Friday, August 5, 2016. On the New Jersey Ave. bridge across the Wesley Detention/retention basin, a couple walks into Ocean Grove from Asbury Park. Paul Goldfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
A friend who lives near the New Jersey Avenue bridge to sin city observed recently that he often sees individuals with suitcases walking across the bridge from Ocean Grove to Asbury Park. He is convinced that most of those people have heard that they can visit A. Park for the weekend, for free, by parking in Ocean Grove and then walking across to their destination. He is undoubtedly correct as other Grovers from that neighborhood can attest. This phenomenon is getting worse and putting pressure on the Grovarian parking situation.
Of course, there are exceptions, where the reverse seems to be true, as seen in the photo above, taken last Friday. But this example is not an exact reverse, because this couple probably arrived by train and they did not likely park in Asbury. There is not likely anyone who would be staying in OG who would purposely want to park in AP.
We were in Asbury Park this past Sunday, late in the afternoon, around 6 pm. The parking was seriously bad, but, even worse, the traffic was hazardous due to the pedestrian crowding all over, with people and cars dodging each other in multiple directions. That city has so much going on that it is unsafe to even walk or bike over there. On the other hand, OG this past Sunday was also crammed full of cars.
That is why the new Parking Task Force is wasting its time without more parking space, such as with a bus service at critical times that would allow parking outside our gates As a homeowner, the only thing that can be done to make our lives better when things get tight would be one parking sticker per house as a gesture to the tax payers in town.
Will this Neptune Township Task Force make that happen? Will our two “at large” members be forceful for our needs? Who chose them, and what is their mandate as representatives of the homeowner class? Will they get smoke in their eyes as has happened to the Home Groaners Ass.?
NIKI LONEY:
Please don’t neglect parking issues near Fletcher Lake where people drive SUV’s and park in Ocean Grove and take their bikes from SUV and ride to Bradley Beach. Many Bradley Beach visitors especially on Sunday mornings park on this side of Ocean Grove.
By my “block,” I meant Ocean Grove. My expectation was never that I park right in front of my house, but it would be nice to be closer than Jersey Shore Medical Center, which is where my car will be since I work this weekend. I am open to the idea of a resident sticker but am not convinced it will solve the parking problem. There are just too many cars.
Unfortunately, OG has become a destination for tourists and people looking for “cheap” houses that they can turn into seasonal rentals. On the site VRBO alone, there are 67 seasonal rentals with more coming every day.
A number of individuals with driveways use them as patios, park on the street, and block their cutouts as well.
Confused: You are getting ahead of things. The Parking People (i.e. from the Parking planet, nearby to the planet Neptune) will presumably be tackling your question and many others. And where will the task force Parking People park their flying saucers?
The question is: How will a sticker get you a spot near your house if there are hotels on your street with 10-15 rentals that need spaces for their guests? Also, what will apartment renters do if they live year round in a permanent house?
Shelley: This is what you said on August 9: ” ….my car didn’t return to my block until I came home from work on Monday night.”
Then Dave accused you of thinking that you were “better than the rest of us.”
Then you said, “I don’t need a space in front of my house…..It would be nice to be able to park within the town limits.”
So it seemed like Dave intimidated you into lowering your expectations. But you have said that you were not intimidated, so please tell us exactly what you would like in terms of a homeowner’s sticker. Thanks, Paul
The Twp. Is organizing the task force on parking. For the names, check with the Clerk’s office.
Did I miss something? Is there a parking task force? Who is on it? Please don’t tell me bishop?
I am neither jealous nor intimidated – just not so thrilled with the “new” Ocean Grove.
Angry: I have been an observer of OG demographics for years, and there is absolutely no doubt that the parking and crowding situation has gotten progressively worse in season. And, as I noted yesterday, it is also true in other Shore towns such as A. Park. But in OG the situation is especially tight and more uncomfortable due to our geography and popularity.
Something should be done for the residents instead of always favoring merchants,tourists, realtors, CMA and developers.
And as noted by me today, there is nothing wrong with desiring a parking sticker so that your can park in front of your house when the situation gets unhappy. Don’t let anyone intimidate you by accusing you of “feeling superior.” That is a cheap shot and unworthy of dialogue in our town.
I detect a lot of jealousy here! Kudos to the smart ones who found a way to live on their street.
Settled In: I was born in Ocean Grove as were my parents and have lived here the majority of my life so I am well aware of the parking situation. But I can tell you that while tough, parking has never been as difficult as in the past three years.
I do not need a space in front of my house. However it would be nice to be able to park within the town limits when I come home from work at night on the weekends, instead of leaving my car at the hospital and taking a cab.
Settled in: Exactly right. They bought the house. They knew the situation. But wait, I am better than the rest. I will block off a space for myself….
Observer: You bought that property WITHOUT a driveway, knowing fully well the situation. You have street parking only and you do not own the street. And yes, if you really think you couldn’t possibly park a few blocks away from time to time during peak season, then YES, you feel like you are better than the rest of us. Me first attitude. Not cool….
Wasn’t it recently posted on your blog that the town advised in a newspaper article – that they would make parking changes within the next couple of weeks. It’s been over the two weeks. Do you know what they came up with ?
Editor’s note: There was talk of a ban on dumpsters on OG streets on summer weekends, but I don’t know if that was approved. The last published Committee minutes are dated June 26. We were skeptical that quick solutions could be feasible.
Angry Grover: When you moved to the Grove you should have noticed the problem and made a decision that you could live with. A resident sticker will not fix the problem you described; you would not be guaranteed a space near your home— too many residents, not enough spaces.
The parking committee and discussion of a paid consultant is ludicrous. This past weekend I watched six cars each containing one woman arrive at the small two bedroom summer rental across from me. When I left for work at 7AM, on Friday, a woman came out of the house and immediately moved her car which was a half block away into my space.
Needless to say my car didn’t return to my block until I came home from work on Monday night. Limited resident parking (stickers) is unfortunately the only solution and one that if it happens will probably not be enforced.
Perhaps “Dave” would like to try living on Main Avenue and see if he can come up with a creative way to park near his home in the summer (other than legally registered motorbikes). He is welcome to purchase a motor scooter also to enable him to park near his home.
I doubt it has anything to do with those people “thinking they are better than the rest.”
Has anyone noticed you can park at the Asbury Park train station for free?
As of yesterday morning, there were FIVE motorized bikes on Main Avenue, between Ocean and Beach Avenues that were holding spots for their owners cars. FIVE. They take their car out, then wheel the cycle into the space to save it. When they return, they wheel the cycle out of the space they saved, and park their car back into it. Maybe Ocean Grove should set up a designated motorized cycle parking area, to stop this nonsense of these people thinking they are better than the rest of us….