Brant Beach Bulletin
May 8th, 2026
This issue covers many topics including local taxes, maintaining volunteer fire services, summer events, and the Township Commissioners’ Public Meeting.
❖ Save the Date: All BBTA members are invited to our Spring meeting at 10am Saturday, June 6 in the Municipal Building.
❖ A 1.9% tax increase was approved for the 2026 Long Beach Township budget. A $1M home will see their municipal tax increase from $2100 to $2140. LBT’s tax rate is still the lowest of the six municipalities on the island, and is roughly half of what you pay in County taxes.
❖ Reducing the water and sewer rates for duplexes was a major discussion item as approximately 20 duplex owners attended to press for lower rates. The sewer charge for a single home is $600/year plus actual water usage, while a duplex pays $1200/year plus actual water usage. The Commissioners stated that duplexes pay the higher sewer rate because they are considered “businesses.” The owners present countered that duplexes are often owner-occupied and not rented but, in any case, are dwarfed by the size of more recently built homes that are often rented (as businesses) and pay less than a duplex despite having higher usage. Mayor Mancini agreed to evaluate the issue.
❖ Fire Companies: LBI’s all-volunteer fire companies are experiencing increasing difficulty in finding volunteers and raising operating funds. Commissioner Dr. Joe Lattanzi and LBT Business Administrator Kyle Ominski have instituted programs which greatly helped restaff and preserve the volunteer First Aid squads, and are trying to do the same for the fire companies. The goal is to avoid instituting paid fire services, which would greatly increase our taxes.
Commissioner Lattanzi is proposing an LBI Fire Commission to provide increased financial support, coordinate requirements, and leverage economies of scale, thereby reducing the fund-raising burden of volunteers which should enhance recruiting. Currently, only LBT and Ship Bottom are on board, but it’s a start.
❖ Beach badges are $40 now, and $50 starting Tuesday, June 16: For full details and preorders, go to lbtbp.com/beach-badges.
❖ Adopt your Beach Path: BBTA is looking for at least one person per street (especially 33rd, 41st, 42nd, 46th, 48th, 49th, 50th, and 58th) to volunteer to keep their beach ramp clear of litter, and to report any safety or maintenance issues. This can be documented as community service hours for students. Email adoptabeachpathbbta@gmail.com.
❖ Strict E-Bike laws start on July 20: NJ is the first state in the nation to require a driver license, vehicle registration, and liability insurance for e-bike riders. The minimum age for a rider is 15, and helmets are required. Details are here.
❖ LBT Parks & Recreation: Firepit Fridays start on June 26, and Sunday afternoon concerts start on June 28.
❖ Twice-weekly trash pickup starts on Monday, May 11: In Brant Beach, trash days are Monday and Thursday, while recycling days are Tuesday and Friday.
❖ Speed Limits and Traffic Lights: The speed limits on the Boulevard have been reduced for the summer, and traffic lights will be turned on by Monday, May 18. Ocean Boulevard was lowered to 15mph several weeks ago.
❖ Dogs and beach buggies are prohibited on the beaches starting Saturday, May 16.
❖ Boulevard Paving in Brant Beach will be complete by May 18. In addition, the County plans to raise and re-pave the Boulevard starting in the spring of 2027, to address flooding.
❖ Township Free Throw Contest will be held on May 30. Details are at Free Throw Competition.
❖ Art in Bloom will be held on Thursday, May 21 from 1 to 5pm at LBIF in Loveladies. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy springtime on the island through flowers and art. There will be refreshments and music. Admission is free. Details are at Thegardencluboflbi.com.
❖ Townwide Yard Sale dates are Saturday, May 23 (rain date May 24) and Saturday, July 4 (rain date July 5). Permits are $10 at Garage-Sale-Application-Fillable.pdf.
❖ Lifeguards start at the 68th Street beach on Memorial Day Weekend.
❖ The Municipal Building is closed on Memorial Day.
COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING
Representatives from the Brant Beach Taxpayers Association including Pete Potochney, Janis Metz, Donn O’Brien, and Ben Tonti attended the May 4 Long Beach Township Commissioners’ Meeting. All Township owners and residents are welcome to speak at the monthly Commissioners’ Meeting, which is held at 4pm on the first Monday of the month at the Municipal Building.
The Commissioners adopted a resolution opposing NJ’s designation as a “sanctuary state”.
The Commissioners approved a road closure for a block party on East 48th Street in Brant Beach.
Ordinances
❖ Proposed on First Reading.
To obtain the full text of a proposed ordinance, phone 609-361-6691 or email clerk@longbeachtownship.com and/or dlavalle@longbeachtownship.com. To comment publicly on a proposed ordinance, attend the next Commissioners’ Meeting.
26-10C: For existing houses on an undersized or nonconforming lot, demolition and rebuilding would not require a variance if the new home meets zoning requirements. However, renovations and additions would require a variance. Also revises site plan requirements based on the extent of planned alteration and construction, and defines when a change of use requires a new site plan.
❖ Passed on Second Reading At second readings, the floor is open for public comments. When that exchange concludes, the commissioners and mayor vote to accept or reject the ordinance. Full ordinances are here.
26-03C: This 14-page proposed ordinance covers three topics: block parties, film production permits, and rental requirements for five Township properties, specifically Bayview Park South Pavilion, 68th Street Ocean Pavilion, Municipal Court Multipurpose Room, Holgate Pavilion, and Long Beach Township Field Station Holgate.
26-04: To meet State requirements, this proposed ordinance states that Long Beach Township is in compliance with the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls, specifically that 20% of certain proposed development is set aside for affordable housing (also referred to as the Fair Housing Act and the Mt Laurel Doctrine).
26-05C: To meet State requirements, this proposed ordinance creates an overlay zone in two specific tracts to accommodate affordable housing in our township. The two tracts are 13th to 30th Street in the Beach Haven Gardens section, and 37th to 45th Street in the Brant Beach section. Within these zones, multi-family housing is permitted up to 20 units per acre, and all uses are permitted within the general commercial zone for mixed-use on the ground floor and residential units on the upper floors. Existing restrictions such as maximum building height will apply.
26-06C: To meet State requirements, this proposed ordinance establishes an affordable housing trust fund financed by new fees for developing residential and non-residential properties. Developers will pay up to 6% into a fund that will subsidize affordable housing. Developers who build affordable housing units in the designated areas can receive subsidies from this fund.
26-07: The Township previously authorized a $3,500,000 bond to build a new water treatment and well building. Due to increasing costs, this ordinance would authorize an additional $3,500,000 bond. More details will follow.
26-08: Authorizes a $7,000,000 bond for new water mains in the North Beach section of the township.
26-09: Confirms that $10,000 in LBT capital reserve funds rather than open space funds were used by LBT to purchase the property at 3 W. Marshall Ave in Holgate (Block 1.86 Lot 4) for a public purpose. This is a wetlands lot near the Sea Spray Motel and the LBT Marine Field Station. The Township is buying lots near the Field Station when they become available to support conservation efforts.
Useful Links
Commissioners Meetings: View agendas and minutes.
Township Land Use Board: View agendas, applications, and memorializations. BBTA will inform you of any commercial properties in Brant Beach that come before the Land Use Board.
LBI Board of Education: View general information, agendas, and minutes.
LBT Field Station for Marine Education and Research: LBT Marine Field Station
Thank you for your continued support of the Brant Beach Taxpayers Association.
