Workers can call golf course home

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — A golf course is certainly a nice place to visit, and in some cases, there are workers who might even want to live there.

For those workers, or more specifically for a course that might need them, the Township Council is considering amending its zoning ordinance to permit just that.

The change is being made in response to a request by Hollywood Golf Club, Roseld Avenue. Under the current ordinance, since golf courses are located in R-1 residential zones, any improvements made would automatically cause the course to be non-conforming, according to officials.

The resolution officially defines what a golf course/country club is and amends setback distances.

"We want to encourage the golf courses to stay," Township Manager David Kochel said at last week’s council meeting. "It seemed patently unfair to apply residential standards to something that isn’t residential."

The resolution allows a minimum lot area of 50 acres and defines a golf course/country club as "a facility which includes a golf course which has a minimum of 9 holes, and may contain other recreational facilities such as tennis courts, banquet/dining halls, residential facilities for year-round and seasonal staff, and accessory maintenance/storage buildings which are customarily associated with golf courses and country clubs."

The ordinance specifically allows for "on-site staff" to live on the golf course. Permanent staff members would be allowed at a rate of two per 10 acres of land, with a maximum of 20. One seasonal staff member, defined as working between May 1 and October 30, would be allowed to live on the grounds per every 10 acres of land, with a maximum of 10 staff members.

Other facilities in the area, such as Monmouth Park, also have on-site housing for seasonal staff.

Officials at the Hollywood Golf Club declined to comment on whether anyone currently lives on the grounds. They said the issue would be more appropriately addressed by members of the club’s board of trustees.

No trustees could be reached before deadline. Discussion on the resolution was continued to the council’s next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday.