Taxi Company's Hearing Set for Tonight

Should a local taxi company that illegally paved over a residential lot and used it for extra parking be granted a variance to continue to park its vehicles there?

That's the question Brick's Board of Adjustment is tasked with answering Wednesday night, as New Mantoloking Taxi is scheduled to continue its quest for permission to use a residential lot it owns to park its vehicles and its employees' vehicles.

New Mantoloking owns two lots on its property, one zoned for commercial purposes and one for residential purposes. However, a conflict arose when the owner of the taxi company paved over the residential-zoned lot in order to use it for the purposes of his business, which left neighbors none too pleased.

The township council granted New Mantoloking a last month, but on the condition that they do not use the residential lot for parking.

The Board of Adjustment, under township ordinance, had the option of requiring New Mantoloking's owner of ripping up the parking lot and returning the lot to its old state before the variance case would be heard, but the board made no such ruling.

Still, the company is willing to accept the consequences if its application is denied, its attorney said.

“My client is prepared to take out the asphalt and restore the property, if the Board of Adjustment does not approve the variance,” said attorney John Jackson.

The hearing will take place Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the township .