NORTH CAPE MAY — Owners of the former Bayshore 8 Movie Theaters plan to convert the building into retail stores.

Charles Czworkowski, on behalf on property management company S.W. Bajus Ltd., of Philadelphia, appeared before Lower Township Planning Board May 15 seeking minor site plan approval and a hardship variance.

The board deemed their plans incomplete and asked Czworkowski and attorney Raymond Went to return to a future meeting with more information.

Czworkowski said the former theater would be converted into 10 smaller retail spaces with storefronts along Bayshore Road and Lincoln Boulevard. The entire facade of the shopping center will be replaced to modernize the look of the complex, he said.

Went said neighbors of the complex, which includes a shopping center on Bayshore Road between Rose Hill Parkway and Lincoln Boulevard (Ferry Road), have complained of trash blowing into their yards. He said the company was seeking a variance install a 6-foot fence along the rear of the entire shopping center building to stop blowing trash.

Went said he was requesting a six foot fence due to juvenile activity in the area, “kids running from the cops.” Under township ordinances, only a four-foot fence is permitted but kids could easily jump over that height, he said.

Board member Robert Imler suggested smaller, fenced trash holding areas rather than a 600-foot fence. He asked Went if the fence had been mentioned in legal advertisements for the meeting.

Went said the fence was not mentioned specifically.

Imler also questioned a lack of detail on plans for trash enclosure areas.

Czworkowski said a variance was needed for a six-foot chain link fence already installed on the southeast corner of the property separating the shopping center from Mike’s Bayshore Café, a freestanding building near Bayshore Road that does not belong to the shopping center. He said one reason the fence was installed was to control tour bus parking.

The cafe attracts “a lot of kids,” at night, said Went. He said the fence would be a safety factor for youths congregating near the cafe.

Went also requested a variance for a maximum of 70-square-foot signage per unit. Township regulations set a maximum of 70 square feet or 5 percent whichever is less.

“Five percent on a storefront that is 18-feet wide, that is setback over 60 feet from Lincoln Boulevard and a few hundred feet from Bayshore, it’s almost worthless to put it up, it’s so far away,” said Went.

He said the project could lose potential tenants if signs are too small. Went said signage would be replaced on the facade of the entire shopping center.

Czworkowski said service-related businesses were being sought for the space such as banks, bookstores and pet shops.
Township Planning Director Bill Galestock said the applicant needed to place another public notice for the installation of the new fence and larger signage.
Contact Fichter at (609) 886-8600 Ext 30 or at: jfichter@cmcherald.com