During the March 27th Avalon Council meeting, Business Administrator Scott Wahl offered a summary of an evaluation of the borough’s B-1 business district and the possibility of allowing boutique hotels to operate within it. It is important to note that this report, put together by Colliers Engineering & Design, does not represent any actual policy and is only exploratory in nature.
The B-1 district is primarily located on and around Dune Drive from 20th Street to 33rd Street and is where most of the town’s businesses are located, though hotels are currently confined mostly to the blocks bordering Stone Harbor between 78th and 80th Streets. According to the report, boutique hotels don’t have any set definition, but are generally small in size, rife with amenities, and distinctive in character. Colliers examined 10 boutique hotels for the report, 8 of which are located along the New Jersey shore from Stone Harbor to Asbury Park.
The study did find some lots that potentially could accommodate a boutique hotel while conforming with current zoning laws and found that due to their small size they would not generate traffic above what is expected from other business types already existing within the designated area, like restaurants. Additionally, they would very likely produce tangible economic benefits for the town. The report also includes recommendations for how best to allow the establishment of boutique hotels with minimal disruption to nearby residents, including restricting the placement of outdoor lighting and putting strict controls on the use of outdoor music.
Again though, none of this represents any official position and is merely an exploratory study that the borough could use if it one day decides to move forward with any proposals regarding boutique hotels. If you’re curious to read the report in its entirety (it’s not that long), you can find it here: https://avalonboro.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Colliers-Avalon-Downtown-Study-March-27-2024.pdf
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