Brant Beach Bulletin
March 8th, 2025
Thank you for renewing your membership for 2025.
This issue covers the BBTA Winter Speaker Series, upcoming water main replacement, and the March Township Commissioners’ Public Meeting.
❖ “LBI’s Grand Hotels”: Please join us for this presentation at 10am on Saturday, March 15 at the Brant Beach Yacht Club Sailing Center at 6106 Bayview Avenue.
Barnegat Light Museum curator Reilly Platten Sharp will share the story and select pictures of the rise and fall of the Island’s once-grand hotels, from Bond’s rustic old haunt at Holgate, to Beach Haven’s towering Victorians, the Baldwin and Engleside, all the way up to the forgotten beachfront titan Oceanic at Barnegat Light. The journey from hostels in converted farmhouses to the familiar modern motels and hotels that populate our island today is a story of short-term failure but long-term success that helped realize the beloved seaside destination cherished by generations.
The first thirty minutes will feature refreshments and socializing with your neighbors, followed by a one-hour presentation. This free event is open only to BBTA and BBYC members. No registration is required. Families are welcome.
❖ Our beaches in Brant Beach are largely in good shape, perhaps because we have not had a serious nor’easter. The recent high winds were ferocious, but they did not attack us at the worst angle for sand erosion and instead caused blow-out tides that left the bottom of the bay exposed in some places. Beach replenishment is ongoing in other sections of the island with severe depletion.
❖ New water mains. The Township will be replacing the old water main on Long Beach Boulevard from 44th to 55th Streets, and along 55th Street. Construction is expected to start in the next few weeks and finish by May 23rd. Final paving will occur 60-90 days after the work is finished, to allow time for the ground to settle.
❖ Flying Dumpster Garbage: If you see a construction dumpster or a construction site that is causing litter, you should report it. Dumpsters must be covered during off-hours, must not be overloaded and must not contain any food waste or food wrappers, because this attracts gulls. Construction sites must have a separate trash can with a secure lid for food waste and non-construction materials. You may call the Building Department at 609-361-6679 to request that they send out an inspector if you spot a problem.
❖ Dune Walkovers: Oceanfront homeowners are reminded that a proper permit is required to put down a walkway over the dune to the beach from April 1 to October 31. The township, not the homeowner, will cut an opening in the dune fence. Vegetation can’t be removed.
❖ Rental Property Inspections: All single family and two-family rentals must be inspected annually for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The County performs inspections on behalf of the Township. Applications are online at oceancountyfiremarshal.com. Additional requirements will be added for rental properties with solar panels and permanent generators, so get inspected soon if you want to be grandfathered for this year.
COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING
Representatives from the Brant Beach Taxpayers Association including Pete Potochney, Georgia Glasser, Russ Johnson, Anne Johnson, Rusty Johnson, Janis Metz, Donn O’Brien, Joe Pahlow, and Ben Tonti attended the March 3 Long Beach Township Commissioners’ Meeting.
❖ Resident Input: A homeowner who lives near the former Kubel’s 2 property requested action regarding the heavy equipment parked nearby, and unsafe conditions caused by resulting mud and water pooling. Mayor Mancini responded that the Township will look into it.
Ordinances
❖ Proposed On First Reading: First reading ordinances are available by visiting, emailing or telephoning the Township. They are no longer available on the LBT website.
25-06: Long Beach Township plans to buy the building at 2119 Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom. It is currently owned by Katharine Shackleton, and it houses the LBI Health Department and several professional services firms. You may recall that it had a major fire after Sandy and was newly rebuilt about ten years ago. This ordinance is for the issuance of a $1,520,000 bond toward a $1,600,000 appropriation. The LBI Health Department is a shared service among all six Island municipalities (Long Beach Township, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom, and Beach Haven.) Even though LBT is making the purchase, other LBI towns will be sharing the cost of the building’s expenses, as per the towns’ shared services agreement.
25-07: Updates the ordinance passed last December with the current list of all Township employee salary ranges.
25-08C: Reinstates the zoning ordinance that regulates how much outdoor seating a restaurant may have, rolling back that number to pre-COVID levels. A restaurant’s combined indoor and outdoor seating capacity may not exceed the permitted indoor occupancy. It details requirements including six feet of clear sidewalk, the use of tents, the use of parking lots, and additional requirements if alcohol is served. Restaurants must apply each year.
❖ Passed On Second Reading:
25-02: NJ law requires municipalities to limit their annual budget increase to 2.5% unless the municipality passes an ordinance to increase the limit to 3.5%. Every year, LBT passes this ordinance as a precaution and every year, so far, it has not been needed.
25-03C: Changes the regulations for new pilings. Pilings must be placed under a load bearing wall. Pilings more than eight feet apart are now allowed. The piling depth of ten feet below sea level remains unchanged, but clarifications were added.
25-04C: The Township plans to allow advertising on its properties in order to generate revenue. This ordinance establishes the allowable types of advertisements. There will be an application process and an approval process. Possible locations, prices, and durations were not specified.
25-05: Authorizes the Township to hire entry-level police officers who have not completed the Basic Course for Police Officers, provided they complete the training within nine months. A paid leave of absence is provided for the training.
Thank You For Your Continued Support
