all 3 redevelopment areas are within the Coastal Zone as described in the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) and development of 25, or more, dwellings require a CAFRA Permit.
The Mediterranean CAFRA approved site plan is protective of the natural environment and creates a viewscape of the Shark River from the train station. Traffic access would be on Route 35 … a superior design.
Why the M&C would even consider plans without CAFRA approval is beyond me?
People are against it, because the north end is the only area where we could have a quiet beach. However, we can’t because of all the activity between the Surf camp and the summer camp. We pay the highest taxes, and these Surf camps they pay nothing compared to what we pay even for the whole season. We have a right too.
It’s nice to see the kids learning ocean safety and the art of surfing. It’s a wholesome, healthy activity. So is the summer camp. I hate to break it to you, but if you want a “quiet” beach you should probably go to Spring Lake or down to Bay Head or Mantoloking (it’s like a funeral down there). Belmar is not exactly known for its quiet beaches. The surf camp and the beach camp, and Jr Guards for that matter, are wonderful programs that get kids outside and active. I’m sorry that it annoys you to see such things, but there are plenty of quiet beaches you can go to.
And, as you hopefully know, your “highest taxes” have nothing to do with the beach. The beach, by state law, is funded by badge fees. If you want to have a valid argument about your inability to enjoy the beach due to the sound of children’s laughter, you might want to leave out the taxes part. It’s irrelevant. It’s not your personal beach.
It shouldn’t be the personal beach for the surf camp “business“ either.
I have been living here longer than you my dear so don’t tell me what I want or need and I have been on this earth long enough to earn that right
I’m entitled to my opinion
Just like you
Dear double:
Well, it’s hard to have a surf lesson business that isn’t on a beach. But, since you’re making this silly argument; if the surf camp was complaining that they can’t enjoy themselves because there are too many people on the beach, then you could claim that they think it’s their personal beach. But they’re not. So you can’t. But, kudos for giving it a shot.
Dear View: I’m not sure why you think you’ve lived here longer than I have. Nor do I understand what that has to do with anything. Yes, you are entitled to your opinion. And yes I am entitled to mine. Part of your argument was, in your words, that you pay the “highest taxes”. The taxes you pay literally have nothing to do with how loud or quiet the beach is. I’m sorry, but it’s true. You have a right to not want the surf camp, no one is saying you don’t. But tying it to your high taxes is not correct.
Don’t tell me where to go to the beach! I am in the town I want to be and bought here and I pay taxes so I am entitled to my opinion.
Remember, the surf camp is a business that pays very little rent. They pay less rent ($7500) for the season which is less than people pay to rent a one bedroom during the summer.
The summer camp on 5th is run by the town. The surf camp is an outside business. The lease is up!
Now its time to reevaluate the cost to them, the real estate they take up and not to mention the liability.
The concession on 5th pays $65,000 for the season and the surf camp pays how much?
Who is doing the math on this one? A first grader??
Are you forgetting that the surf camp is a business? It’s not an amenity given by the town. Last year we were going to give the pavilion away for a dollar. We wound up getting 65,000 for that vendor. Compared to the surf camp they only get 7500. Who is doing the math here?
(Deleted by Editor) your high property taxes have nothing, zero, nada, zip, to do with the beach. You can go to any beach you want, I was just giving you a couple options because you seem very frustrated that there is a surf camp at the beach you go to. You complained that it’s not quiet. If you’d rather complain, fine by me.
The concession stand rent is insane. That we agree on. It’s insane because we had a ******* for a mayor a few years back that traded political favors for a $4 million dollar plastic dollhouse (that’s already falling apart) We have to charge an insane amount of rent to try and recoup some of that stolen money. It’s a public building, we shouldn’t even HAVE a concession there. But that’s beside the point.
The surf camp is wholesome and great for kids. I’m sorry it bothers you so much (I’m actually not), but there’s nothing wrong with it. You can find a quiet place to sit even at the north end of town. Or you can stop complaining and maybe try to enjoy how lucky we all are to live in such a beautiful place. That’s the math you should be contemplating.
(Asterisks are mine, Editor)
What an eloquent speaker Ann at the 5th Avenue Pavilion is and what a raw deal she has gotten. What a shame the town took advantage of her good nature. Is that the way they treat businesses in Belmar? Poor her, trying to do her best and the town doesn’t support her contract. I would love to have a party and have regular boardwalk food. She lost a lot of money for people who want to rent the pavilion for birthday parties, showers or any other event. We the community are the ones losing out. The BA continues to disappoint the citizens of Belmar.
Not only have they not, it seems, added her to the preferred catering list online, (Temporarily deleted by Editor.)
This comment was sent in about a week ago, but I cannot verify the details. If anyone has screenshots, please forward them to The Blog.
Anyone can send an message to The Blog in the comments, just label it as a message and not a comment.
You have no idea what you are talking about and as usual all over the place. The town didn’t set the price for the pavilion, it was an open bid during a meeting. I watched it. Doherty bid against her and it wound up going up to 65,000 with the winners hope to be added to the concession list and the town never added her to the list.
Do you watch the meetings? Apparently not.
The bigger question is why are they giving away 2nd Avenue to 3rd Avenue for $7500?
That’s less than people are paying to rent a home for a month which is in the average of $25,000-$80,000.
To all the people complaining about the Surf camp I have news for you. Just because you pay taxes and buy beach badges doesn’t make the beach “yours”. The beach below the high tide line is federal property and belongs to the people of the United States that pay for the beach replenishment. From the high tide line (mean high water) to the street, belongs to the state of new Jersey and the oceanfront towns are required to maintain the beaches according to a beach management plan approved by NJDEP.
If you want to complain about this your forum is to the mayor and council. The beaches belong to everyone not just local residents. Yes I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve seen worse that you can believe. You should have been here in the 70’s and 80’s. The town is much better and cleaner now and the mayor and council do a decent job (not perfect).
The surf camp is an asset to the town and should be welcomed as a small business that started in Belmar, enjoyed great success and has expanded to Asbury Park, Bradley Beach and Bay Head.
Well said!
Anyone complaining about kids having fun and learning to surf, definitely not here in the 70s 80s and 90s. The town is nearly unrecognizable, in a good way.
Wholesome outdoor activities in the age of digital screen addiction should be applauded. Complaining that the beach should be “quiet” because you pay high property taxes shows a comical ignorance about how beaches work.
I don’t care about the kids surfing. It’s wonderful!
My gripe is how little it cost the surf business to rent the beach between 2nd and 3rd for the season. I can’t even have a wedding at Taylor Pavilion for $7500.
Why are they paying so little and, they can use all Belmar’s services?
My suggestion to you. Pool together a bunch of your friends’ assets and outbid the surf camp. Then let that area sit idle. Then you can have your wedding on the beach in your designated area for cheap.
Everyone was responding to the commenter that was complaining about the noise. Not that they pay less. They wanted quiet.
The surf camp doesn’t affect taxes.
The Taylor pavilion was billed as a public building. It isn’t. I agree with you on that front. We were ripped off by a previous mayor whose name rhymes with pooradee. That meri makers deal as gross as the building itself. But none of it has a thing to do with the surf camp.
I think everyone is happy for the children. I think more people are thinking about the fact that it’s a business and it’s a business from outside the town. They should be paying more to work a business on the BELMAR Beach. The town owes it to themselves to try and collect as much as they can from an outside business.
We certainly aren’t doing favors for every business in town. Look at the pavilion, she has to pay $65,000 a season.
Gene is correct as usual. These are agreements towns make through the beach management plan when they accept FEDERAL beach replenishment sand. Belmar had a thriving beach nesting bird colony in the past but recently the north end of town is home to quite a few Red Foxes. Adorable but devastating to beach nesting birds. Lucky for beach users but not so great if you are trying to nest on the sand.
Kids, from a biological standpoint, use the restroom much less frequently than their older counterparts. And they are much less likely to ***** and moan constantly (I mean seriously people give it a rest. Are really you that spoiled?) about having to walk an extra two blocks to go to the bathroom. So, it’s not the kids I’m worried about.
all 3 redevelopment areas are within the Coastal Zone as described in the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) and development of 25, or more, dwellings require a CAFRA Permit.
The Mediterranean CAFRA approved site plan is protective of the natural environment and creates a viewscape of the Shark River from the train station. Traffic access would be on Route 35 … a superior design.
Why the M&C would even consider plans without CAFRA approval is beyond me?
This mayor, council and BA think they are above the law and know everything. That’s why
Here is the Resolutions post in the Agenda for the last meeting on March 11th –
https://www.belmar.com/government/documents/meeting-documents/mayor-council-meeting/2025-mayor-council-meeting-documents/2025-resolutions-mayor-council/641-3-11-25-adopted-resolutions/file
Are they really going to bring that surfing camp back, why?
Why not? It doesn’t harm anyone and it gets kids (and some adults) off their phones and engaging in an outdoor physical activity.
Why be against it?
People are against it, because the north end is the only area where we could have a quiet beach. However, we can’t because of all the activity between the Surf camp and the summer camp. We pay the highest taxes, and these Surf camps they pay nothing compared to what we pay even for the whole season. We have a right too.
It’s nice to see the kids learning ocean safety and the art of surfing. It’s a wholesome, healthy activity. So is the summer camp. I hate to break it to you, but if you want a “quiet” beach you should probably go to Spring Lake or down to Bay Head or Mantoloking (it’s like a funeral down there). Belmar is not exactly known for its quiet beaches. The surf camp and the beach camp, and Jr Guards for that matter, are wonderful programs that get kids outside and active. I’m sorry that it annoys you to see such things, but there are plenty of quiet beaches you can go to.
And, as you hopefully know, your “highest taxes” have nothing to do with the beach. The beach, by state law, is funded by badge fees. If you want to have a valid argument about your inability to enjoy the beach due to the sound of children’s laughter, you might want to leave out the taxes part. It’s irrelevant. It’s not your personal beach.
It shouldn’t be the personal beach for the surf camp “business“ either.
I have been living here longer than you my dear so don’t tell me what I want or need and I have been on this earth long enough to earn that right
I’m entitled to my opinion
Just like you
Dear double:
Well, it’s hard to have a surf lesson business that isn’t on a beach. But, since you’re making this silly argument; if the surf camp was complaining that they can’t enjoy themselves because there are too many people on the beach, then you could claim that they think it’s their personal beach. But they’re not. So you can’t. But, kudos for giving it a shot.
Dear View: I’m not sure why you think you’ve lived here longer than I have. Nor do I understand what that has to do with anything. Yes, you are entitled to your opinion. And yes I am entitled to mine. Part of your argument was, in your words, that you pay the “highest taxes”. The taxes you pay literally have nothing to do with how loud or quiet the beach is. I’m sorry, but it’s true. You have a right to not want the surf camp, no one is saying you don’t. But tying it to your high taxes is not correct.
Don’t tell me where to go to the beach! I am in the town I want to be and bought here and I pay taxes so I am entitled to my opinion.
Remember, the surf camp is a business that pays very little rent. They pay less rent ($7500) for the season which is less than people pay to rent a one bedroom during the summer.
The summer camp on 5th is run by the town. The surf camp is an outside business. The lease is up!
Now its time to reevaluate the cost to them, the real estate they take up and not to mention the liability.
The concession on 5th pays $65,000 for the season and the surf camp pays how much?
Who is doing the math on this one? A first grader??
Are you forgetting that the surf camp is a business? It’s not an amenity given by the town. Last year we were going to give the pavilion away for a dollar. We wound up getting 65,000 for that vendor. Compared to the surf camp they only get 7500. Who is doing the math here?
(Deleted by Editor) your high property taxes have nothing, zero, nada, zip, to do with the beach. You can go to any beach you want, I was just giving you a couple options because you seem very frustrated that there is a surf camp at the beach you go to. You complained that it’s not quiet. If you’d rather complain, fine by me.
The concession stand rent is insane. That we agree on. It’s insane because we had a ******* for a mayor a few years back that traded political favors for a $4 million dollar plastic dollhouse (that’s already falling apart) We have to charge an insane amount of rent to try and recoup some of that stolen money. It’s a public building, we shouldn’t even HAVE a concession there. But that’s beside the point.
The surf camp is wholesome and great for kids. I’m sorry it bothers you so much (I’m actually not), but there’s nothing wrong with it. You can find a quiet place to sit even at the north end of town. Or you can stop complaining and maybe try to enjoy how lucky we all are to live in such a beautiful place. That’s the math you should be contemplating.
(Asterisks are mine, Editor)
What an eloquent speaker Ann at the 5th Avenue Pavilion is and what a raw deal she has gotten. What a shame the town took advantage of her good nature. Is that the way they treat businesses in Belmar? Poor her, trying to do her best and the town doesn’t support her contract. I would love to have a party and have regular boardwalk food. She lost a lot of money for people who want to rent the pavilion for birthday parties, showers or any other event. We the community are the ones losing out. The BA continues to disappoint the citizens of Belmar.
And another thing…
The mayor didn’t even comment after her plea, except to say “next”.
How humiliating for everyone involved…
This whole administration has to go…
Not only have they not, it seems, added her to the preferred catering list online, (Temporarily deleted by Editor.)
This comment was sent in about a week ago, but I cannot verify the details. If anyone has screenshots, please forward them to The Blog.
Anyone can send an message to The Blog in the comments, just label it as a message and not a comment.
Here is the list of caterers now,
https://belmar.com/resident/taylor-pavilion-gazebo-rental
You have no idea what you are talking about and as usual all over the place. The town didn’t set the price for the pavilion, it was an open bid during a meeting. I watched it. Doherty bid against her and it wound up going up to 65,000 with the winners hope to be added to the concession list and the town never added her to the list.
Do you watch the meetings? Apparently not.
The bigger question is why are they giving away 2nd Avenue to 3rd Avenue for $7500?
That’s less than people are paying to rent a home for a month which is in the average of $25,000-$80,000.
To all the people complaining about the Surf camp I have news for you. Just because you pay taxes and buy beach badges doesn’t make the beach “yours”. The beach below the high tide line is federal property and belongs to the people of the United States that pay for the beach replenishment. From the high tide line (mean high water) to the street, belongs to the state of new Jersey and the oceanfront towns are required to maintain the beaches according to a beach management plan approved by NJDEP.
If you want to complain about this your forum is to the mayor and council. The beaches belong to everyone not just local residents. Yes I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve seen worse that you can believe. You should have been here in the 70’s and 80’s. The town is much better and cleaner now and the mayor and council do a decent job (not perfect).
The surf camp is an asset to the town and should be welcomed as a small business that started in Belmar, enjoyed great success and has expanded to Asbury Park, Bradley Beach and Bay Head.
Peace.
Well said!
Anyone complaining about kids having fun and learning to surf, definitely not here in the 70s 80s and 90s. The town is nearly unrecognizable, in a good way.
Wholesome outdoor activities in the age of digital screen addiction should be applauded. Complaining that the beach should be “quiet” because you pay high property taxes shows a comical ignorance about how beaches work.
I don’t care about the kids surfing. It’s wonderful!
My gripe is how little it cost the surf business to rent the beach between 2nd and 3rd for the season. I can’t even have a wedding at Taylor Pavilion for $7500.
Why are they paying so little and, they can use all Belmar’s services?
So ultimately is does cost the tax payer.
My suggestion to you. Pool together a bunch of your friends’ assets and outbid the surf camp. Then let that area sit idle. Then you can have your wedding on the beach in your designated area for cheap.
Everyone was responding to the commenter that was complaining about the noise. Not that they pay less. They wanted quiet.
The surf camp doesn’t affect taxes.
The Taylor pavilion was billed as a public building. It isn’t. I agree with you on that front. We were ripped off by a previous mayor whose name rhymes with pooradee. That meri makers deal as gross as the building itself. But none of it has a thing to do with the surf camp.
I think everyone is happy for the children. I think more people are thinking about the fact that it’s a business and it’s a business from outside the town. They should be paying more to work a business on the BELMAR Beach. The town owes it to themselves to try and collect as much as they can from an outside business.
We certainly aren’t doing favors for every business in town. Look at the pavilion, she has to pay $65,000 a season.
Where is the fairness?
NJDEP endangered species protection may dictate what activities Belmar can approve on beaches … especially the north end.
https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/rules/proposals/proposal-20241216a.pdf
Gene is correct as usual. These are agreements towns make through the beach management plan when they accept FEDERAL beach replenishment sand. Belmar had a thriving beach nesting bird colony in the past but recently the north end of town is home to quite a few Red Foxes. Adorable but devastating to beach nesting birds. Lucky for beach users but not so great if you are trying to nest on the sand.
the 2nd Avenue bathroom is gone … the Surf Camp can piss in the ocean.
Good thought, Mr. Creamer? Where does 500 kids go to the bathroom on 2nd Ave., before during and after an eight hour day?
Thank you but I’m over it. Let the kids potty all over 2nd avenue. Two more years of not caring then there will be change. Fa la la la
Kids, from a biological standpoint, use the restroom much less frequently than their older counterparts. And they are much less likely to ***** and moan constantly (I mean seriously people give it a rest. Are really you that spoiled?) about having to walk an extra two blocks to go to the bathroom. So, it’s not the kids I’m worried about.
(Asterisks are mine, Editor.)