By BILL BARLOW /Special to the Sentinel
STRATHMERE – Labor Day is over and the crush of crowds has eased in this beachfront community, but residents and property owners want answers on how things can be improved for future summers.
Parking issues appear to be a primary concern, but not the only one for members of Upper Township’s close-knit beachfront community. Development remains an issue, and the possibility of requiring beach tags is also on the table.
Committeeman Curtis Corson cited reports that some towns in the Wildwoods are considering imposing beach tags after years without them. Those are the only other beachfront communities that do not charge for summer beach access, with beach tags required in neighboring Sea Isle City and Ocean City. He sees that as a motivation for the township to look at the possibility for Strathmere as well.
“The last thing we want to do is be the last free beach,” he said.
Several Strathmere residents attended the Sept. 14 Township Committee meeting, held virtually due to ongoing restrictions related to COVID-19, asking about what happens next for their community. They spoke of several issues related to the quality of life on the barrier island.
Development and parking have been hot topics throughout the summer. New zoning limits are in effect in Strathmere this year after extensive discussion by the Planning Board and on Township Committee, but some residents see them already challenged by a plan to replace the Strathmere Motel with a much larger building. That application is expected to be heard by the Zoning Board in October.
Parking remained an issue throughout the summer, both along Commonwealth Boulevard, where it has been restricted to one side of the street, and along side streets throughout town. Members of the Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company raised concerns this year about clearance for trucks in some areas where cars park on both sides of narrow roadways.
Mayor Rich Palombo had planned a town hall-style meeting in Strathmere for the fall, but at the committee meeting, he said there is no space large enough in Strathmere to accommodate the likely crowd and still maintain the recommended social distance between participants.
It is difficult to have a discussion among a large group of people on remote meeting platforms, he said.
“I felt a Zoom call would be very difficult with lots of questions. It’s really hard to try and coordinate and facilitate a Zoom call when you don’t know who’s going to be talking next,” Palombo said.
He considered having a meeting on the beach, he said, but determined that would not be a practical solution. For one thing, it is not an accessible location. Some people who wanted to attend may have difficulty getting to the beach, he said.
“Rest assured that has not been forgotten,” he said. “At this point, it’s really hard to facilitate a meeting. It’s not that I’m procrastinating on it. I just can’t find a way to be able to do it.”
Township officials continue to consider options for the Strathmere issues, he said, with plans to focus on possibilities this fall.
Palombo mentioned township discussions with a parking expert to look for long-term options, he said, but at the meeting did not say who that expert is.
Another Strathmere topic brought up at the virtual meeting was an application made by the new owners of The Deauville for changes to the marina at the site. Last winter, the long-standing restaurant underwent extensive renovations after being purchased by a new owner.
This summer, with restrictions in place on indoor dining, the restaurant relied on its back deck and beach bar.
A resident raised questions about a permit application to dredge the area and expand the marina, allowing more boats and personal watercraft to land at the business. The resident asked what authority the township has to evaluate those requests.
Township attorney Dan Young said the township does not typically take a position on applications for state permits for boat slips.
“Generally speaking, anything waterward of the bulkhead, the permitting, application process, public input, objections, all that should be directed at the DEP. We don’t require nor do we issue permits for reconfiguration of docks and slips,” Young said.
The resident asked if the township would comment if there were a significant concern with the plans.
“I guess if there was a significant concern, anyone could comment, as well as the township,” Young said.
Township engineer Paul Dietrich said property owners typically lease dock areas from the state. In this case, he said, the plan is just to reconfigure the docks within the existing area. It is likely that the change is aimed at increasing the number of available slips, he said.
“Traditionally, we have not made comments or gotten involved with private development beyond the bulkheads,” Dietrich said.
“We are concerned about traffic, we are concerned about parking and we are concerned about safety, so that’s something that we’ll have to evaluate,” Palombo said.