Brick Beach Reopening Target May 1

Brick officials are sticking to a plan where Ocean Beach I will be the first of the township's public beaches to reopen following Superstorm Sandy.

Business Administrator Scott Pezarras said this week that ultimately, the beach reopening decision will fall under the purview of Police Chief Nils R. Bergquist, as the beach closure is part of the overall state of emergency that remains in effect for the township's barrier island section.

The same state of emergency order contains the language that continues to impose a reduced speed limit and nighttime curfew in that section of town.

The current goal for reopening Beach I is May 1, however the date is not set in stone, said Pezarras. The remaining beaches, including Beach III - the township's primary public beach - will reopen after that, with a goal of June since that is when most people begin to go swimming, said Pezarras.

The township council voted Tuesday to go out to bid on projects which will include the replacement of the Beach I boardwalk and shower platform, as well as parking lot repairs.

The repairs will be at least partially funded by AshBritt Inc. and Bil-Jim Construction, since their heavy equipment damaged the lots in the wake of the storm. The township's portion of the repairs will be subject to a 75 percent FEMA reimbursement, Pezarras said.

There will also be a change to the parking policy at the ocean beaches: the township will go back to using hang tags rather than bumper stickers for seasonal parking passes. Seasonal passes will be sold for $30 and daily passes will be sold by an attendant for $5.

Stickers will be required until 4 p.m. this year.

"There's no mechanism for paying after 4 o'clock, so it's free," said Councilman John Ducey.

Pezarras said the township's automated parking meter machines were destroyed during the storm.

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis has said parking may be limited at Beach 3 this season as the state has requested the township continue to allow its use as a debris management site. The township will consider running free buses from Traders Cove Marina to the beach in that case, he said.