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While city and county officials plan a meeting to discuss a possible joint initiative to preserve an open tract of land on the North Beach of Asbury Park, a new avenue of funding may become available which could allow the city to acquire the land itself.

In the spring, $100 million in Green Acres grant funds are expected to be available, according to Larry Ragonese, press director for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection [DEP]. State Green Acres funds are dedicated to preserving and creating parks and recreation areas.

Since the round funding has not actually been formally announced, no deadline for applications has yet been set, DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said in an email to the Sun.

“When the funding round is announced, Asbury Park is welcome to apply; we have had no indications to date that they plan to submit an application,” he said.

The anticipated funds would allow the city to submit an application to acquire an open tract of beachfront land known as Bradley Cove. IStar — the majority owner of Asbury Partners — owns the deveopment rights to build 15 townhomes and a mid-rise residential tower on two adjacent  parcels of land at the Loch Arbour border totaling 1.2 acres. One parcel — a triangular fenced-in parking lot next to Ocean Avenue — is owned outright 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 owned by the city, but Asbury Partners owns the development rights and has the right to take ownership.

Part of the site is currently being used as a fishing area and dog run.

All five members of the City Council voted in late November to resume discussions with the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners to explore preservation options for the area, but county officials have requested a representative from iStar be present for the discussion. 

A meeting may take place some time next week but no official date has been set, Councilwoman Amy Quinn said. Quinn and Mayor Myra Campbell will be representing the city at the meeting.

IStar has agreed to have a presence at the meeting, according to Roger Ardan, a spokesman for the developer.

The Sun reported city officials announced plans to submit an application for a Green Acres grant to purchase Bradley Cove about a year ago. State funding was not yet available at that time.

The application was not filed. Various city officials made that decision because amendments would have to be made to the application, according to Asbury Park’s Director of Social Services Anthony Nuccio. The city instead sent a letter to the DEP to let the agency know of the city’s interest in applying for funds when made available,  he said.

“It’s good news that the Green Acres program is slated to be refunded,” said city resident and environmental activist Joe Woerner. “It is unfortunate over the last few years the prior administration was unable to utilize these state funds.”

“I’m confident that the new leadership on city council will do everything in their power to work with Green Acres as a partner in saving the North End beach from the Bradley Cove development,” he said.

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