Back then the CMA controlled all parking in the Grove. If that parking mandate was not outrageous, then why not the new paradigm?
Parking in the Grove. Resident parking should come first. Everyone else can find a way. Blogfinger photograph. 2015.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfnger.net
Until 1980, the Camp Meeting Association ran the town and could command everyone to move their cars out of town on Sunday. But they are no longer in charge, and Ocean Grove is now similar to other Shore towns when it comes to parking, except that we have few garages and driveways.
There are a finite number of parking spaces in the Grove and a finite number of residents.
Those people who live in this town and who pay to live here—owners and renters—-should receive a special status which gives them top priority for parking spaces.
The Township should promise that residents will be guaranteed a parking space whenever they need one. This can be done by allocating special reserved spaces for them. All others who come into town including tourists, shoppers, church-goers, and beachers will have to compete for the remaining spaces.
Where is it written that parking is a democratic process? Favoritism for residents is essential to maintain life styles and functionality for those who make this town their home. They deserve that privilege, and everyone else is on their own.
Many ideas can be implemented to help those non-residents who want to visit here, and those ideas involve reducing the number of visitors with cars and adding order with metered parking.
Yes there would be some wrinkles to iron out, but this favoritism offers a foundation for solving the problem and a chance to reclaim the town for the home-boys and girls who favor a comfortable, family style, non-congested, historical, small town atmosphere with air, light, space, and parking.
Petition the town, wave a magic wand, and voila—our home values will go up and our town will be better.
BILLY JOEL ROYAL:
Charging stations are blooming all over the US, and competing auto brands are cooperating with each other. You can even use an adapter to plug in at your home or somebody else’s if you are traveling, but it will take quite awhile for the charge.
Just slightly on topic, but as the future of automobiles moves from internal combustion to electric or at least plug in hybrid, how are we going to be able to do that? I would love to have a Chevy Bolt, but I will never get a consistent parking spot where I can install a charger.
When you take federal or state money for tourism for things like rebuilding our boardwalk and beach replenishment on our beach (not to mention road paving and police and fire departments), you can’t then say “tourists not welcome,” or that parking is limited to residents only.
Deal tried it in 2015, and again this year when they tried to restrict parking near its replenished beaches to residents-only. It was shot down both times due to an agreement with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which did a $40 million beach widening program there.
Mantoloking tried it this year. They dropped it because part of the deal with the Corps is increased parking access. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/30/nyregion/sandy-of-all-things-has-helped-open-access-to-jersey-shore.html
OG has the same deal as the towns above, in addition to one with FEMA. Put aside the legal issues, anyone who has purchased/rented a home in OG knows there’s a beachfront, and beachfronts bring tourists. It’s not like you woke up one day and an ocean suddenly appeared on the East end.
Editor’s note: Long timer: Our proposal does not say “tourists not welcome” nor does it say “parking limited to residents only.” Please read it again before you spin the facts in the wrong direction and mislead our readers.
From the International Parking Institute: “Resident permit parking (RPP) is a well-established parking management tool throughout the United States.”
In Alexandria, they have a residential parking district. They say, “Only persons who maintain their residence within the boundaries of a permit parking district are eligible to obtain parking permits.”
From Camden, NJ: “In 1985, the City of Camden initiated the Residential Parking Program to preserve the parking privileges of Camden residents and their visitors during regular business hours.”
Bethany Beach: “We have about 700 spaces on our east/west streets which require either a resident or business parking permit available to town property and business owners.” That district is not at the beach front.
The Deal issue is about resident permits at the beach front limiting beach access to the public. An Ocean Grove plan could provide resident permits around town but not in proximity (? 2 blocks) of public beaches.
The topic of resident parking in New Jersey is not new. They have it in Clifton, North Bergen, Palisades Park, Asbury Park, Sea Bright, Lavallette and Fort Lee among other places.
You can’t reject it without looking into it. You may think it is a simple minded subject but it is far from that.
Having moved to OG in the 90’s I never experienced the no cars on Sunday in OG rule. However I would have loved to—-still would.
OG is a beautiful town—-Vvry olde fashioned and surreal. Must have looked even more so without cars parked all over the place . Just imagine . Still think that one day a year (off season of course) we should re-create that era in history of OG .
It would be a beautiful day & way of honoring our unique history .
Editor’s note: History day! A fine idea to go along with others that are for the people who live here: Illumination Night, People’s Garden tour, film festival for college students, town wide yard sale, a farmers market, arts in the park featuring OG artists, chamber music and jazz downtown, etc. etc.
Kevin Chambers once organized a poetry tribute at Auditorium Square Park; I think it was about Walt Whitman. A beautiful idea. All ideas that promote a sense of quality, culture and community. And we would attract tourists—riding bicycles into town and walking over from A. Park.
We do have some of that already. How about the musical shows every year at Days . We used to have bocci tournaments. We still have the lifeguard tournament, the Historical Society tours and museum, the Live Nativity, the children’s plays.
There already are things to build on. —PG