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Hundreds of people held signs and chanted, “Our beach,” at a rally Saturday to save the North End beach area from the Bradley Cove townhouse development.

The event, which was preceded by a dune-grass planting, drew close to 300 supporters. Representatives from the American Littoral Society, Clean Ocean Action, Surfrider Foundation and Citizens for Oceanfront Preservation addressed the crowd to protest the townhouses planned for Ocean Avenue.

“If we believe that there is still going to be open and free access in this spot when the highest-end condos go into this spot, we’re fooling ourselves,” Joe Woerner of Surfrider Foundation said to the rally’s attendees. “Where you have high-end development, you don’t have fishermen, surfers, beach-goers or dog-walkers.”

North End beach is the only designated surfing beach and dog beach in Asbury Park. The spot draws plenty of beach-goers, surfers, fishermen and pet owners year round.

Waterfront redeveloper Asbury Partners — owned by iStar Financial  — has approvals to build fifteen townhouses in the area of Ocean Avenue extending from the sewerage treatment plant north, almost to the border with Loch Arbour. The three- to- four-story structures would be similar to “a wall going from…the sewerage treatment plant down to Deal Lake,” Woerner said. “That’s an incredible impediment to access.”

This rally was being held to support the participating organizations’ efforts to save this “last remaining undeveloped beachfront in Monmouth County” by turning it into a county park, according to a prepared release by organizers.

Public access ways from the street to the beach would still exist if the townhouses were erected, but “site plans show the paths would be landscaped to look like private property, therefore deterring the public,” the release states.

“On top of the access issues, you’ve got an encroachment on Green Acres public space,” Woerner said. “As soon as [townhouse residents] open their doors, they will be stepping out onto our Green Acres land. Their balconies will be on Green Acres land.”

Green Acres is the branch of the Department of Environmental Protection which regulates the use of public parks and recreation spaces purchased with state funds.

Bradley Cove’s opponents feel their best hope in preventing the development is for the Monmouth County board of recreation commissioners to purchase the land and turn it into a public park.

The city is currently amending its waterfront redevelopment plan, which has been in place for 10 years. Those who wish to prevent the Bradley Cove development are asking the city to remove the townhouses from the plan and place a county park in their spot. When Woerner shared this idea with the audience at the rally, they erupted into cheers.

“We need to let the county freeholders know we support a park and let the city know we want them to amend their plan,” Woerner said. He also urged everyone in attendance to go to the public hearing on the waterfront redevelopment amendments.

“We need to let iStar, the county and the city know that this is our beach,” he said. “We will stand for nothing less than the preservation of this beach.”

Joyce Grant, founder of the Citizens for Oceanfront Preservation, addressed the crowd earlier in the rally.

“For me, this is about community and the power of community and what we can do to make sure they don’t develop here,” she said.

Cindy Zipf, executive director of Clean Ocean Action (shown in the photo at top), spoke to the crowd about the proposed townhouses’ possible environmental impact.

“Those of us that know the real Jersey Shore know that condos are very common,” she said. “What’s extremely rare are natural places for wildlife to thrive … We don’t need any more condos. We need natural places for the water to filter through.”

She advised attendees to call their elected officials.

“This should be a no-brainer,” she said. “This is what New Jersey needs … This [open land] is very, very precious and very, very rare.”

Two of the attendees, surfers Kim Carlson and Mike Hoffman of Bradley Beach, brought their dogs along to the rally.

“We bring the dogs, surf, fish and do everything at this beach,” Hoffman said.

The Bradley Cove development “will affect everyone that comes here to surf,” Carlson said. Right now, the beach is relaxing and quiet, she added.

Everyone who surfs, fishes or hangs out at North End beach knows each other, Hoffman said. “It’s the same group of people a lot. It’s a lot different than other beaches … It’s a really relaxing experience all around.”

When asked where they would surf if public access to this beach were hindered, Hoffman said, “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet. I’m sure I would find somewhere, but it’s not the same.”

To see photos from the event, click here to access a photo album the Sun has prepared on its Facebook page.

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