adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the co-star the official newspaper of the Burl Balmar and the asra Park Press on January 23rd 2024 and notice of this meeting was posted on the bulletin board of the municipal building take roll call real quick councilwoman Donovan here councilman Kenny here mayor Mich fesco here councilwoman rero here and councilman Lis is absent okay please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance FL States America indivisible and justice for all please remain standing for a moment of silence for our troops and their families and our First Responders and can I add Don a passed away yesterday long time owner of Don's Pizza King and so let's all remember his and our also thank you okay tonight we're starting off with a uh public hearing on a Green Acres application that we're putting in uh and uh I will we have to have that hearing and our engineer Jim Morris is here to give us an overview of what what what this entails thank you Mr Mayor and good evening members of the governing body uh members of the public administration um can everyone hear me am I talking loud enough Jim I wonder if you should pivot that so the public can see that sure we I also have some 11 by 17 so you might e ex condition and then the other two maps illustrate the proposed Park here's some additional mapping thank you so uh Green Acres um is requiring uh that application that are due on February 7th uh hold a public hearing and at that public hearing um the intent is to um present the application the projects that we're proposing and at that time also seek public input um so we're certainly here to get your input on what the the applications that the bur is proposing at this point so um the first map that I have here in front of you is simply an existing conditions map the project site is mlar Park along the along the riverfront um and currently as you most people know uh there's there's passive open space um there is a board block that runs along uh the seaw wall to a point and then it converts to a Trail um there's also three tennis courts and then there's three pickle bow courts a playground and a bathroom um so that's the existing site um what we're proposing as a Green Acres Grant application for for Park development and I guess what I should explain is that they have pockets of uh different applications um that are in this funding round one is Park development they also have acquisition monies which we're not submitting for stewardship and then there's also Al a Grant application program for what's known as Jake's law and jakee law is the second Grant application that we're proposing this evening the first one that's in front of you on this uh on this board is that what we're proposing to do is to add three more pickle ball courts adjacent to the existing three pickle ball courts so some time ago one of the tennis courts was converted to three pickle ball courts what we proposing to do is to add three more so you would have a total of six pickle bow courts and three tennis courts um on at McClary Park and that's in essence the grand application and in addition to adding the pickle ball courts what we're proposing is to extend the boardwalk Westerly um and terminated at the corner of the bulkhead um so that we would basically take and extend a boardwalk further so that you'd have a continuous Boardwalk along the River Front um and that's the park development application uh Grant application that we are proposing and presenting this evening the second uh application as I mentioned earlier uh is on the third page of your handout which is uh the Jake's law uh application um so what we're proposing is and and what I should explain is Jake's law was signed into law I think in 2023 by Governor Murphy and the intent is to have completely inclusive playgrounds for our youth what does that mean essentially what it means is that that we we always have to provide for Americans with Disability Act facilities at our Recreation facilities the Jake law part of this uh application is that above and beyond ADA requirements there are um new standards that the DCA has put forward as a as a part of the Jake's law which um require if you if you accept the grant Monies to provide additional types of recreation for um persons with disabilities that go above and beyond the standard ADA requirements or or disabilities I should say and by that I mean some of the requirements that Jake's law will require for a completely inclusive part is to have shaded areas um certain individuals have disability where bright light is detrimental to them in terms of uh their ability to cope uh there's also a requirement that we have a quiet play area so instead of having just a standard playground we have to carve out an area and develop it in such a way that it will provide for um individuals that would like to have a recreation area but would rather it be and needed to be in a quiet situation so uh that can be done with different types of buffering there's sound fencing there's there's there's uh there are techniques that we can do to decrease noise within the completely inclusive par it will have Recreation components as you normally would um for playgrounds um but it also um you know it's going to it's going to include those types of uh those types of improvements and then lastly with a completely inclusive Park we need to do a bathroom upgrade um which would uh in essence um provide for additional facilities um there there there there needs to be a separate bathroom for individuals not with the you know the general public um and so we're going to need to look at the bathroom facilities that we have there and create that within the space that we have um or do a small addition to the to the uh to the current restroom facility so um again two applications the first one is the park development application which is to create three additional pickle ball courts and improve the walkway along the riverfront and the completely inclusive Park under the Jake law part of the Green Acres Program and I was remiss in not saying that we're actually going to place that uh Recreation component adjacent to the existing playground that's in that area um so with that I can open it up for questions um maybe May Council first does anyone have questions thank you that was great um I do have a couple questions if you don't mind uh one of my first ones is whether or not there'll be some type of PVE walkway leading directly to the second playground um for better accessibility for people with wheelchairs or any other type of um assed or is there a connection between the two playgrounds so the the intent is Yes actually both right now what we're graphically showing is a you know a concrete walkway leading um from the path to to the inclusive of Park um we can add an additional walkway that could take it to the boardwalk or take it to uh or you know connect the other facilities um it's a concept plan but it's certainly good feedback that if we want to make more connections to the J to the inclusive completely inclusive Park we can do that okay um and my other I have two other questions if you don't mind um we're taking down trees are there any plans to plant more trees so the answer is yes um we do have uh within our within our Green Acres uh program we have to go out and U document trees that are larger than 6 in dbh meaning the diameter at rest height um so I believe there there's a total of six trees uh in that area two two or three of them are scrub Pines I would say maybe scrubs not the right word they're Pines I don't want no scrub yeah and the other assiduous trees so um we uh we we would include replanting of those trees uh the pickle ball courts are going to you know they're going to encroach a little closer to the space um where your Pavilion is but I I do believe that we'll be able to work out the details and not have to do anything further uh with the Pavilion and were there any issues um or concerns about flooding since we are putting a h material down so um yes it is in a flood Hazard area but Recreation components are are a permitted use if you will in the in the flood Hazard area um the amount of impervious coverage that we're adding is below um the trigger where we're really going to need to worry about storm water management and um you know quite honestly when you're when you're in when you're in a flood Hazard area there are you really have only have to address water quality you don't have to address any type of Quant um with that because of the way that the storm water RS are written um if the water around you is already up there's really no sense in trying to retain that runoff if you're in a in a in a coastal flood area but War quality we certainly will look at and if we need to do some additional improvements that would include uh encouraging more groundwater recharge we we would include that in in the in the final design and and my last question I think you guys um I know I had adding kayaks and was told that one of the kayak racks and was told that one of the major uh reasons not to was because of the lack of parking over here um considering we're putting in additional course is parking being addressed at all another good question so um with regards to the parking um it's a community park while it's not in the center of the community um it does have uh the you know the the ability for people to bike or walk there as well um if one of the comments is maybe we should include or look at uh adding uh some additional bike racks or encourage more pedestrian and and bike um activities I haven't heard that the park needs additional parking but if we wanted to create additional parking um we could look at doing that at the site but um it's not currently in the Green Acres application it could be but it's not currently in I think in general encourage non-car transportation is a good idea that's all for my questions thank you with all those pickle ball people there's a lot of cars over there because I have seen it you know on the weekends it is it's pretty full lot over there and now the floor of the new playground that will be a semi perus right like that um like a rubber yes it it would be you know it will be a ADA Compliant uh safety surface um there are a few options that we can include um in you know in the uh in the final design um there's the permeable five bar surfaces and then there's the rubber type surfaces which would shed water and then in terms of structur like structures for shade I mean could you plant trees around that new or is it actual a har structure that they want for shade good question no the they actually encourage trees for shade um but you could also do other types of shade structures permanent structures sales um are also acceptable as long as there's there's an Avenue or a component that um some of the facility has shade so that it accommodates it looks like there'll be about seven at least seven new trees uh 6 to8 feet in height um do you know where those will be placed will it be adjacent to these new courts so the um the location of the trees more than likely I would encourage to put them by the you know over by the inclusive Park but we certainly can look to add trees in any part of the uh this this complex um we do have you know there is a passive recreation area where you know in general uh you know on the on the east side um but I do think that there are some utilities that run through that area um so we need to take a that as a part of final design but location of trees we can work with the burrow with regards to where those where where we would want to plant trees either replacement trees or if you wanted to just add additional trees above and beyond uh we certainly have that ability and also um I'm very excited that we'll have a inclusive Park if this goes through um will there be fencing all around I know when we originally had um the park right next to it we a lot of the parents had an issue with their not being a fence in the back of it um because the kids have one way to go towards the water and one way to go towards the highway um will will that be uh fenced in yes the inclusive part will have fencing around spr any other questions um just maybe I I work with the on the Lea on the shade tree committee so would it be um you know would you be working with other committees in town in terms of tree replacement and things like that I'm sure they would want to be on the work yes and that's encouraged by the Green Acres Program application they do want us to trees that can live in that area that soil Etc okay great I'll pass that along okay questions from the [Music] public thank you uh Drew frin South Lake Drive um I wasn't expecting to comment on this but since I'm sitting here just two quick things first of all I do think parking is an issue um I'm glad that was raised um I think the general age for pickle ball around here probably Skuse a little bit older just given a lot of the folks I've seen down there 35 is a really unsafe Highway as we all know and I think having uh brought my bicycle down there it's always a scary event trying to cross over and go along there so I would just say if that's possible even if it's just gravel I think people would appreciate the ability to drive over there instead of trying to get there on foot or on a bicycle my only other point is having knowing this uh area very well in terms of flooding and everything and whatever we put in for the boardwalk whatever should probably be designed to weather a lot of tide and a lot of motion so it's not ripped out I'm sure you're thinking about that but uh just wood wood planks quite often are just ripped out of there as you know on a bad storm or whatever so yeah thank you thank you for bringing that up we are U planning on anchoring um the boardwalk structure that's work into the cost estimates so yes done I thank you thank you anyone else [Music] Mr Jean Kramer 4th Avenue um a quick ride by i u there's about 55 parking spaces there and uh the existing parking lot uh there is one handicapped uh parking space uh fairly close to to the existing playground which is uh properly marked and signed um there is a another handicapped uh uh parking space about uh about halfway uh about halfway down the length of of the parking area uh but there's no signage there and of course and our Police Department cannot uh uh enforce the handicap parking regulations uh could you also take a look at the required number of parking handicapped uh parking spaces uh that are required there uh a quick look at uh at this book ible parking in New Jersey uh I I believe there's three handicapped parking spaces uh that would be required in that parking lot um I I understand about the access to the inclusive uh playground area that uh that should be handicapped accessible you know a good walking surface or a surface that you can uh navigate with uh with the wheelchair of course um so that's basically my comment there is actually the existing facility uh I don't think there's enough handicap parking uh what's there is not enforceable by our L by uh the police department uh I believe at least one of them has to be a van accessible parking lot the one that's there might be van accessible I didn't take a close look at that uh I did read U the environmental assessment here and I'm glad you did that uh I think you've addressed just about just about everything um one question here uh on page number three the site is G generally uh flat with well- drained soil the soil on the site consists of oh historic fil type soil is is o a a soil designation or is it just old historic fil old historic fil okay good thank you um that might be one question does this go along to the D this assessment okay uh next paragraph uh Environmental impact analysis of the proposed partk uh about halfway through that uh paragraph uh it says the construction of the courts will be such that surface runoff will be directed to Grass areas within where natural inflation can occur you want to change inflation to infiltration you got me yes I will that's it apologies for auto cor thank you 18th B um to the best of my knowledge is one crosswalk with a traffic light right just one there's another crosswalk um on Pine Tree Way however there's no lights to it we going to get a light maybe at some point in time I know it's probably not part of this but that's a state we'd have to make a request to the state to do that let's do it that's a state okay Food For Thought I mean food for safety or thought for safety you know something like that now this presentation did it have to be a special presentation I know we have a deadline to meet and everything or could this have been like part of a workshop where did did Grant this information just come out this had to be special because we had to have it done by a certain date correct and by the time we put everything together we would not be have made the date had we waited to the next meeting so rather than not be able to apply for it we decided to have a special meeting that's a great idea but maybe in the future we can plan better to try to include it in a workshop trying to do these things but a lot of these things come up at the last minute at the last minute decide we're going to do this put our heads together and we do it so okay this is actually somewhat of a new requirement you know in past years a Green Acres application would require a public hearing um but in this particular instance the new program requires a quum of the governing body to be here so and it also required that the documents that we were going to discuss or at least the concept needed to be published on the Burrow's website 15 days prior okay so to hit all those markers we we uh and we have to submit not only the application but the meeting minutes need to be prepared and submitted with the application tomorrow got okay good luck thank you thank you mayor I I would like to strongly suggest that we have um with they're flashing lights um signage about Playgrounds signage about Crossing it has been something I've been talking about now for several years um not you know not just on the day but as a resident who lives there there is a safety concern and there's also a walkway safety concerns in that area so I'd like us to look into that thank you I have another suggestion too if if you can gather you know a number of the residents in the area they may get more action than we will if they write to the Department of Transportation we can certainly give them the address to the appropriate individuals um because we're still waiting for the for the uh the crosswalk on 8th Avenue which is over a year away and you know and so I think I think if if more of the public along with the burrow you know makes that it it might gain a little more attention yeah please let me know who who it is that we can write to or who it is that we can Advocate to I mean I know that we've had several emails from Folks at the belmare Housing Authority building um who are just waiting you know for another catastrophe to happen um they've been promised this crosswalk and the fact that uh you know ngot has has yet to provide it is truly upsetting okay any other comments public okay can I can I ask a quick question sure I'm not famili with this uh hold the microphone um make funds available for recreation um I'm just wondering uh there was an article about these pickle ball courts in the Asbury press and how U they've gotten very popular U and in fact U I'm just wondering are we going to be one of 580 or 65 municipalities requesting uh uh you know funds to construct pickle B qus uh is any consideration for is there any uh can you do environmental enhancements uh in I'm not saying in lul of recreation but in addition to Recreation um we have a piece of property here that faces I should say buts you know about onethird of the area of Belmar is sub aquous we the burrow actually you know takes in quite a bit of Shark River Bay and uh at one time there was a group formed in in actually in L County of of municipalities that surround the sharp River BAS Basin uh to enhance the entire uh Environ you know what do we call as enhancement program U how about things like U for instance U not far from here there's nesting B of eagles just up the road if you put Belmar Boulevard uh to the Evans area uh nesting B Eagles located there and of course they do for in Belmar I've had a couple times during the summer both osre and bu Eagles K on Tower how about can you request money with these green anchor programs for environmental enhancements that perhaps could be done with the property for instance um that almost appears to be to me to be ideal location for a nesting platform for Raptors U there to be be consider those sort of requests under this green a program in other words can the money and money be is money available for improving the environment of of the property itself so there are um there green anchorville share in property acquisition um there's also uh in the in this round of funding there's um there's a program that is is entitled stewardship which to me means in interpret by my interpretation would be um tending to or caring for a property in question it wasn't considered as part of this uh round of funding but it's certainly something that we could look towards future funding we even look for funding outside of the Green Acres Program I know groups like thean loral Society um do participate in those types of uh efforts if you will so there are different pockets of money I think stewardship could fit what you're talking about um not necessarily for this because it's a develop par but if there were other areas that the burrow would want to improve or or enhance to preserve the environment or to promote some uh species or habitat that's something we look into okay good I was just trying to think of something that I'm sure there's a lot of competition for this especially after reading the popularity of pickle ball courts actually throughout the state of New Jersey uh I was just trying to think of is there something that makes our proposal or request unique or would perhaps separate us from the rest of the crowd agre I I I would T to put nesting poles here for you know for Raptors only because I'm not sure how well they would do um here at this location and with the interaction with with people they generally want more quiet areas um but they really like telephone pools to be honest with you yeah absolutely and let's face it the burrow property goes all the way out to Belmar Boulevard all the way around that uh that curve in the highway there uh unfortunately uh that this was all constructed when group 35 and the hybridge was built and and this was just Hill area this is manmade land actually if you look at the property line uh actually some of this construction actually goes beyond what the bur owns uh but I don't think we have any competition out there likewise U by way I did see swans uh today on uh way to get on the Belmar boulevar there the property goes all the way yeah okay okay guess we can move on or do we have to do anything official at this point um no then we just got to do the two resolutions approving the applications uh so first resolution is authorizing an application to the state of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program for fiscal year 2024 Park development Grant do we have a motion to approve motion second councilman Donovan yes Council Kenny yes mayor bu fesco yes councilwoman rero yes and then the next resolution is authorizing an application to the state of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for Green Acres Program for fiscal year 20124 Jake La Grant make motion second Council McAn yes Council mckenny yes mayor bco yes Council Rondo yes okay and so next we'll go to public session on any other items please step up mate your name and address this this Open Session yes okay all right Tru romin South Lake Drive I know I have a you putting me on the five minute clock there I'm not it that's I'm just kidding that just yes I am okay well I'm usually very efficient tell me9 okay I'm wasting my time all right um just a couple quick questions this fall we had last fall we had a very bad rain event in October we discussed it at that time we I had requested that perhaps there be a postmortem of what happened uh in the areas that got very flooded and we were going to look at you know what kind of opportunity there is at the lake to drop the lake how much we can drop the lake uh what's happening on the adjacent areas and streets has any of that been done is there any output on that yet or I believe will I believe uh Mr Kane had met with uh Mr mustow after that to discuss what we were doing with the lake um if you want to just tell us yeah once uh once we get into the winter months uh we dropped the lake to the lowest ability possible so the gates open all the way um um unfortunately the lake could only lower when the Tide's going out on low tide it goes all the way down a street to the inlet so once once tide comes up the lake stops draining so if the lake is high you know it does take a couple TI Cycles to lower it but uh once we get into the the winter season it's it's usually down to the max so the um thank you for that Billy um so that's new information but good information so because of where the drain empties into the uh into sh River there if it's below the tide surface it won't drain right it's an interesting fact and and somewhat problematic but incorporating that into our thinking is pretty important that definitely should have been something that might have been thought about that at that time but well I'm sure from the lake all the way to the inlet it requires a certain amount of P pitch of course yeah you have all these things but maybe a pumping station or something else anyway something to be considered in the future uh but that's great information and I was also just I think to the point of why that area is flooding and how that Silver Lake is affecting that and the amount of rain total and how much drains into the lake so we can make predictions on that but is it also the case that there's a certain level that the lake can only drain down to because of where that outlet is yes okay all right so that's another consideration okay that'd be a great great for uh maybe the environmental commission or anybody who's looking at the infrastructural question should maybe think about but thank you that that's really helpful um just a couple other quick things um I noticed that there are still algae signs all around the lake from this summer and um I don't think we have alergy anymore I sure hope not uh but it seems like it might be a good practice to pull things down after the issue has occurred because people will get desensitized to when it's actually happening so just a heads up the only question I have is do we need to the DP know that this is happening or do they um are they just going to assume that we're taking them down at a certain point is there any way we can check on that well I had the same FL myself it's like they never gave us a time frame or a followup to when they come down right find out we'll find yeah yeah cuz they're starting to C and you know I think the most important thing is people get desensitized to warnings would think yeah anyway the point is made um and thank you and then last but not least I know the seafood festival will be coming up shortly we are all so excited about that as you can imagine around the lake uh but I I think um in all seriousness my my question is a little bit more about uh last year I know mayor you had mentioned some figures that came out uh after that was assessed you know the financials don't know if they're posted and if they are if you could point me to those if not if there's an opportunity to have the public review those so we understand that impact that'd be great I'm not sure if they're on the April they're not on our no okay yeah we can look it for that that's not a problem just be great thank you appreciate that um and last but not least um I know that a couple years ago there was an assessment of sewer and other prioritization in the town I I understand that another assessment is being made I I know if it's on top of that or it's a new but uh do we know when we're going to start to get feedback on the sewer and infrastructure review and when the public can understand that and maybe start to understand the prioritization of that yeah we we've met at least on two occasions uh to to to um to work on that and I think we're to the point where we can um we're going to soon be able to prioritize what what items will be will be attacked first yeah I'm I'm trying to look around you at Jim we we've uh we've had multi multiple meetings on that and and our Engineers have taken a look at the entire infrastructure and prioritized and we're at that point uh Jim maybe you can elaborate a little bit on that Jim certainly so the first part of your question was were we utilizing information that was already prepared and the answer is yes so we're taking that information and then we're adding uh some overlaying if you will some of the additional information with regards to where we have grant funding where we know we have the worst infiltration issues where we have lead service lines that need to be replaced so some of the new information that we're dovetailing into um to the old priority list um and that is being refined um it probably will be ready and draft for administration within the next two weeks um and that dve tells into the budget process so that the governing body can look at how to budget for this year and then years beyond that so uh it's in the works uh and we're building on the information that was previously cataloged and and overlaying additional new needs in in the overall program okay so thank yeah just just to elaborate on it it's the same approach we took with the marina come up come up with a longterm plan and then put it into a multi-year program okay well that's that's encouraging and I would just ask perhaps that the public can understand the the set of um variables that went into the assessment and I think mayor I watched you before you were mayor and from a transparency perspective I I think in local settings sometimes we want to make sure that pet projects aren't the driver I don't think that's the case but I think it's helpful for there's nothing there's nothing pet about the well I know it's a big about the water I know well I I think that's the case but I I I I'm I'm sure it's the case but I think my my issue is that unless we understand how it's being assessed and then there are a lot of other factors that are going into public the public will know as much as we will yeah at that point okay they'll they should understand completely how we we got to to the priorities that we that we yeah that'll be the goal everybody will be it'll be out front and everyone will see what basically the plan is not for just for this year but but for future years okay thank you the last thing I would say to you sir although I know suppos oh I buzzed about two minutes ago so but you have to see me back the other statements so um I the time that was taken by others but I would just lastly say that we've seen a lot of suwage infiltration going into some of the hom okay that look forward to that being Incorporated in the thought a thank you well aware of that thank you appreciate anyone else can I have motion to close the public session and adjourn motion second all in favor