LAKEWOOD, NJ – Lake Terrace is one of Lakewood’s most popular banquet halls. Each year, it hosts hundreds of weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, and special events. It was where Mitt Romney stopped when he came to New Jersey when he was running for President in 2012.
There’s a saying that goes something like this, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.”
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That’s what happened at Lake Terrace.
Now, KBS Mt Prospect, LLC, the operator of the hall has submitted an application for a major site plan and use variance approval to the Lakewood Township Zoning Board of Adjustment.
The proposal is to establish a banquet hall on Lot 47 in Block 1160.05, which falls under the M-1 Zoning district that typically disallows such an establishment. The applicant is also seeking approval to continue operating the existing banquet hall with an on-site liquor license, and use it for conferences, weddings, outdoor ceremonies, fundraising dinners, concerts, community events and event/meeting/banquet facilities.
The applicant expects to host up to 300 events per year, with each event accommodating up to 1,500 attendees, and an average size of approximately 500 people. The majority of the events are scheduled for evening hours, which will have minimal effect on weekday peak hour traffic.
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The proposed banquet hall has 350 on-site parking spaces, with an additional 85 off-street parking spaces available on a neighboring property known as Lot 49, Lot 1160.05 having a street address of 1655 Corporate Road, Lakewood, NJ. Furthermore, the applicant plans to implement an alternative valet parking plan for larger concert events of up to 1,500 attendees, which will provide a total of 531 valet parking spaces using the two sites.
The applicant is also requesting a minimum front yard setback of 49.42 feet, where 50 feet is required based on the existing condition. The application includes a request for any and all other variances and waivers required by submission and discussion of the plans.
The Lakewood Township Zoning Board of Adjustment has scheduled a special meeting to review the application on Wednesday, May 1, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., at the Municipal Building located at 231 Third Street, Lakewood, New Jersey. The application, maps, and supporting documents are available for review at the Lakewood Township Zoning Board of Adjustment office, located at 212 Fourth Street, Lakewood, NJ.
Interested parties are invited to attend the meeting and offer their opinions and concerns about the proposal.