Ocean Grove Parking Limits Before Officials Tonight

NEPTUNE, NJ - It is by no means a popular subject: how best to address parking shortages in historic Ocean Grove where nearly all residential properties are without driveways.

Committee members have explained that for years they have weighed different proposals without finding a solution that seems to fit. Now, they have a draft by Committee Member Carol Rizzo which would require Ocean Grove property owners to pay for permits that would only slightly increase their chances of finding parking.

It is on the committee agenda tonight for more discussion but if last month's session at Neptune High School is any barometer, it is as controversial as any other plan. The situation has come to a head because Asbury Park's redevelopment is gathering steam and as Asbury Park heavily regulates its parking, its visitors have opted to park in Ocean Grove and walk over to access attractions in Asbury.

That makes an already existing situation in the grove worse than usual and officials have noted some potential parkers have become so agitated that some visitors' tires have been slashed. Others put out traffic cones or other blockaids in order to reserve a space.

Further, residents of other sections of Neptune say between Asbury Park visitors and Ocean Grove residents looking for parking, they have little opportunity to enjoy the beachside attractions. Then there is the business district. Merchants say they favor a measure designed to increase turnover but they don't want the tourists chased out of Ocean Grove because the money they bring with them helps the merchants survive. The Great Auditorium does not support making it harder to for their guests to find parking.

"Asbury Park's success has become a nightmare for Ocean Grove residents as visitors park for free, taking valuable space from residents and tourists who would spend money in Ocean Grove,' reads Rizzo's summary. "The problem is exacerbated beyond the summer for the North End as Asbury Park events extend well into October.

"Adding to the problem, Asbury Park workers park in the North End on a daily basis," the summary reads. "On the southside, Bradley Beach has implemented paid parking and visitors to Bradley are parking in the Grove. Parking for Ocean Grove residents during the summer has become a nightmare for many. The lack of driveways and allocated parking for residents means they become prisoners in their own homes, especially on Thursdays through Sunday weekends.

Her plan simply increases the probability of finding a space. It does not guarantee a space. While some residents said Neptune should look toward Asbury as a guide, officials here rejected that, saying Asbury hired its own expert and Neptune is disinclined toward that solution.

Rizzo's proposal includes these factoids: There are 3,049 residential units in Ocean Grove, of which 1,734 are occupied year-round. There are 3,015 full-time residents, half of whom live alone. Their median age is 53. Some 1,055 residents are older than 62 and 815 are above the age of 65. Almost 70 percent are women. Density is the second highest on the Jersey Shore.

Take that math and apply life to it, Rizzo says: Too many elderly people feel trapped, not leaving their homes even for critical trips such as doctor appointments or to refill medications for fear they will not be able to find parking nearby.

After weighing whether to conduct a pilot parking study in the whole of Ocean Grove, Rizzo recommended the pilot be reserved to the North Side, described as Wesley Lake through to Heck Avenue, which it would include as north-to-south boundaries and the Ocean Grove Gates to Ocean Avenue, east to west where there are 1,025 spaces. Rizzo proposes permit parking on one side of the street except for the streets near the lake, Asbury Park and the North End condominiums and apartments.

Under the pilot program, a commercial zone from Main Avenue to Central to New York Avenue would have two-to-three hour parking between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Permits would be one to a family depending on popularity. If there are extras, the town could consider allowing more than one permit. There would be no physical permits. Instead, the property owner would enter his or her license plates into a license reader which a special law enforcement officer would use in the summer mainly on weekends from May 15 to Sept.15. The cost for the pilot is $100,000 or so. Any ticket revenue would go to the police department. The pilot is not intended to make money, only break even. Permits would likely cost $70 to $90 in the first year but if the pilot is successful, the cost would go down in the second year to $20 0r $30.

Parking in Ocean Grove is again on the agenda of Neptune Committee. Image via Shutterstock.