Taxi Company Given Reprieve Until July

A Brick taxi company that violated local zoning laws by paving over a residential lot it owned and subsequently using the lot to park cabs was given until July to comply with local codes.

The township council voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to extend a taxi license to New Mantoloking Taxi which will allow the business to operate until July 1.

New Mantoloking will have a hearing before the township Board of Adjustment in June, where it will be determined if the service will be allowed to continue using the residential lot for a business purpose.

The company owns two lots on Mantoloking Road. One, where its operations are primarily based, is zoned for business purposes. The other is zoned residential.

On its own, the taxi company – which in recent years has often been seen on MTV's "Jersey Shore" shuttling cast members from club to club in Seaside Heights – paved over the residential lot and began parking taxi cabs there, effectively using the residential portion for a business purpose.

The company now has a confirmed date with the Board of Adjustment, Council President John Ducey said Tuesday.

"They're going to take a look at it and determine whether the pavement can stay," said Ducey.

"We're keeping them on a short leash. This goes until July 1," he said of the operating permit.

Councilman Domenick Brando was the lone council members to vote against granting the company an operating license.

"They went and did whatever they wanted to do, and think this is a bad precedent we're going to set," said Brando. "I think we need to put our foot down and vote no on it."

Councilman Jim Fozman said this was the company's last chance to comply.

"July 1 is the deadline and that's it, so no more chances," he said.

Depending on the preference of the Board of Adjustment, the company may be able to continue using the lot through a use variance, or it may be compelled to return the lot to its former state.