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The city is looking to reopen discussions with county officials to purchase a tract of land in Asbury Park where the Marine Grill restaurant once stood, now known as Bradley Cove.

Members of the City Council voted to resume conversations with the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners as to what can be done to preserve the area along Asbury Park’s North End Beach from the front of the wastewater treatment facility to near the Loch Arbour border.

The area has come to be referred to as Bradley Cove, the name of a residential project slated to be built there. Waterfront redeveloper Asbury Partners owns the rights to build 15 townhomes and a mid-rise residential tower on two separate .6-acre parcels of the land there. One parcel — a triangular fenced-in parking lot next to Ocean Avenue — is currently owned by Asbury Partners. The second parcel, consisting of the right of way of Ocean Avenue from the sewerage treatment plant to near the Loch Arbour border, is currently owned by the city, but Asbury Partners has the right to take ownership.

Some environmental groups have protested the plans and urged the city to preserve that space.

“How do we reopen a dialog with the county to start the process?” said Councilman John Moor at the Tuesday City Council meeting.

After a brief discussion, Moor made a motion to readdress the issue with the county, which was seconded by Councilwoman Amy Quinn and passed 5-0. Acting City Manager Tony Nuccio is expected to reach out to county officials within the coming days.

Earlier this year, two county representatives presented their idea to the Deal Lake Commission to purchase the land controlled by Asbury Partners, as well as to take control of other adjacent properties owned by  the city, and build an 8 acre county park stretching from the ocean to Deal Lake.

Waterfront developer iStar Financial — which owns a controlling majority interest in Asbury Partners — is willing to consider the preservation of Bradley Cove “provided that it receives fair treatment and just compensation, the same as Asbury Partners is required to provide to other property owners when Asbury Partners must acquire property in the waterfront redevelopment areas,” according to a statement they issued in February 2012.

Brian Cheripka, the vice president of land for iStar Financial, confirmed with the Sun that iStar’s position remains the same.

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