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The Asbury Park City Council approved conceptual plans Wednesday night for the controversial beach club waterfront redeveloper iStar plans to construct blocks from its Asbury Ocean Club high rise development.

The 24,000 square foot members-only beach club at 1500 Ocean Avenue, located between Sixth and Seventh avenues on privately owned land across from the North Beach Condominiums. A new boardwalk access at Seventh Avenue would accompany the beach club developement, which has a 350 to 400 occupancy rate.

The project will boast a thoughtful and environmentally friendly design, featuring a large pool, cabanas, restrooms, lockers, and an outdoor grill area for food service on the ground floor, as well as a small rooftop deck – complete with a seating area, iStar Senior Vice President of Land Development Brian Cheripka has said.

But the project, and a nearby boardwalk and parking lot  infrastructure improvement project, has received community backlash. Led by the grassroots Save Asbury’s Waterfront [SAW] group, environmental, racial and socio-economic concerns.

“Instead of developing one of the largest remaining coastal open spaces in Monmouth County, we want iStar to use its innovation and vast resources to develop an appropriate, forward-looking plan for Asbury’s Waterfront,” SAW founding member Kathleen Mumma has said. “The North end of Asbury Park is a rare and dynamic junction of nature and culture. It contains one of the largest remaining swaths of undeveloped open space adjacent to the coastline in Monmouth County.”

SAW has since issued approval for a redesigned boardwalk and parking lot infrastructure improvement plans, saying:

“Save Asbury’s Waterfront is very excited – these plans are environmentally conscious and socially inclusive. They hit on just about everything we advocated for, and the conceptual plan is already DEP/CAFRA approved.”

Set to begin in the fall, the waterfront infrastructure improvement project now features stormwater management that prevents drainage into Deal Lake, a boardwalk width similar to what existed prior to the demolition [with the exception of smaller meandering boardwalk plan from 8th Avenue to Fisherman’s parking log], bicycle parking, reinforcing existing dunes, keeping the playground in its current location, free parking in Fisherman’s parking lot, relocating jetty stone, and year-round ADA accessible and gender neutral bathrooms.

While the beach club plans comply with guidelines outlined in the waterfront redevelopment plan, the governing body asked the Planning Board to take the following into consideration when the project comes before them for approval:

First and foremost is the seven-foot-tall fence along the boardwalk side of the property, which has been a point of contention for many community members. The City Council asked the waterfront developer to make the fencing more visually appealing. Municipal Attorney Fred Raffetto said this includes incorporating murals, landscaping and/or varying planes.

They have asked for the addition of street furniture, utility meter screening, a single street trench for utilities, and a photometric analysis of both the interior and exterior lighting.

The club, when in operation, must comply with the City’s noise ordinances and State regulations, thereby preventing excessive noise from transmitting beyond the property lines.

All boardwalk access at Sixth and Seventh avenues must be completed and open to the public upon the beach club launch.

And lastly, construction staging must not interfere with the boardwalk rehab project.

Following last month’s community unveiling of the project, held at Asbury Park High School in order to accommodate the over 200 attendees, Cheripka said:

“We are pleased that so many members of the community came out to share their views on this project and the future of the waterfront. We are immensely proud of our track record in Asbury Park. All of our partners and the organizations we work with were thoughtfully selected. From our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club to our employment initiatives with Salt Hotels, we are committed to driving positive change in the City.

“Although we can’t speak to the past, we can share our commitment to move forward and create a better future for the City – one based on successful redevelopment that has eluded this community for more than 40 years. Ultimately, the beach club is just one small amenity project that will occupy the larger waterfront. When fully built out over the coming decade, I am confident that the waterfront will reflect the eclectic and vibrant spirit of the community – one that welcomes all people, no matter their background.”

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