Unger calling for infill in Beachfront North II
Council planned to vote on resolution to reopen portions of Ocean Ave.
BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer
Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger is seeking an alternative plan to resolve vehicular access issues along the oceanfront in the Beachfront North, phase II redevelopment zone.

The City Council was expected to vote on a measure Tuesday to reopen a portion of Ocean Avenue to vehicular traffic to permit traffic flow to a landlocked parcel of land in the three-street redevelopment zone.

Unger said prior to the meeting that he was seeking to have the resolution tabled to allow for further discussion and public input on the plan.

"There is quite a bit of taxpayer opposition to reopening this road to traffic," said Unger Monday. "We should look closer at alternative solutions that are potentially workable."

Unger said the situation in the city's north beachfront merits further review and consideration in light of the falling real estate market and the impending appellate decision in the eminent domain case involving residents in the Beachfront North phase II redevelopment zone.

Agroup of residents, known as theMTOTSA alliance, plan to appear in the Superior Court of New Jersey appellate division in Trenton on May 14 to appeal a court decision that permits the city's use of eminent domain to develop the oceanfront neighborhood.

"Given the extreme unpredictability of the pending eminent domain case in the same neighborhood, we should be examining with all parties whether a redesign using infill in the MTOTSA neighborhood might resolve the vehicular access issue," Unger said.

The council was planning to vote on a resolution at the March 11 municipal meeting to proceed with a request to the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a Green Acres diversion to allow for the opening of a portion of Ocean Avenue.

Ocean Avenue has been closed to vehicular traffic and listed as state Green Acres and protected from development and vehicular traffic.

The council is seeking a land swap with the DEP to remove a portion of the roadway from Green Acres and in return donate city owned "green" parcels to be listed as Green Acres.

The opening of old Ocean Avenue would allow for vehicular access to a parcel of land in the Beachfront North phase II redevelopment zone, identified as lot 7, block 301. The tract of land is owned by T.D.B. Associates.

"T.D.B. has made a legal and financial claim against the city to open the roadway to their property to permit vehicular traffic flow in and out on the former roadway," Unger said. "In order to comply, the city would have to persuade the state's Green Acres program to de-list that section of Ocean Avenue from the city's open space inventory," Unger said.

"Vehicular access is feasible now through the rear of the property," he added.

According to the resolution, the city acquired a separate parcel of land from T.D.B., known as lot 4, which provides access to lot 7.

"With the taking of lot 4, lot 7 would be landlocked without access to vehicular traffic," the resolution states.

It continues, "The redevelopment plan for the City of Long Branch indicated that Ocean Avenue would be open to vehicular traffic and to provide vehicular access to lot 7."

The resolution authorizes the city to open old Ocean Avenue along the beachfront from roughly the end of Ocean Terrace going south about 75 yards to the northern boundary line of Promenade Beach Club, according to Unger.

The stretch of the former beachfront road is currently used by pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists and other non-vehicular traffic," Unger said.

"The city has sufficient open space lands which could be diverted to Green Acres to allow for the diversion to be accepted," according to the resolution. "The city wishes to allow the property owners of lot 7, T.D.B. Associates, to have vehicular access to old Ocean Avenue."

The council had approved a resolution inAugust to rescind its decision to submit an application to the DEP to remove portions of Ocean Avenue from the state's GreenAcres Program inventory after city residents protested the proposal.

Ocean Avenue resident Bill McLaughlin led a campaign opposing the city's proposal and more than 5,000 signatures were gathered on petitions seeking to have the roadway remain closed to vehicular traffic.