Brant Beach Bulletin
September 18, 2024
This issue of the Brant Beach Bulletin covers fall schedule changes, beach replenishment, fun upcoming events such as the Chowder Cook-Off and Kite Festival, and more.
On September 9, representatives from the Brant Beach Taxpayers Association including President Pete Potochney, Mike Fahner, and Ben Tonti attended the monthly Long Beach Township Commissioner’s Meeting.
❖ Traffic Lights and Speed Limits: The lights on the Boulevard in Brant Beach will start blinking and the speed limits will increase to 45mph during the second week of October, after the Chowder Cook-Off and Kite Festival. Because the Boulevard is a County road, the Township does not set the schedule.
❖ Trash and Recycling Schedules: The winter schedule began on September 9. In Brant Beach, weekly trash pick-up is on Mondays and recycling pick-up is on Fridays.
❖ Chowder and Big Kites! The ChowderFest is now the Beach Haven Chowder Cook-Off, held Oct 5-6 under new management but with the goal of returning to the old traditions. And don’t miss the LBI FLY International Kite Festival in Ship Bottom on October 11-12.
❖ The LBI Shuttle will run from 10am to 11pm on weekends through October 13, including the Chowder Cook-Off and the Kite Festival.
❖ Relaxed Regulations: Starting on October 1, dogs are allowed on the beaches, and alternate side of street parking is no longer in force.
❖ Beach Replenishment will occur from October to February, although Brant Beach is not included in this round. Beach Haven is first, followed by Holgate, Harvey Cedars, and Loveladies.
❖ Safety: Mayor Mancini continues to remind everyone to be careful when they are out walking or biking on the roads due to the proliferation of electric bikes and e-scooters, often operated by novice users.
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.
- 24-28C Increases the allowable impervious lot coverage from 60% to 75% of any building lot, excluding the set-back area. However, on oceanfront lots, the 75% is calculated only on land west of the oceanside building line.This ordinance also restricts lots of any size to have only one curb cut up to 27 feet. Corner lots may have one curb cut per street, but totaling no more than 30 feet. Currently, lots with road frontage of 50 feet or less can have a 20-foot curb cut, and lots over 50 feet can utilize 40% for curb cuts.
Mayor Mancini stated that the intent of this ordinance is to provide more opportunities for cars to be parked in driveways on private property, rather than on the street.
- 24-27C Clarifies the required building elevations within high-risk flood zones including VE-13 and less. Also specifies requirements for building on or near dunes.
❖ Passed On Second Reading:
- 24-23C This ordinance specifies fines for more than one false alarm per calendar year on the same property and prohibits alarms with external lights and sirens. This ordinance seeks to reduce the number of false alarms because they divert fire personnel and resources from true emergencies.
- 24-24C This ordinance defines “front yard” and outlines what accessory structures, including swimming pools, are permissible. It defines “mixed use” properties and the balance of commercial vs residential use that is required, and places restrictions on accessory structures and outdoor kitchens.
- 24-25C This ordinance requires zoning permits for all landscaping installations. It limits landscaping in the front 10 feet of a property or along any easement to grass, stone, or crushed shells, and specifies that commercial landscapers must comply.The public comment period was lively, and included members of the LBI Garden Club who were displeased. The mayor made the following points:
· This ordinance targets safety issues caused by landscaping that blocks sight lines, emergency access, or walking and biking lanes. The mayor stated that existing regulations already require easements that cover the first 8 to 10 feet of all properties.
· Property owners who currently have plantings within the 10-foot zone are not going to be asked to change their landscaping at this time, unless existing vegetation creates a sight triangle problem (i.e., the vegetation prevents drivers from seeing pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles on the Boulevard or the street onto which the drivers are turning).
· Generally, this ordinance will be enforced on the Boulevard and on public streets, but not on private rights-of-way unless garbage or emergency vehicles are blocked.
- 24-26C This ordinance addresses two nuisance noise situations. First, it requires temporary electric service poles at construction sites where regular service is unavailable and prohibits running more than two gas-powered generators at one site, with the goal of reducing the use of generators. Second, it establishes a 100-foot criterion for use by police officers responding to a noise complaint to determine if neighborly noise is too loud and thus constitutes a violation.
Thank you for being a part of the
Brant Beach Taxpayers Association
