North Essex Ave in Margate getting closed again? BOCCA Restaurant wants to, once again, expand outdoors for Summer 2021.
The plan is to erect a large tent, serve food & drink, and provide music on this public, right of way; North Essex Ave, at the corner of Ventnor Ave in Margate.
Neighbors hate the idea. So do other Margate eateries that would love the same, sweet deal.
On today’s consent agenda, at the 4p Margate Commissioners meeting, Mayor Becker and his crew; Maury Blumberg & John Amodeo, will likely push this deal thru. No matter what neighbors say.
Odd. The consent agenda usually includes items of business which are not controversial & do not require individual discussion.
This is definitely controversial.
Neighbors put up with this last year, due to the pandemic. But this year?
A Motion approving the Consent Agenda is moved, seconded & voted upon as one item by the Board of Commissioners.
You have been warned.
If any discussion requested on a Consent Agenda item, it is removed from the Consent Agenda to the Regular Agenda.
PUBLIC COMMENT: All covid restrictions have been lifted, and it is business as usual for all businesses. It is outrageous that Bocca gets such special treatment to totally inconvenience the neighborhood. Last year was a three ring circus with extra loud music, noisy patrons late at night, lots and lots of trash, and safety concerns.
Awful idea!!! Desperate times dictated last year. NOT this year!!
Anyone surprised? Gave them an inch and they took the entire block.
Bocca request is a bad idea. Inconvenience to those living in the area and drive this street regularly.
No reason to grant this request to a single business when other businesses are unable to expand.
Are they going to pay a hefty fee? What about the people that live on that street? If you let them do it then why not other establishments? It was welcomed during COVID but its over and business normal.
Give them enough money and they can close your street. There all crooks, they ruined Margate.
All covid restrictions have been lifted, and it is business as usual for all businesses. It is outrageous that Bocca gets such special treatment to totally inconvenience the neighborhood. Last year was a three ring circus with extra loud music, noisy patrons late at night, lots and lots of trash, and safety concerns.
So now the privileged end of Margate has a taste of what noise undesirables, trash is to live with!!!Years ago the city turned a deaf ear to the less privileged end of town when home owners asked for help to keep a lid on summer rentals!! Margate is a very unwelcoming community that seems to be sliding downward. Glad I moved out of there.
Safety of neighbors is of utmost concern, since this is a one way street. Many patrons did drive one way, the wrong way.
The trash, loud music and disruption were uncontrollable.
Last year there was a reason for the tent. There is no reason for the tent this year! I oppose it.
There is no reason for a tent this year! All “Covid” restrictions were lifted and it is “business as usual. The safety of our neighborhood was in question when cars drove the wrong way on a one way street. The noise, trash, and loud music was a cause of much distention among the neighborhood. Please do not follow thru with the tent this year!
Three Amigos pulled another fast one. Buried this deal inside CONSENT AGENDA. Shame on Mayor Becker, and Commissioners Amodeo & Blumberg. Margate residents hosed again.
It’s already a nuisance on 7900 block areas with Robert’s moving outdoors to sidewalk dining (post COVID restrictions) and expanding to a parking lot with outdoor live music/DDS, picnic tables, drinking and dining.
Now less than a block away, another competing outdoor venue.
Bocca will be overflowing from what should be an indoor permitted dining establishment out onto public streets and sidewalks!
Say NO Margate residents. We want Robert’s and Bocca to thrive from summer tourism, but within the walls of these establishments, not spilling into our shared streets, at all hours all summer long.
You bought close to a bar. What do you expect?
Actually Bally, most of the residents on that block purchased their homes years ago when there was a quiet restaurant on the corner. They didn’t buy their properties expecting to have to put up with noise, filth and disrespect.
These politicians are ruining MARGATE. There must be something in it for them.
Look again at the LAMBERTI situation. Bulkhead pay-out for over-sized JOLLY GREEN GIANT height structure.
Good-bye quiet family resort.
Lawsuit waiting to happen. Residents on that street (ESSEX) should file a class action.
What do you expect from a government that only answers to very small amount of full-time residents who vote.
2nd home citizens foot the vast majority of taxes. They are shut out with no platform to voice their views, or vote.
Taxation without representation.
Didn’t we fight the British over this
Join the MHA
It’s nice to provide outdoor dining. However, situation on Essex Ave is over-the-top.
What an inconvenience and annoyance for those residents living on Essex Ave.
How about a few outdoor tables and chairs as other restaurants have and get rid of the tent and music?
Please, not another summer dealing with a closed Essex Ave block.
I saw cars driving up Essex to drop off diners and then turning around in people’s driveways, narrowly missing children playing in the driveways.
The loud music can be heard streets away after the kids are in bed.
But the danger is what tears me up.
Because cars can’t drive to Ventnor Ave. up Essex, they drove up Douglas Ave. the wrong way!
Please don’t put our children in danger again this summer.
Commissioners are being paid off! Outrageous. Demand explanation for the approval.
When something makes no apparent sense, follow the money trail….
Think this is a bad idea? Remember when you and/or your young adult children visit Maynard’s at all hours of the night and day?
Welcome to Margate, where peace and quiet is limited to where the Commissioners and their friends / relatives live.
It’s a bad precedent to be blocking off public streets for private use. Once in a while is one thing but for entire seasons is quite another. Also, the State mask mandate has been lifted so indoor dining is now available. On top of all the above they already have outdoor dining there.
Hurt them financially. Don’t EAT OR DRINK there. I DIDN’T GO LAST SUMMER AND WILL NEVER PATRONIZE BOCCA.
I’m sure you are just the type of person they don’t want there anyway…
Many people still are not comfortable dining in.
That’s why it’s necessary to expand outdoor seating options around town.
Fun and safety…
As a resident whose taxes are effected over time by the revenue these businesses drive or do not I support them completely..
I’m a full time resident having called Margate my home for 30 years.
The current Mayor and Commissioners have decimated this city with road diets, allowing destructive construction (Lamberti’s), theme park type amusements, badly-timed infrastructure changes.
Poorly managed school system. DO WE REALLY NEED 2 PRINCIPALS AND A SUPERINTENDENT?
I look forward to voting these money and power hungry people out of office.
Did Bocca pay for the street when they bought the property? Street belongs to Margate taxpayers.
The three guys running our town are the biggest and most biased politicians. Do not ever talk about all of the AC mayors that were sent to prison. THE THREE AMIGOS BELONG IN THE SAME CELL.
Next on the agenda: Mayor’s favorite place, Colmar Hardware, will be allowed to close the street in front of their store for a new barbecue display.
The people of Margate, permanent and summer residents, need to rise up and throw The 3 Amigos out of office.
Complain and whine. If you don’t like Margate, see ya!
Ridiculous. Closing a street when people are paying good money for taxes and can’t even get to their homes.
There is no need for this. Last year was a different story. If it can happen at Essex Ave, it can happen to you.
I won’t eat there again. (Bocca)
Kids fighting at Congo Falls Golf, hanging out at WAWA. Margate turning into…. not so nice a place. Now, closing streets for no reason at all.
Last summer I applauded measures taken by our Commissioners: helping Margate businesses make it through a terrible time. Blocking Essex Ave was a great idea to help Bocca.
Do I understand correctly?
Consent Agenda pushed through with no community input or debate? Allowing Bocca to block the street again this summer?
Last year, I was all for this. We were in the middle of Covid. But why the preferential treatment for Bocca this year?
Why create a problem for those who live on Essex Ave? And those driving in Margate?
Your thoughts?
A 30 year resident complaining about The 3 Amigos! Ain’t that grand.
If the full-time residents went out and voted, maybe these 3 j##ks wouldn’t be in office.
Most full-timers really don’t give a hoot who’s in office. They don’t even bother going out to vote.
Well maybe if the part timers were able to vote in local elections, we wouldn’t have these problems.
Taxation without representation is exactly right. There are other towns that have sued to change their status and have been successful. Unfortunately there are very few out-of-staters who are up for battling
“The Machine”.
I’m on other side of Jerome Ave but I would gladly sign and circulate a petition to stop the take over of Essex Ave by Bocca.
Maybe a petition to recall the Three Amigos is more apt?
Time for the neighborhood to get a lawyer. Boycott Bocca for abusing the generosity extended to that business during the pandemic.
Everyone was happy to see a business saved but this biting the hand that feeds you.
Disgusting lack of respect for the neighborhood. Mayor and commissioners should be ashamed.
There are a lot of people who like to complain about something like this. Many people who are still afraid to eat indoors. There are also many restaurants that have outdoor space. Bocca does not. Even Greenhouse has outdoor space and the city still granted them a piece of the public beach this year.
Even last year when the governor wasn’t allowing indoor dining, people still bitched about Bocca having the street. Music and loud noise ends at 8pm (before the sun even sets), there is never trash left out after closing everything gets cleaned up, and the residents on that block are the only people granted street parking as they will have a parking permit.
That corner street is quite dangerous with traffic. From my experience last year, the tent put an end to many traffic related accidents on that corner.
Let the business gain some extra customers and accommodate those who are afraid to eat indoors.
Many are forgetting about the months of no dining allowed whatsoever last year that restaurants are still trying to make up for. If it isn’t hurting you, stop complaining and move on. Go grab a drink and chill out.
The more I think about this decision, made in secrecy and pushed on Margate residents the more upset I am.
Last summer I applauded the measures our Commissioners took to help our Margate businesses make it through a terrible time.
Blocking Essex was a great idea during a time Bocca needed help.
I understand that a Consent order was pushed through with no Community input or debate to allow Bocca to block the street again this summer?
I am concerned with the consent order to allow Bocca to again block off Essex Ave for the summer.
Why is the city of Margate entering into an agreement with a private enterprise to help that business increase their revenues?
That is what Margate did!
Bocca has little cost with added capacity and increased revenues.
If Bocca did well prior to the Covid crisis, they should be fine now.
Last year I was all for this when we were in the middle of our Covid crisis and we all wanted to see our businesses survive.
Why preferential treatment this year?
Why are taxpayers helping Bocca to increase the bottom line at the expense of the quiet enjoyment the homeowners on and around Essex Ave are entitled to enjoy?
Why create a problem for those who live on the street and people driving in Margate?
This was a bad decision for many in Margate. Yet it favors just one business. At the expense of many.
This decision needs to be reversed.
Commissioners sometimes make poor decisions.
I firmly believe this is a poor decision.
Your thoughts?
Well said Jay, We need to stand behind the affected homeowners and force the city to do the right thing
Part time property owners = suckers to the elected officials and the 15 people who live there full time. Enjoy the shithole your town is becoming FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE TOURISTS.
I enjoy laughing at the childishness and exaggeration of your posts, Truth. Especially when you don’t live here. Maybe leave the conversation to the adults.
Smacks of cronyism, favoritism, and any other -ism that is the hallmark of bad government. A sweetheart deal of the worst kind
This isn’t just for the restaurant. This is for the community. This is a barely used road, that has little to no traffic. Let Bocca do what they can to earn a living. The same with Robert’s down the street. We should root for their success, not seek to cut their profits.
Comment from Ed Berger: Frankly, this is bullshit. Good for the community? Give me a break.
How would you feel if you lived on Essex or near this mess.
This is the only restaurant in Margate getting preferential treatment at the expense of the community.
This is the city officials taking care of a good ole boys!
Obviously you have no idea where Essex Ave is or you wouldn’t have made that comment. It happens to be a busy through street. The closure impacts the residents who pay taxes and that’s the point.
Laws need to change in reference to voting.
Excluding part-time residents who pay the same taxes as a year round residents, is not right.
As with the boardwalk, a small amount of margate residents fill the voting pool.
You change the law and things will happen!
We are having the same problem in Somers Point with Josie Kelly’s trying to take over a street. The pandemic one thing, but the decibels of music up to 91, the blowing of their car lot trash into our streets, they use our parking, and the LIGHT pollution. We need help!!