Forked River residents say proposed docks would block navigation; township pledges to follow up

Dozens of Forked River residents told the Lacey Township Committee on Monday that a private development at Parker’s Point could make a narrow channel unsafe and unusable for many boaters.

Domin●gos Viera, who lives at 14 Dolphin Court, said the property owner has applied to install 10 private docks that would extend into the spur of the Cedar Branch of the Forked River. He said the channel was dredged in 2017 to roughly 30–35 feet in places and contains stumps and a sunken barge that limit navigable width. “If they put the docks forcing us out more... we’re not gonna be able to get past there,” Viera said at the committee’s public comment period.

The committee did not vote on the development, which residents said is subject to state permitting for docks and navigable waters. Township officials and residents described the matter as a state regulatory issue handled by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and, for maritime routes, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). Legal counsel at the meeting advised residents to preserve any rights by filing written comments promptly: “I would suggest highly... retain legal counsel and respond to this notice,” the township attorney said.

Mayor Peter Curitolo said he would visit the site and pledged follow-up with state officials. “I’ll go down there. I’ll write a letter,” he said, adding he would coordinate with the township’s legislative contacts. Committee members and several residents urged neighbors who did not receive the 200‑foot mailed notice to sign and send written comments anyway, and to contact state and legislative offices.

Residents said the project’s public-notice radius left many people who rely on the channel unaware of the application. James Sanford and John Kusky, both Dolphin Court residents, told the committee that boaters who live far enough from the shoreline to miss the 200‑foot notice still use the route daily and should be treated as affected stakeholders. Kusky asked the committee to clarify whether the township had previously approved upland construction connected to the project; officials replied that upland building approvals are separate from state permits for docks and that the township does not control navigable‑water approvals.

Township staff and elected members gave practical next steps: assemble petitions, collect signatures from affected boat owners, send written comments to the addresses on the DEP application, and contact the district’s state senator. Several speakers recommended contacting Senator James Amato’s district office in Manahawkin; Curitolo and other committee members said Amato’s office could help escalate constituent concerns to Trenton agencies.

No formal township action (motion or resolution) was taken at the meeting. Officials described next steps as investigatory or advocacy in nature — the mayor said he would inspect the site and consider a letter on behalf of the governing body — and urged residents to file timely written objections with DEP and NJDOT and to consult counsel if they wish to preserve legal claims.

Why it matters: Residents say the channel provides primary access for tens of boats to Barnegat Bay. If the docks as proposed are installed and include boat lifts, neighbors contend, they would effectively reduce the available navigable width and increase the risk of groundings or collisions for larger private and commercial vessels.

What’s next: Residents were advised to submit written comments to the DEP address on the application (the application included a March 8 date and a 15‑day public-comment window), to prepare petitions, and to contact Senator Amato’s office for legislative assistance. The mayor said he would return to the committee with findings and any recommended action.