The Atlanticville's top stories of 2007 The year offered a variety of news stories ranging from municipal officials convicted for accepting bribes, to a statewide study on the use and abuse of eminent domain, a taxpayer revolt, and the resignation of more than half the members of a borough zoning board. 1 1. Former mayor gets 366 days behind bars Former West Long Branch Mayor Paul Zambrano was sentenced to 12 months and one day in a federal penitentiary in October after confessing in 2005 to accepting a $15,000 bribe. Zambrano was arrested during the first round of Operation Bid Rig for taking the bribe from an undercover FBI witness in exchange for official influence. (Oct. 25) 2. Former L.B. councilman gets four months in jail Former Long Branch Councilman John R. "Fazz" Zambrano was sentenced to a four-month jail sentence in October after entering a guilty plea in 2006 for accepting a $1,000 bribe through an intermediary during Operation Bid Rig. The cash payment was delivered by Zambrano's brother, former West Long Branch Mayor Paul Zambrano. (Nov. 1) 3. Chen: Abuse of eminent domain widespread Ronald Chen State Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen released a study in May documenting the widespread abuse of eminent domain for private redevelopment projects throughout the state, including Long Branch's oceanfront. The report is a follow up study to Chen's initial report released in 2006 that called for reforms of eminent domain statutes. In the most recent report, Chen says that condemnation of a person's home or business infringes on fundamental human rights and triggers due process protections. (June 1) 4. MTOTSA brief: City gave control to developers Attorneys representing a group of Long Branch homeowners known as the MTOTSA (Marine Terrace, Ocean Terrace, Seaview Avenue) group filed a brief in April in the New Jersey Appellate Division to challenge a court ruling that gave the city the right to condemn the homes in an oceanfront neighborhood for a private redevelopment project. 5 In the brief, attorneys from the Institute for Justice and Peter Wegener say that the city unlawfully ceded its power of eminent domain to a private developer. The attorneys also argue that the taking of the MTOTSA homes is not necessary to accomplish the city's overall redevelopment plan. (April 26) 5. Wawa application will be carried into new year Testimony on the 24-hour Wawa and gas station proposed at the former site of the Eatontown Roller Rink on Route 35 will continue into February. Six Planning Board meetings on the application were held throughout the year. Plans call for applicant Wawa Inc. to construct a convenience store and gas station to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a 141,137-square-foot (3.24- acre) tract of land at the former Eatontown Roller Rink site. (Dec. 20) 6. Residents lose bid to halt expansion of Monmouth U The state Supreme Court rejected a petition by a group of West Long Branch residents to overturn a lower court ruling that gave Monmouth University the go-ahead to expand its campus. The court denied the petition of certification on Oct. 24, which was filed in July by some 30 members of the West Long Branch Coalition of Neighbors seeking to block the construction of another college student dormitory and related facilities. 8 The residents were asking that the court reject the plans that had been approved by the borough Zoning Board. Plans call for the university to construct a 196-bed dormitory residence hall at the corner of Cedar and Pinewood avenues near three existing dormitories. (Nov. 1) 7. Five members, attorney retire from Zoning Board Five members of the West Long Branch Zoning Board, as well as the board attorney, announced in December that they will be stepping down from their posts at the end of the year. The resignations came in the aftermath of an approval by the board for an expansion of Monmouth University that was later challenged by the West Long Branch Borough Council and a group of borough residents. (Dec. 20) 8. Activists rally in city to preserve beach club site 10 Community leaders, local activists and residents joined together at St. Michael's Church on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch in November at a rally to save the historic Takanassee Beach Club property from development. Takanassee Developers have applied to the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection for a Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (CAFRA) permit for permission to build 21 luxury homes at the site. (Nov. 8) 9. Taxpayer revolt brewing in Elberon A grassroots taxpayer protest was planned by a group of residents of the Elberon section of Long Branch in the wake of a citywide reassessment that doubled, and in many cases tripled, property values in the neighborhood. A committee of Elberon taxpayers discussed several courses of action to challenge the "skyrocketed" property values, including a recall of the current administration or a class-action lawsuit. (June 21) 10. Prosecutor: L.B. murder suspects are gang members 12 Five men believed to be members of the Bloods gang were arrested in January in connection with the murder of two Long Branch men. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, in conjunction with the Long Branch Police Department, arrested Valdo Anthony Thompson, 21, Jackson, and Carl Holdren, 18, Lakewood, for the murder of Michael Montgomery, 27, who was shot and killed at the intersection of Johns Street and Hendrickson Avenue Nov. 21, 2006. Both men are suspected of being members of the Sex, Money, Murder sect of the Bloods gang. Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin held a press conference at Long Branch City Hall on Broadway in January to announce that two Long Branch men and a Lakewood man are being charged with the Dec. 14 shooting of Keith T. Mason, 28, inside his Second Avenue home. The three men are also believed to be members of the Bloods gang. (Jan. 5) 11. Towns want piece of Fort Monmouth pie The three towns that encompass Fort Monmouth, Eatontown, Tinton Falls and Oceanport, filed their Notices of Intent to seek fort properties within their jurisdictions. Eatontown Mayor Gerald Tarantolo said the borough wants the property for a new borough hall building. (March 15) 12. City plans upgrades to Ocean Avenue Long Branch officials are discussing plans to renovate portions of Ocean Avenue after the City Council voted in August to drop a proposal to reopen the closed oceanfront roadway. The council unanimously approved a resolution to withdraw plans that would permit traffic on a recreational roadway that borders the city's boardwalk and beach. The proposal came in the aftermath of several protests by residents opposed to the plan, saying that the closed roadway is used by the community for recreational purposes and should not be open to vehicular traffic. With the proposal off the table, Mayor Adam Schneider said the roadway will need a total refurbishing. (Aug. 23)