The city has been juggling a conglomeration of issues lately - from the 2002 budget, to the appointment of a new Economic Development Director, to the kick-off of our new city Task Force on Education and Training - and I hope to tell you about all these initiatives in future columns.

This week, however, we need to revisit the beachfront.

As you hopefully know, the updated draft of our Waterfront Redevelopment Plan can now be read at the city clerk's office in city hall or at the Asbury Park Public Library, or can be purchased at city hall for $35. This 95-page plan is also available online at asburypark.net. (Thank you, Pete Walton!)

The Asbury Park Planning Board is holding a public hearing on the revised plan at 7 p.m. on April 1 at the Berkeley Carteret Hotel. (If the meeting runs long, as anticipated, it will be continued on April 2 at the same time and place.) Andres Duany, the city's planner, will attend on April 1, as will representatives from the developer's two planning firms.

The Planning Board's main task is to ensure that the beachfront plan conforms to our city's Master Plan. The board can also make recommendations on other aspects of the plan, however, based on their expertise and on public input.

The Planning Board will forward its recommendations to the city council in late April, and the council will hopefully adopt a revised plan by late May, following another public hearing.

It is important to know that the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan describes only the design requirements for the beachfront - for example, the number of residential units, the location of retail and entertainment districts, the layout of streets and public spaces, the architectural style of the buildings.

Beginning immediately, however, the city and Oceanfront Acquisitions will also begin negotiating an all-important Redeveloper's Agreement. This companion document will specify how development will proceed.

Questions to be answered by the Redeveloper's Agreement include: What is the timetable for redevelopment? Who will be responsible for what tasks and for what costs? What restrictions will be put on the developer with respect to the restoration and use of historic buildings? What happens if a deadline is missed?

Once again, this negotiation process will involve an on-going public dialogue.

How happy am I with the current Waterfront Redevelopment Plan? Overall, we have come a long way since August, when negotiations began. The number and height of new residential units have been substantially reduced over the numbers allowed by earlier plans.

Convention Hall, the Casino, the former heating plant, Howard Johnson's, the Berkeley Carteret Hotel, the Stone Pony, Madam Marie's, Britwoods Courts Apartments, the Empress, and (hopefully) the Palace Amusements and the Charms Building will all be saved, and the boardwalk pavilions will be rebuilt.

Ocean Avenue and Sixth Avenue will be reopened, and our wide, flaring streets will be preserved and landscaped with trees. Architectural design rules and a new Technical Review Committee will help ensure that new residential units maintain Asbury Park's unique look.

Several key issues still require thought, and most of these will be resolved in the Redeveloper's Agreement or later. While it would take several columns to describe our on-going negotiations, please feel free to talk to us about these and other topics in the coming weeks:

1. Affordable Housing.

Based on the N.J. Fair Housing Act and Asbury Park's current housing stock, the developers are not required to provide any affordable housing in the city. Based on resident requests, however, they have agreed to build 5% of their redevelopment units as affordable homes or to donate a lump sum payment to help approved, non-profit groups build affordable homes in the waterfront area or other parts of the city.

Although the details will be negotiated in the Redeveloper's Agreement, I can cautiously say that we are exploring a proposal that could substantially increase the pool of affordable housing money available, increase community involvement in the design and building process, and ensure that any non-profit partners can deliver as promised.

2. Relocation.

Relocation is the toughest part of any redevelopment project, and ours is no exception. Building will begin on empty lots in the beachfront area, and the first relocation should not occur for several years.

In future months, the city will hire a professional agency to manage all aspects of the relocation process, and they will help us develop a highly detailed Workable Relocation Assistance Plan (WRAP) to be approved by the state Department of Community Affairs.

3. Size of Retail/Entertainment District.

City planners and outside experts have told me that the proposed 450,000 square feet of oceanfront commercial space is a generous amount in today's consumer market. The experts fear that over-building could result in a half-empty, Seaview Square Mall look, or that beachfront enterprises could leach business away from the recovering downtown.

We will continue to negotiate for family-related recreation facilities along the beach, as well as programs for local ownership of boardwalk businesses. One very real complication is the hesitancy of large entertainment companies and commercial builders to locate in an undeveloped area like Asbury Park, and the success of the first residential units will play a large part in our ability to lure the mix of businesses we want.

4. Sale of Convention Hall.

Some people have objected to the proposed sale of Convention Hall and other city properties along the ocean. In taking a citywide view, I believe that private ownership is our best, long-term hope for their survival.

Asbury Park does not have sufficient debt capacity to bring even Convention Hall up to current standards, and we could do so only at the expense of our already tax-burdened residents.

While we believed that Convention Hall alone needed from $8 to $12 million in repairs, a recent, more thorough inspection indicates that structural decay is considerably worse than anticipated. Without immediate repairs, that structure - along with the pavilions, the old heating plant, and the rapidly disintegrating Casino - will deteriorate well past the point of saving.

To complicate matters, beachfront insurance premiums and deductibles have risen dramatically this year, while our liability coverage has dramatically decreased. Convention Hall's utilities alone run over $150,000 a year, and we collect no taxes on these city properties. The boardwalk is also in major disrepair, an enterprise that could cost the city more than $9 million in the next few years.

How do we safeguard beachfront structures for future generations? The Redeveloper's Agreement will include detailed provisions about historic restoration, approved uses, guaranteed access for city events, and a reverter clause that will return these properties to the city if the requirements can't be met.

So, please, read through the redevelopment plan, and let us know what you think. And be prepared for an on-going debate about plan specifics. We can't make everyone 100% happy, but we are attempting to negotiate the best deal for the entire city.