The tragic motorcycle accident that occurred in front of the school at 1365 Massachusetts Avenue Thursday night, June 10, in which a driver was coming out of a school’s driveway, could have been prevented, say some residents. Both sides of the street were blocked by parked cars. As far as many concerned citizens see it, this tragedy rests squarely on the shoulders of the Lakewood governing bodies for their actions and/or lack of actions.
As had been discussed at previous township meetings, many people feel this school should never have been allowed in this area on a busy street.
Many wondered how this school was even issued a C.O. since it has no provision for parking.
Currently, construction at 950 Massachusetts Avenue is proceeding. Residents fear this may be the site of the next tragedy. The addition at this property is more than 10,000 square feet, consisting of three floors with an elevator. Many point out that the setback is not sufficient to allow the safe loading and unloading of vehicles. They will be backed up onto Massachusetts Avenue.
The concerned citizens said that they feel the town is run to accommodate a certain group of residents and now it has gone beyond safety considerations. “Houses are converted into schools on a whim, without the proper permits and, when caught, the town rushes the permits through in record time, obviously without proper investigation, they said. Rather than punishment there is accommodation!! Safety does not seem to be a consideration, at least when it comes to permits being issued to that certain group. And, those who propose and build these schools don’t seem to take the safety of students or others into consideration when they form their ill-conceived plans.”
As previously posted on TLS, The Township Committee will be voting on an ordinance to make it a requirement for Schools, Shuls, and Churches to go before a planning or zoning board before being allowed to build a new project.
“the town is run to accommodate a certain group of residents”
i agree 100%
And now they approved playgroups in residential areas. Nuts.
A residential area means “residential area”. NO PLAYGROUPS! Why should the neighbors suffer. A tremendous chilul Hashem. We are getting so sick of this business as usual.
There is something here I just don’t understand. there are large schools on some of the most busy streets in lakewood. This doesn’t bother the seniors. However when a school with less then 30 students moves into “their” neighborhood suddenly it is a safety concern?! The school has over 7 acres of property, which is more the enough area to accomadate the school without interfearing with their lifestyle. Since the begining the senoirs have done everything in their power to try to close down the school, let’s just say it as it is!!!
Ok you guys. lets just make our own little village and we can keep the tax money to pay for the vouchers for our own schools. and then we also will not need to be harrased about playgrouos and the way we live. like policemen ripping down eruvs this week.
all the other compliners can then deal with their own problem.
lets not forget lakewood was once part of Brick.
if you dont like it you have a few choices. break apart and open your own village- twp(its possibile) or move.
how about the no legal citizens who drain our resources (helath, education,?the complainers dont consider that an issue , the jewish tax payers student busses are a better target, the playgroups, now the shuls,,,,,
how about the school on (Moderated), when it was approved it was promised to the residents that NO MORE than 51 students would attend the school (should have gotten it in writing) look at it now over 200 students glad they kept their word. this is why schools should not be allowed. Just keep bending the rules. take a look at the entire history of the school, town ordinance says not structures 10 feet from property line for the longest time there were trailers right on the property line. these are the things that we see and wonder why are they allowed to get away with this.
If that property has 7 acres why don’t they build a proper parking area, and keep the cars from parking on the road?
Make one side of the road no parking and then enforce the law, but then again everyone would then bash the police for doing their job.
And what about that office building going up on 4th & Monmouth? If you raise your arm while walking by on the sidewalk, you’ll scrape it on the wall. It’s 4 stories high built all the way up to the property line on 3 sides with minimal parking in the back. Not sure what they were thinking (were they?) when this was approved (was it?).
Well if you havnt noticed you have made your own little village its called lakewood. And oh yes you do use jewish and christian and catholic and Muslim and non religious tax money for funding for jewish buses and such. Please let the police do there job cause if they were actually allowed to issue tickets when they need to then maybe most of lakewood would start driving safer and we wouldn’t have issues like this innocent man being killed the problem isn’t the school its the all drivers people rush around lakewood on fridays especially like mad men cutting people off and causing accidents hey here’s a thought if you have deadlines to meet then get up a little earlier in the morning so you can get done what you need to do with out driving like you had no driving lessons ever and were just handed a license or wait maybe that is the case
Its not that people object to the school, they object to unsafe street parking and unsafe buildings. Everyone should be concerned about those issues. It is your children that could be hit by a car cecause the view is blocked due to on street parking and pedestrians can’t be seen. It is your children who could be hurt in an unsafe building. Don’t you care about your children or are you so blinded by what you want to perceive as anti this or anti that that your focus on the important thing has gone awry?
Its never going to change sad to say…. the traffic gets worse by the week….parking is horrible….parents block side streets daily dropping off kids….its just going to grow, and grow and grow. Its a City now plain and simple. Hire More cops to enforce the law… over 100,000 people in Lakewood and maybe a 100 cops… that’s some scary math… let the cops do there jobs already…. laws are for everyone…maybe that’s why so many people have moved out.
The large schools on busy streets were mostly built when Lakewood was a sleepy little village with very, very little traffic. I’m sure that, had the village fathers anticipated the traffic now encountered in Lakewood they would have second thoughts. As for the yeshivas built recently, they should not have been built there. But, that’s exactly our point, safety of the students or the general public is not taken into consideration when these schools are planned. The town then just goes along with what is built & issues permits after the fact. Not only does the school at 1365 Mass. Ave have no provision for parking (in spite of the 6+acres ) the buildings do not meet the codes set forth in the Americans with Disability Act. As a building of Public Accomodation, it must meet those restrictions. A student with a physical handicap cannot go to this school. Where are the wheelchair ramps? Are there grab bars in the bathrooms? Are the bathrooms built to allow a person in a wheelchair entrance & room to turn the wheelchair around? Are the sinks built so that a person in a wheelchair can wash their hands? I can go on & on. But, this is Lakewood, who cares?
Also note, my wife & I sign our names. We do not hide behind phoney names or “anonymous”. We are not afraid to be associated with the truth!
will you blame the landlords for this too?
yes it is the landlord, who owns it ????
a little bit too late….this town was done in years ago when people looked the other way and let this take place. hey some things got better, but overall like everyone has been saying….the safety and welfare of these new families has been left out for the good of a few. and taxes should be cheaper than teterboro……..the lowest taxes in the state…check it out
not a bad idea, is it really a possibility to make our own villgae and cecede from lkwd twnship? wouldn’t that be coolm then the seniors can pay for their own school, and we’ll pay 4 ours Hee Hee
The scoop has neglected tp print my safety comments regarding the private schools and those in charge of the welfare of the youngsters in attendance. I have addressed this issue many times, including at Township Meetings. I have not only observed the school boys, between 1:00 & 2:00 in the afternoon, walking several abreast in the street on Massachusetts Ave., & Cross St. But, the other day much to my chagrin, I held my breath as they ran across Rt. 70, jumped the divider and continued walking on the shoulder of the highway. These are boys that are bussed to school so they can be safe. Obviously, safety considerations end at this point.
Someone asked me what they should do on their break as “THE TOWN DOES NOT SUPPLY BUSSING DURING BREAK TIME.”. The answer is very simple. Play in the playground or remain in school as public school children do. I f the day is too long then perhaps it needs to be shortened. Let’s keep the youngsters of Lakewood free from harm.