Borough of Point Pleasant Beach May 1, 2007
Tourism has always been an integral part of the Point Pleasant Beach community. The other important industry has been fishing. It is with these factors in mind that the borough has applied for and received a Neighborhood Preservation Grant and a Smart Growth Streetscape Grant. We have also applied for a second Smart Growth Streetscape Grant. The Streetscape Grants are examining the issues of bringing more traffic down the Broadway/Channel Drive corridors as well as examining dealing with the parking plight of the summer months. In addition, the borough would like to find means to create more of a year round tourism business to Point Beach.
For the Streetscape Grants, members of the Town Council have been meeting with T and M Associates, as well as with the Stakeholders involved in the area of the streetscape plan and have held a pubic meeting with all the residents who live in the Broadway/Ocean Avenue/Channel Drive areas.
For the NPP Grant, there was a public meeting held in February and all the members of the public who expressed interest in being on the planning committee for the grant were interviewed. The NPP Planning Committee members were selected and the Committee was established through resolution at the Town Council Meeting on May 1, 2007.
In order to meet the requirements of the NPP Grant, the Planning Committee has to develop a five year strategic plan as well as a one year plan. Once the plans have been developed, a public meeting needs to be held, the Town Council has to approve both the five year and the one year plans. After the Town Council has approved the plans, they must be submitted to the state for approval by the Department of Consumer Affairs. It is at that point that the borough can begin to utilize the NPP grant funds.
It is during the planning process that both residential and commercial properties in the NPP area will be evaluated by the NPP coordinator and individual residents will be surveyed. The surveys for the grant are designed by a team at Rutgers University and completion of all the survey materials is a requirement to obtain the grant proceeds.
This is where we are now. Any comments and/or feedback/suggestions are welcome. You can direct them to Sharon Brenner Cadalzo, NPP Coordinator, 732-892-1118 x232 or npp@pointbeach.org. Feel free to contact any of the Committee members and bring your concerns to them as well.
