Residents weigh in on beach club development
The state DEP presents revised plans for the historic Takanassee site
BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH- City residents and local activists objected to plans last week that call for developing Takanassee Beach Club and removing two historic structures from the Ocean Avenue site.

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a meeting Feb. 2 at the Long Branch High School to present revised redevelopment plans for the beach club site on Ocean Avenue.

Takanassee Developers LLC plans to develop the oceanfront property and allow for one of the three lifesaving stations located at the beach club to remain intact at the site.

The remaining two historic structures will be preserved at off-site locations that have not been determined at this time, according to the plans before the DEP.

"I have been opposed to this application since the beginning," Councilman Brian Unger said during the public portion of the meeting.

"It is unfortunate that we don't have a better historical preservation law, not only in the city, but in the state," he said.

Plans call for the developer to construct 19 homes, a clubhouse, an inground pool, a public access way to the beach, and five public parking spaces on the 4.8-acre historic site.

An application for a Coastal Area Facilities ReviewAct (CARFA) permit, which is required in order to develop the site, is pending before the DEP.

The site currently contains a working private beach club, five buildings, two bathhouses, three in-ground pools and Takanassee Lake.

Unger said that he would like to see the site preserved and added that it is "impossible" for the city to buy the site, which is valued between $10 million to $20 million.

"If this plan does go through, I hope it includes a [public] bathroom," Unger said. "I find that five parking spaces are inadequate.

"We also need beach access yearround," he said, adding, "It is fairly normal at this site for fishermen and surfers to move into this area when lifeguards go off duty."

Several environmental and activist groups attended the meeting, including the Long Branch Historical Association, Clean Ocean Action, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, and the Elberon Voters and Property Owners Association. A representative from Congressman Frank Pallone Jr.'s office was also present at the meeting.

"The Jersey Shore is one of the most densely populated in the country," said Cindy Zipf of Clean Ocean Action. "This property sits on the edge of the ocean and adjacent to a lake.

"This should not be approved for many reasons," she said, adding that building along the ocean is risky and that paving a project at the site would cause pollution.

"Federal, state and local funds can be raised to preserve this site," Zipf said. "Turn the Takanassee property into a greenway. It should be an environmental buffer to preserve our greenways."

The Takanassee Beach Club property was sold to the developer by the Peters family, which is comprised of Ginger Peters, her brother Scott Peters, and their sister-in-law Kristen Peters.

Ginger Peters took her family to court to force the sale of the property, saying that the sale is necessary in order to obtain the needed money to support medical bills for her cerebral palsy and spinal stenosis.

"Currently there are 10 units on the [Takanassee Beach Club] property, and 20 years ago there were 12 units plus the beach club," Ginger Peters said with the aid of an interpreter at the meeting. "So this idea of overuse is ridiculous."

Nancy Burtt, Peters' best friend who also translated for her at the meeting, said she supports the project proposed by Takanassee Developers.

"I was at Takanassee [Beach Club] since I was born," Burtt said. "It was always a private beach club and there was always inadequate parking."

Burtt called the concerns raised by the opposition to the project "smokescreens."

"Takanassee [Beach Club] is in bad shape," Burtt said. "I like the idea [of the proposed development] and I hope you will make this go through."

John Weber of the Surfrider Foundation said at the meeting that his organization would like the DEP to deny the proposed project.

"There are three historic buildings on this site," Weber said. "They should be saved. They are culturally significant.

"We also know how closely the DEP is working with the developer. Don't give people infinite bites of the apple. It is not right.

"The DEP issues permits 98 percent of the time," he said, adding, "People need recreational opportunity. People need to see the government working for them."

Another Surfrider Foundation member, Bill Rosenblatt, agreed with Weber.

"I urge that the DEP and CAFRA deny this permit," Rosenblatt said, "whether we use science, logic or common sense.

"To build houses … with water on both sides of this area doesn't pass the science, logic or common-sense test," he said.

Peters said at the meeting that buildings on the property have never flooded in the 52 years she has been alive.

"So how dangerous is it to build houses on the property," Peters said. "And as for traffic, you should have seen Ocean Avenue when the beach club let out."