Holmdel Mayor To Testify Against Proposed New Hazlet Hotel

HOLMDEL, NJ — Holmdel Mayor Greg Buontempo will testify Thursday evening against a new hotel proposed for the Hazlet/Holmdel border. Any Holmdel or Hazlet resident who wants to speak on the issue is invited to attend or testify, as well.

There is already a Holiday Inn on Rt. 35 in Hazlet, but the Holiday Inn wants to open a second building at that location, a Holiday Inn Express. The hoteliers need approval from the Hazlet Land Use Board, which meets this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. A three-story new building is proposed to be built on the same property as the existing Holiday Inn.

Buontempo said he is concerned about the height of the building and how far back it sits, almost onto the Holmdel border.

"This application requires too many variances that will negatively impact Holmdel residents," Buontempo told Patch. "The rear setback of the building is almost on the property line of Holmdel residents' homes. Our residents currently have problems with overflow parking on their streets, and adding a second hotel will only increase this issue."

Hazlet Mayor Sue Kiley sits on the Land Use Board but, as mayor, she has to recuse herself from voting and said she could not really comment to Patch on the proposal.

However, the three existing hotels in Hazlet are usually at capacity and many of the bands and acts that perform at the PNC Bank Arts Center usually stay in the Holiday Inn. The Hazlet Land Use Board meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at the Hazlet Township Municipal Building 1766 Union Avenue, second floor.