lot, and having Tommy’s use a portion of Old Rumson Road for his parking lot access.
Bonfiglio said that the use of the lot for Dunkin’ Donuts and Tommy’s could work out since his restaurant would use the lot mostly from noon to midnight while Dunkin’ Donuts parking was mostly from 6 to 11 a.m.
He said the plans for the bridge were “still just talk,” and “not final yet.”
Bonfiglio questioned if the county would seek to take over his lot. “It would be hard to take parking from one person to give to another,” he said.
Bonfiglio on Tuesday said he had met with county representatives about the lot to discuss “how could we work together and make it work.”
Under discussion, he said, was perhaps having dual use of the former Sunoco lot, and having Tommy’s use a portion of Old Rumson Road for his parking lot access.
Bonfiglio said that the use of the lot for Dunkin’ Donuts and Tommy’s could work out since his restaurant would use the lot mostly from noon to midnight while Dunkin’ Donuts parking was mostly from 6 to 11 a.m.
He said the plans for the bridge were “still just talk,” and “not final yet.”
Bonfiglio questioned if the county would seek to take over his lot. “It would be hard to take parking from one person to give to another,” he said.
