---

The city is applying for a Green Acres grant to purchase the Bradley Cove and the North End beach area, city manager Terence Reidy announced at the Feb. 6 council meeting.

Currently, iStar Financial owns the rights to develop the stretch of land near the North End beach [pictured above]. As waterfront redeveloper, iStar has already gained approval to build a town home complex on the site. Many environmental groups have protested the plans and urged the city to preserve that space.

The state-run Green Acres program is dedicated to preserving and creating parks and recreation areas. The city will apply to Green Acres for the funds to purchase the North End beach area, which is currently used for surfing, for fishing and as a dog run. If the city receives Green Acres funding, they are required to maintain the open space and not develop or build on the area.

The city had discussed applying for a Green Acres grant for that space one year ago, Reidy said. Since then, the state legislature has not dedicated any new funding to the Green Acres program.

If the city applies in a year when funding has not been made available, their request is considered to be an at-risk application, although “there’s no real risk in applying for it,” Reidy said. “It just means that when funding comes in … you don’t have priority. But you submit [the application] and when funding becomes available, Green Acres can look at it.”

When applying for Green Acres grants, municipalities are asked to gather information from citizens who give their opinions on whether or not the site in question should become Green Acres land, dedicated to use as a park. Members of the public are invited to contact social services director Tony Nuccio at 732-502-5757 to deliver written testimony.

---