Bay Club residents press council over overnight parking enforcement; Veterans Park damage also raised

Residents used the public-comment period at the July 14 Beach Haven council meeting to press officials on two recurring issues: overnight parking enforcement at the Taylor Avenue bay-end lot and damage to Veterans Park from flea markets and summer events.

Dan Young, speaking on behalf of 18 Bay Club property owners, said residents began receiving tickets after a new officer enforced a local ordinance that bans parking between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. in the lot. Young said Bay Club owners believed prior zoning or practice allowed resident parking there and requested one of three remedies: recognize the prior parking arrangement, direct the police not to enforce the restriction against Bay Club residents, or issue permit stickers that would allow overnight parking for residents. “Not allowing myself, my children, or my visitors to park outside my home neither preserves the family friendly atmosphere nor the quality of life,” Young told council members.

Council members and the presiding official responded that the ordinance was intended to keep the municipal lot available for businesses and to prevent vehicles from being left for extended periods. The presiding official said enforcement reflected an effort to ensure fair parking availability, noting prior problems of vehicles and trailers occupying spots for extended periods. The borough’s police chief (addressing the topic on the record) described the lot-wide enforcement as a response to long-term use of the lot as auxiliary parking and to the presence of vehicles that reduced public parking supply.

Steve Kershner and other Bay Club residents described practical impacts for year-round residents who said they lack on-site spaces and now must walk several blocks to reach vehicles after early shifts; they said prior tickets were forgiven last year but enforcement began again this season without warning.

Separately, Martha Lodge, Don Kacks and other residents highlighted deterioration of the recently installed sod in Veterans Park after rain and repeated vendor traffic during flea and craft markets. Speakers urged moving large events to other venues or taking steps to protect the turf; residents also requested additional handicap-access mats and questioned the frequency and placement of markets. Council members said they would meet on-site with borough engineer Frank Little and representatives of the contractor to assess drainage and potential mitigation. “We’re gonna meet in the park on Thursday morning with Frank,” one member said, and staff planned to evaluate whether larger events should be relocated.

A resident also raised concerns about a planned lithium-battery storage facility and limited public engagement with the company; councilors noted requests for public meetings were not accepted by the company at that time.

Council did not adopt any ordinance changes that evening to address overnight parking or park-event approvals; members said the matters would be reviewed further and discussed for potential action at a later date.