Ventnor & Brigantine Consider Public Safety, Short-Term Rentals, Zoning.

Memorial day weekend in Ventnor, the ‘busiest and most dangerous’ of the year, says the Police Chief. The types of calls and the people we’re dealing with over that weekend, a different type of crowd.

For example, Memorial Day weekend. Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Over 90 calls a day in the last two years. 90 calls a day!

There was 370 calls over that 2023 Memorial day weekend. (Compared to) about 365 for ALL of 2022.

12 arrests. DWI alcohol related disturbances, fights, noise complaints. But the last two years, Memorial Day weekend was bad.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Ventnor had 18 motor vehicle crashes. Three resulted in DWI arrest and persons that were under the age of 25.

Brigantine Planning Board’s Lance Landgraf: Brigantine is really having a problem with it (STR’s). They’ve got a whole core of their community, homes were built for short-term rentals. They have eight bedrooms in them. It’s problematic.

Landgraf: Brigantine is leaning towards an ordinance that would designate STR’s as commercial uses. And then, create locations in Brigantine they would be conditionally approved to operate in. That way, you can change the parking limit.

They have to hire people. Brigantine estimated their costs at a half-million dollars to manage the short-term rentals over there.

Brigantine Spot Zoning for Short Term Rentals?

Biggest issues: noise, overcrowding and parking.

Landgraf: It’s a problem if the home is designated as residential. You’re under residential site improvement standards. The State passed the maximum number of parking spaces you can require for houses is three. No matter how many bedrooms. That’s now not, a residential property, that’s a short term rental commercial use. You can set your own parking standards. It’s not a residence.

So, if we get to that point, I’m going to be working with with Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera and their Planning team to write that ordinance.