Margate Mayor Mike Collins and esteemed solicitor, John Scott Abbott were blasted by residents during the May 2, 2024 commission meeting.
Believe me, we don’t like sitting here getting beat up over this over this guy (Baglivo). It’s not fun, says Abbott.
A large crowd packed Historic City Hall to voice concerns over the controversial, allegedly illegal building activity along the 9700 block of Ventnor Ave.
Listen: Margate Commission Mtg, May 2, 2024.
The two properties in question are the Sunrise Tequila Bar and Margate Gardens Apts.
Mayor Collins encouraged residents to attend a very important Planning Board meeting to voice any concerns.
Listen: Margate Planning Mtg. BAGLIVO. AUG 2022.
Mayor, you have a shit show going on. Baglivo’s not here. If he was here, I’d say it right to his face.
Roz from Jamaica Me Crazy
Collins recommended to attendees to not trust Downbeach online news. According to Abbott, Mayor Collins prefers Tik-Tok.
Special Margate Planning Board BAGLIVO Mtg: May 15, 2024
Solicitor Abbott: He’s (Baglivo) very clever. He’s got one lease. Maybe he’s got two people in there unrelated.
What concerns me most about your comments, Mr. Abbott, is that he (Baglivo) can do what he wants, when he wants.
Baglivo has entitlement in Margate?
Come on, guys, you gotta do something. Who is this guy? God, how much did he pay you?
Public Comment
The town has the right to inspect those apartments at anytime per statute, and I’m sure per your ordinances. The burden should be on Baglivo.
You’ve heard from a number of people: he (Baglivo) rented out 12 units.
Did Baglivo put in extra kitchens and then he had to take them out? The city did force him to take out the kitchens and washers and dryers.
I just don’t understand how he gets away with all of it. He showed me the apartments. He says they can be two or one bedroom.
The Sunrise Tequila bar. They took down three walls because if you keep up one wall, you avoid having to come back to the Planning Board for approval.
Stop work order was issued last Thursday. They have been fined. $2,000.
We did a number of inspections for the walls to be built. We felt that the walls needed to be built now and not in the middle of the summer with all the activity in the area.
We wanted it to be structurally sound. The walls were so unstable, one of them could have collapsed at any time.
You guys are in charge. Make sure he does what YOU require. Not what HE requires.
Public Comment
Some shady sh t happening here!
The losing slate from last year’s election must be saying a big “we told you so”
So what. The always complaining, miserable and mostly elderly locals did what they always do: whined about leadership, turned out in very low numbers in the election, and then STILL voted in this regime by a wide margin.
Margates winning slate is slicking it to Margate tax payers.
The other slate had the right idea. Transparency and responsible developement.
We are getting is an old boys network and payback for political financial help..
Time the commissioners did the right thing.
Represent the taxpayers!!!!
Inspect the units and have the public there when it is done.
tear down and start over and only build at ground level- these 2 story behemoths are getting tiresome. Too many monstrosities are being built and are ruining our views – total bull shite
Ok cap buildings at 2 stories. Your taxes will double at least and you’ll crush the housing market. Be careful what you cluelessly wish for. It’s not the 70s anymore, Shay.
Simple. Stop voting for these idiots. It’s all over Jersey, including AC, VC, MC and LP.
How can there be so many dishonest people involved in this situation?
Let’s start with the developer. He had to rip out 6 kitchens, washers and dryers. Today, it looks like there are still 12 units.
The inspectors who said the units were inspected after the kitchens were ripped out. The inspectors coworkers, ie; mayor, zoning officer, city solicitor all covering up zoning violation.
The people who are renting these units, I’m sure are not the type of people who take on roommates.
They live in Margate now and have to know about the zoning accusations, and the parking restrictions that they are part of.
The person running the liquor store also has to know about what is being said about the developer and the zoning and parking problems.
Finally, what about the developer’s friends in Margate? Do they like rubbing elbows with someone that’s as dishonest as he is? It’s a shame he just didn’t stick with what he said he would do: 6 units with parking for the people living there and parking for the commercial properties.
Is it greed or is it a power play? We don’t know. The city not doing what should be done, we don’t know.
What we all know: this will get resolved, be it by legal means, a new city administration, or a participant coming forward.
Someone or many, will do the right thing. I’m sure.
Good people in Margate will make this right.
One can hope. Unfortunately, evil and greed have taken over society. At some point, people will wake up and demand change one way or another. You can only poke the bear for so long.
Downbeach Buzz does have some incorrect facts here. All 4 walls came down at Tequila Bar.
Does that make it ok to build without planning board approval?
Does that make it ok to erect steel beams when yuu have an order to stop working?
I think you have missed the main points but, again, so did our city officials.
You should be more concerned with what Murphy and his followers are doing to the Ocean. Whatever or how high you build you are witnessing the destruction of the ocean and shoreline. The shore is being ruined from Atlantic City to Longport.
I wish Jay Weintraub ran for commissioner. It’s unfortunate we don’t have the transperancy we need.
This leadership will tell us anything to maintain control of the city. Follow the money my friends because they are getting richer on our backs. Build baby build!
Our town has less than 5,000 residents, including voting age children, in the off-season. More than 60,000 in the short summer season.
They have no real plan for development but tell us we need a commercial district to attract full time residents. Really? That ship sailed!
Your “spot” zoning and the building of large 5 to 6 bedroom homes make it unaffordable for the year-round guy. But they are making big profits on each sale.
Look at declining school enrollment. Why hasn’t our tax bills declined with all this building?
Wait until the delayed reassessment of the properties is completed.
More year-round residents will sell and move out. This will leave more big homes for the summer visitors and less need for schools.
Ask Maury if it’s true. He told us a few years back but no one listened.
These guys have been in control for years.
The Tequila Bar: do what you want, 6 or 12 “what Margate needs” type plan is their answer?
Wait until we get our reassessed tax bill from this Mayor? Remember he worked at NASA!
Who’s really pulling the strings and for whose benefit?
Keep drinking the Kool-aid
Wonder where all the tax dollars are going? Hmmmmm….
What is the big deal about the Tequila Bar? They are trying to build a strong structure to support the rooftop. If they built it on a crumbling foundation and god for bid there was a serious accident everyone would be saying who did the construction and why was it not inspected for its strength.
City of Margate removed all plans for planning board meetings from 2022 from their website. Same year this project went in front of the board.
Can’t believe you don’t need a window for egress for a bedroom. Margate must have special rules. Might want to check with fire marshal.
Scotty
I’m sure parking was based on 2005 and it worked. 19 years later, no such thing as quant shore homes. All McMansions.
I’m guessing the [summer] population has grown, more cars more parking. But same rules.
Don’t think there was a parking problem when LUCY was born. The hidden treasure of “Margate “ is gone.
Welcome to OCEAN CITY NORTH. Without a boardwalk, but has a liquor license.
P.S. – Where does all the the tax money go? Margate is 1.63 square miles. Or 1,038 acres. (2021) 129 employees $xx,xxx,xxx.. Homes more expensive, more taxes. Tear down and build up on same square footage. Still on 1.63 square miles.
Just thinking out loud
Scotty
Agree. Lived in Margate my whole life. This is the reason I moved. Margate is not what it used to be. It was called the Pearl of the Island. No more–sadly.