By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD – The owner of a catering company that hosts events in a Freehold Borough banquet facility hopes to continue using a valet parking lot amid ongoing opposition from the owners of nearby businesses.
Exquisite Caterers is seeking approval from the Planning Board to use an existing parking lot on Hudson Street as a valet parking lot for the vehicles of guests who attend events at the Aurum banquet hall in the Market Yard.
Attorney John Giunco presented Exquisite Caterers’ application to the board on April 26, following an appearance on March 22. No decision was made that evening. The hearing is scheduled to continue on May 24.
The board granted approval for the use of the Hudson Street parking lot in early 2016 amid objections from business owners on Main Street. After legal action was filed by the objecting businesses, Exquisite Caterers filed a new application seeking use variance relief, which had not been sought in the previous application.
Attorney Edward Liston represented the owners of the Main Street businesses which back up to the Market Yard parking lot, including the Metropolitan Cafe, the American Hotel, Federici’s and the Court Jester.
Valet parking for events at the Aurum banquet hall is available to guests. The valets bring the guests’ vehicles to the Hudson Street parking lot. Guests who do not opt for valet parking may park in the Market Yard parking lot.
Supporters of the valet parking lot on Hudson Street believe it will alleviate parking difficulties in the Market Yard, and by extension, the borough.
“The valet parking lot will alleviate overcrowding in the Market Yard,” Giunco said. “It is a benefit to everyone.”
The objecting business owners did not agree with the premise that having a valet lot for the Aurum banquet facility would improve the parking situation in the Market Yard.
A topic of discussion was who had access to the valet parking lot. Liston contended that the lot was exclusively for guests and employees of the Aurum banquet hall.
“(Exquisite Caterers) is not allowing others to use the lot,” Liston said.
However, Dave Esquenazi of Exquisite Caterers testified that anyone can use the lot when it is open.
“I never turn down anybody,” he said. “If the lot is open, I allow it to be open.”
Esquenazi acknowledged that the valet parking lot on Hudson Street is closed when the Aurum banquet hall is closed.
Carcierge Valet operates the valet service. Nicholas Silvestri of Carcierge Valet testified that the valets would not deny anyone their services, although they were tasked with using the Hudson Street parking lot for customers of the Aurum banquet hall.
According to Silvestri, Carcierge Valet also provides valet services to the American Hotel, Federici’s and the Court Jester. Guests of those businesses have their vehicles taken to public parking lots near the Market Yard.
Silvestri said he considered the valet services successful based on the amount of tip money the drivers received.
When questioned by Liston, Silvestri testified that the Hudson Street parking lot has 71 parking spaces. As of the hearing, the highest number of guest vehicles brought to the valet lot was 40.
Testifying as the traffic safety officer of the valets was Detective Todd Coleman of the Long Branch Police Department.
“(Officers) have been at every event at Aurum,” Coleman said. “I do not leave the site.”
Coleman testified that he directed traffic for 20 years after Liston asked him about his qualifications.
Objecting to the valet services was Jesus Lopez, the owner of A Little Bit of Cuba Dos, a restaurant at the corner of Main and South streets, near the Market Yard.
Lopez displayed a picture that he alleged depicted a valet car blocking a parking spot on Main Street.
Planner Allison Coffin, representing the applicant, testified that a variance was being sought because the Hudson Street valet parking lot did not meet a curbing requirement.
Coffin said she believes the variance should be granted because that parking lot was designed to manage storm water. The flow of storm water controlled by the lot, she reasoned, would be impeded by curbing.
During her testimony, Coffin spoke about what she considered to be the benefits of the valet parking lot.
“The lot serves the public good by providing safe and adequate parking,” she said. “It has a visual benefit and a public benefit. The lot is easily accessible for valet services. Its proposed use will not have a significant impact on neighbors.”
Liston argued that the alleged benefits of the parking lot could be affected by the fact that Exquisite Caterers operates the lot through a lease agreement. Because the lot is leased from its owner, William Stavola, Liston said Exquisite Caterers could lose access to the valet lot at any time.
“The rug can be pulled out from the lot,” Liston said.
If the lease was cancelled, Liston reasoned the property could be transformed into a different use permitted in its zone on Hudson Street.
The lease aspect of the situation did not change Coffin’s opinion of it.
“The intent is for a parking lot,” she said. “Somebody else could get a lease for a parking lot.”
Esquenazi testified that no other suitable site was found for a valet parking lot to serve the Aurum banquet facility.
“Stavola was a good partner,” he said.
Giunco previously said Exquisite Caterers has an obligation to provide valet parking under the terms of an approval granted by the Borough Council for the construction and operation of the Aurum banquet hall in the Market Yard.
The Aurum banquet hall is the subject of ongoing legal action from the objecting businesses, according to Liston’s office.
