FREEHOLD – Amid opposition from several business owners in Freehold Borough, a banquet facility’s use of a valet parking lot has been approved by the Planning Board.
Board members granted Exquisite Caterers approval to use a 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.
The approval was granted on Nov. 8 and memorialized on Dec. 13 in a resolution approving a bulk variance, a use variance and preliminary and final site plan approval for the application.
Attorney John Giunco presented Exquisite Caterers’ application through five hearings that were held between March and November.
The board previously granted approval for the use of the Hudson Street valet parking lot in early 2016 amid objections from several 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 Main Street businesses which back up to the Market Yard parking lot – the American Hotel, Federici’s, the Court Jester and the Metropolitan Cafe.
Valet parking for events that are held at the Aurum banquet hall is available to guests. A valet brings a guest’s vehicle 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 have said they believe its use will alleviate parking difficulties in the Market Yard, and by extension, the borough.
The objecting business owners did not agree with the premise that having a valet parking lot available for the Aurum banquet facility will improve the parking situation in the Market Yard. They argued that making valet parking available was increasing congestion in the Market Yard.
Steve Goldberg of the American Hotel, Michael Federici of Federici’s, Mike Page of the Court Jester and Rob Kash of the Metropolitan Cafe testified that they opposed the banquet facility because of the amount of activity they said it could create.
Goldberg, Federici, Page and Kash asserted that the operation of the banquet hall was compounding traffic and parking issues in the area and might potentially cause smaller businesses to close.
The business owners were also critical of the valet parking lot on Hudson Street being intended for the banquet hall and not members of the public.
Dave Esquenazi of Exquisite Caterers said the Hudson Street parking lot is closed when the Aurum banquet facility is closed, but he testified that anyone can use the Hudson Street parking lot when it is open.
Giunco said his client, 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.
Esquenazi testified that no other suitable site was found for valet parking.
Representatives of the applicant asserted that the valet parking lot would help improve the situation in the Market Yard by providing guests with additional parking spaces. They noted that the Hudson Street parking lot has 71 spaces, which exceeds the space requirement of 55 parking spaces for a banquet hall.
