Rumson Country Club Proposes Key Upgrades

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The Rumson Country Club is seeking relief to expand its main clubhouse on the 210-acre site. Hugh Ward

By Allison Perrine

RUMSON – Enhanced locker rooms, expanded dining space and new rooftop decking are just some of the improvements being sought by the Rumson Country Club this year.

Currently under consideration by the Rumson Borough Planning Board is a proposal to maximize the offerings at the main clubhouse on the 210-acre site. And attorney John Anderson says the improvements are not only beneficial for members; they could help “enhance property values” for surrounding neighbors, he argued during the Feb. 7 virtual board meeting.

The clubhouse under consideration is one of the older structures on site. According to director of grounds and facilities Benjamin Stover, it was donated by a member after the original clubhouse burned down in the 1940s. There have been some additions made over the years but “it really no longer meets the needs of the membership,” he said.

The clubhouse is currently about 15,000 square feet. It contains kitchen and dining space, a board meeting room, administrative offices, storage space, lobbies, hallways and more.

All things considered, it’s still “a small building,” Anderson said.

As part of the proposal, the club is looking to expand the clubhouse by 8,700 feet to allow the club to run as normal but in “a more comfortable space,” Anderson continued. One of the largest components will be to upgrade the men’s and women’s locker rooms which, according to Anderson, are “probably a bit undersized and inadequate.” Some lockers are even shared by two or three people, Stover noted.

Additional proposals are for an enclosure of the existing rear patio, fireside seating, new covered front and rear porches, an 18th hole viewing area and rooftop decking, covered outdoor bar atop the women’s locker room and additional improvements.

“It’s going to offer some more diverse opportunities for the members of the club to dine, a little bit more casual dining as well,” said Anderson.

Further, the applicant is looking to make site improvements including a cart path, paver patio, concrete sidewalk and curb, lighting, landscaping, drainage improvements and a parking lot expansion.

According to Stover, the goal is to maintain the historic look of the clubhouse while simultaneously making “much needed repairs and upgrades.”

Should the board approve the application, the club does not plan to increase its membership.

Landscape architect Steven Krog noted that there are six trees proposed for removal as part of this project – one holly tree, one southern magnolia, two pin oaks and two Bradford pears.

“The plan has been configured in a manner that to the greatest extent possible, we are retaining the trees adjacent to the structure, including one of the largest trees on the site,” said Krog. “We’re obviously cognizant of the fact that the vegetation on this site, especially the shade trees, are a major aesthetic component of the property and we want to retain as much of that canopy as possible.”

Professional engineer and planner Jason Fichter said the applicant currently has a Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permit pending for the work with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which has jurisdiction over stormwater management. The applicant’s goal for its stormwater management design is to “maintain the existing drainage patterns,” he said. “And since this is a major development, we have to demonstrate compliance with stormwater quantity, quality, groundwater recharge and soil erosion and sediment control.”

Fichter assured the board that the DEP is a “relentless reviewing agency” and is “an advocate” for the borough in regard to stormwater management.

Speaking to traffic at the site, Fichter said the applicant does not plan to change the driveway access to the clubhouse. It does, however, plan to reorganize and expand the existing parking lot. Currently, there are 61 parking spaces in front of the clubhouse and the proposal is to increase it to 98 spaces.

“All we really did was reorganize the existing lot, make it more efficient, we added a row of parking… and by doing all of that we were able to add 37 additional parking spaces,” he said. Under borough code, the club would be required to increase the number of spaces by 87 with such a plan but because membership will not increase, the club felt that would not be necessary and is instead seeking a design waiver to proceed with just 37 additional spaces.

“What we’re proposing is consistent with the existing parking lot and that’s worked for many years,” he added. “I believe that if this application was approved, this would be an appropriate development which promotes the general welfare. The Rumson Country Club is an institution in Rumson. This renovation project will help ensure its continued vitality for years to come so that it will continue to be a tremendous asset to the borough.”

Ultimately, time restraints did not allow for public comment on the application to be held that night but interested residents will likely be able to do so at the board’s next meeting when the hearing continues, March 7.

The article originally appeared in the February 17 – 23, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.