From left are Red Bank Interim Police Chief John Wright, Commissioner Ruth Jeno, Kim Lefew, representative from ADK sorority, Carol Rose and Fire Chief Mark Mathews
photo by Gail Perry
Red Bank City Manager Tim Thornbury said Tuesday night that the work at the intersection of Ashland Terrace and Dayton Boulevard is finished and the road is now open again. However, the inconvenience of roadwork is not over for drivers, he said. Sewer lines are being put under the road along Ashland Terrace between Knollwood Drive and Dayton Pike. While that work is being done, delays should be expected because the road will stay open, but will be narrowed to one lane.
An amendment was made to the city’s Design Review ordinance. The change will not alter any of the requirements in the ordinance, but it will expedite requests by allowing the city staff to make approvals versus taking them to the planning commission. If a parcel has 175 or more feet of road frontage, the case will still be required to get approval from the planning commission.
The city will take out a loan for the acquisition of four new police vehicles and fire apparatus for the fire department. This budgeted item will have a three-year payoff, said Finance Director John Alexander.
With a second and final vote, a large undeveloped property at 4701 Delashmitt Road was rezoned from R1-A Residential to R-T/Z Townhouse zero lot line zone. This will give developer Ethan Collier the ability to build 34 single family homes. It will also allow the construction company to cut down most of the trees in order to make the lot sizes more regular. A 10-foot, undisturbed area will be left in addition to the required 10-foot buffer all around the development. The homes were described by Mr. Collier as “starter houses" between 1,700 and 2,200 square feet and are expected to be priced from $275,000 to $325,000. Construction should begin at the end of 2019.
Commissioner Ruth Jeno said that 2019 marks 40 years that Red Bank has been a city and activities to celebrate the anniversary will take place during the year. She asked for the council or residents to submit any ideas or to help.
Kim Lefew, representing ADK, an altruistic sorority made up of teachers and retired teachers, is giving back to the communities where many of them have taught. Bags filled with hand-made fleece blankets and books have been made by the teachers, specifically for teenagers, youth and for infants. The bags have been given to the police and fire departments. If a child had to be removed from a situation without any belongings, they can be given the bags so wherever they land, they will have something of their own, said Ms. Lefew.