LAKEWOOD — Claiming it provides a “beneficial use” to the mostly Orthodox community, township officials approved a retroactive variance for Lake Terrace, the popular catering hall, to continue operating even though it had lacked proper permits for years.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved several variances, 6-0, Monday allowing the banquet venue to remain in operation despite being in an industrial area.
The only change is that concerts can no longer be held there after Lake Terrace removed that event from its list of requested activities.
More: Lakewood zoning dispute over catering hall takes a turn; lawyer wants to see guest list
Board members deemed Lake Terrace to be of “beneficial use” to the community given its access for larger events and many Orthodox weddings and gatherings that often require special circumstances.
“It has become part of the fabric of the town,” said Board Chair Abe Halberstam, one of several Orthodox board members who cited the need for the large space and unique options it provides for many religious events. “You can’t just go to any banquet facility that is not accustomed to a kosher wedding. That is an issue that has to be looked at.”
The approval ended more than a year of debate and discussion over the future of the popular catering hall that had been operating without a proper variance at 1690 Oak St. for nearly 10 years.
The case involved a variety of issues as neighboring businesses claimed Lake Terrace should not be granted the variance because of traffic, noise and other complaints that had been raised during the years the catering hall has operated.
Robert Shea, a lawyer representing several neighboring businesses, said the board should not be influenced by the fact that it’s still in business and should instead look at the zoning designation for the area.
“The use as presented has never received approval,” Shea said. “You have to look at this as if it never existed before and if it did not exist what would you do?”
He also spent much of the time during previous hearings presenting evidence of traffic issues, blocked roadways and noise complaints dating back years.
“They have failed to identify proper parking, employee parking, pedestrian access or handicapped parking,” Shea said. “There is no loading zone and there have been accidents. Somebody is going to get killed over there.”
More: What does this wedding have to do with the Lakewood zoning board?
Attorneys for the venue contended that most of the traffic and parking issues have been resolved and that the board cannot ignore the fact that the venue exists and has become part of the community in a positive way.
“It does exist today,” said Adam Pfeffer, Lake Terrace attorney who stressed that it’s needed in the growing Orthodox community that often holds large-scale weddings and other events and has few venues from which to choose.
“The majority of our wedding and banquet events are more than 500 people, about 750 to 800,” Pfeffer said. “And this applicant has worked very hard to make sure this site works well.”
Halberstam agreed and said his family recently had to plan a wedding and could not find a venue large enough to hold the gathering within the time frame needed.
“We ended up going to a much smaller venue,” he said.
A recent disagreement involving another wedding stemmed from a conflict of interest for Board member Judah Ribiat, whose engaged daughter chose last month to have her wedding at Lake Terrace.
Even though Ribiat recused himself from the proceedings, Shea said the issue was enough to dismiss the case and sought for the entire board to be recused.
Board Attorney John Jackson declined the request and ruled that Ribiat’s recusal was enough.
At Monday’s meeting, Board Members Avraham Naftali and Moshe Gleiberman agreed that Lake Terrace has become a necessary option for township residents seeking a larger venue and more religious factors and that the “beneficial use” provision should be utilized to approve its variance.
“A wedding venue in Lakewood is part of the fabric of the community,” Gleiberman said.
More: Neighbors say Lakewood catering hall never should have opened, but township leaves it be
The Lake Terrace property was once a vacant office building with approval to become a school and assembly hall. The school closed in 2009 and in 2015 the building, under the ownership of KBS Mt. Prospect LLC, started operating as a banquet facility, but without any updated variance or zoning approvals.
In 2020, Clayton Associates, one of the neighboring businesses, sued Lakewood Township claiming it allowed Lake Terrace to operate without proper zoning approval.
The lawsuit, which was amended to include other neighboring businesses and landlord Sudler Companies, said the operation created an unlawful nuisance. The case is still pending.
Joe Strupp is an award-winning journalist with 35 years’ experience who covers Lakewood and several local communities for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He is also the author of four books, including Killing Journalism on the state of the news media, and an adjunct media professor at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reach him at jstrupp@gannettnj.com and at 732-413-3840. Follow him on Twitter and TruthSocial at @joestrupp
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Despite not having proper permits for years, Lakewood catering hall to keep operating
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