STRATHMERE — “Having access to our beaches this summer is currently SIA’s top priority,” stated a newsletter from the Strathmere Improvement Association, which met with Mayor Curtis Corson on May 5 to discuss the issue.
Severe erosion in the north end of the island has cut off pedestrian and vehicle access to the beaches, preventing both lifeguards and beachgoers from getting to the water’s edge.
SIA President Colleen Jones told Corson that the group represents full-time residents, seasonal homeowners and visitors “who care deeply about this community.”
“With beach access closed across two-thirds of our town and no remedy currently in place, our goal is to propose an immediate, temporary solution, understand the township’s long-term plans and identify how the SIA can support efforts to ensure safe access and regulatory compliance,” Jones said.
On May 12, Committeeman Zach Palombo outlined steps the township has taken and plans to rectify the situation.
Palombo shared a presentation that noted the assessed value of island property is $322,937,800, generating more than $7 million in taxes. He also detailed the costs of operating the beaches last summer, including maintenance, protection and parking enforcement, as well as a sewer study and pump station installation, totaling $1.35 million.
“While Upper Township applies a uniform municipal tax rate across all villages, Strathmere properties are among the highest assessed in the township due to their coastal locations and value,” Jones said. “As a result, Strathmere residents pay among the highest actual property tax bills, contributing disproportionately more to total revenue.”
“Lack of access for multiple years raises serious equity concerns: residents are paying premium taxes with declining access to the very amenity that defines the community,” Jones said.
Palombo, who oversees the Department of Public Works, said all five members of the governing body have been focused on addressing the issue since they took office in January.
“You have five advocates on committee,” he said.
The presentation included a timeline of action on the issue.
Corson noted the problems during the first meeting of the year, when three new members joined him and Deputy Mayor Victor Nappen II on the dais.
In March, Corson and other officials met with representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection to discuss what could be done to resolve the issues. Drone video was shot showing the extent of the erosion.
The following month, Committeeman Tyler Casaccio met with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew about the situation, seeking federal help.
On April 28, township engineer Ryan MacNeill requested emergency permits from the DEP in the hopes that something could be accomplished before summer.
Steps taken thus far this year include securing an emergency authorization permit to make changes to crossovers. Palombo said Public Works will modify Willard and Sumner avenue entrances to provide vehicle and pedestrian access.
Entrances at Tecumseh, Vincent and Webster avenues will be modified to allow for pedestrian access. The township will monitor Williams Avenue for possible pedestrian access, but all beaches to the north will be closed for the season.
Township Committee adopted a resolution authorizing the rental of a bulldozer for the summer that Public Works will use to reshape pathways. It will be parked at 1400 Commonwealth Avenue.
The beaches were replenished a year ago as part of a larger project, so another replenishment is unlikely to solve the problem in the short term.
The newsletter states that with full replenishment not expected until 2027, the group urges the township to evaluate interim shoreline strategies such as back-passing, matting and selective sand distribution, secure permits now even if the solution is not yet selected and engage residents and experts in a collaborative planning process that protects Strathmere’s access, value and compliance position.
“We are asking for a clear commitment to implement an immediate access solution for this summer; begin long-term planning immediately, including permit strategy and community engagement; and confirm alignment with NJDEP and USACOE expectations to protect future project eligibility,” Jones said.
She said the current situation creates safety and liability issues.
“As the majority of the town’s official beach entrances remain closed, residents and visitors are resorting to climbing dunes or navigating unstable drop-offs to access the beach,” Jones said. “These impromptu paths are unsafe, unmonitored and unguarded — raising concerns about injury or drowning. From a risk-management standpoint, the township may face heightened liability exposure if no authorized access point is made available.”
Jones said the DEP and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers require municipalities to maintain physical and visual access to tidal shorelines.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mandates beach access points at a minimum of quarter-mile intervals to remain eligible for federal replenishment funding,” Jones said. “Failure to restore at least partial access may place the township out of compliance with current access requirements, could jeopardize eligibility for future funding and may draw formal scrutiny if no interim access solution is pursued.”
In addition, according to the newsletter, full beach access is a driver of Strathmere’s real estate market and its seasonal economy.
“Realtors have already reported diminished interest in renting homes without beach access,” Jones said. “Ongoing access issues could erode home values and the township’s future tax base.”
Steps taken in the past to address the ongoing erosion include installation of a rock wall revetment in 2008 at a cost of $930,000, beach replenishment in 2009 at a cost of $1.235 million, beach replenishment in 2019 at a cost of $650,400 and in 2023-24 at a cost of $1.337 million.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff