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Council debates event permits, vendors warn parking changes will hurt long-running flea and craft markets
Summary
Council members said special-event applications need case-by-case review to avoid hurting local businesses; a longtime craft-market operator warned that disallowing vendor parking in Veterans Park would create a major logistical problem, while an event organizer said festivals increase foot traffic and patronage for local stores.
The Beach Haven Borough Council debated how to handle a wave of pending special-event applications on Jan. 13, focusing on whether food-truck/music festivals and craft shows during the shoulder season could undercut local businesses and how to manage vendor parking in Veterans Park.
Council members said each application differs and recommended reviewing them individually to weigh local business impacts. Some members suggested favoring community or charitable events, limiting vendor parking on turf and requiring unloading-only periods to protect recently renovated grass at popular parks. “We want the shoulder season to help them, not compete with them,” one council member said.
During public comment, a long-time flea and craft-market operator (who did not give a full name) said vendors have parked in Veterans Park for decades and need on-site vehicle access to protect artwork and merchandise from wind or rain. She warned that denying parking in the park would be a “major issue” for vendors, many of whom travel with trailers and motor homes. Council members and staff discussed potential mitigation: designated unloading areas, parking behind the police station, limited on-park parking for brief setup/breakdown windows, and stricter vetting of vendor types so events better complement existing businesses.
Mike Kasten of Mees Event Services, who said he runs similar festivals on the shore, told the council that well-run food-truck and music events can boost restaurant business and increase foot traffic, citing positive results from events in Keyport. The council closed public comment and asked staff (Mary Cla and others) to circulate the pending applications and collect feedback from council members and the chamber before acting; several council members flagged that they expect to deny or scale back some proposals to protect small local businesses.
The council did not adopt a new formal special-events policy at this meeting; it directed staff to gather more information and to return recommendations for how to balance vendor access, parking logistics and business impacts.
