In June 2024, the CMA approved hanging this banner on the OG boards. This group is not related to the CMA, so how did they get approval, but we could not? CMA owes us an explanation for their biased decision. And maybe Neptune should look at this “public thoroughfare” decision on the boards.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net. Sponsor of the Town-Wide Yard Sale.
Normally there are no such banners on the boards, but this seemed to be a precedent. We asked the CMA to allow a similar sized banner regarding the forthcoming Town-Wide Yard Sale (2024). The President refused without any explanation.
According to the current Neptune Zoning Official Kristie Dickert, “That’s OK for the boardwalk because the CMA is a business and BF is not.” She told me that today. (4/29/25) when I showed her that 2024 photo.
She also said that our 2025 Yard-Sale banner could not be hung from our porch because of Neptune ordinances. What about our “freedom of speech?” She ignored that question. Evidently the US Constitution is not on her radar screen.
So why is the CMA classified as a business regarding this matter, when FEMA said that the boardwalk is a “public thoroughfare?” And how can the CMA be a “business” when their own definitions do not describe themselves that way? Can a church be described as a “business?”
And why is the “business” designation a positive determining factor regarding signage, but the public welfare is not?
Which is it? Is the boardwalk a public thoroughfare which should be treated as such, or is it a business? Blogfinger is not a business, and our banner is a public information announcement.
The Neptune ordinances regarding signage has all sorts of exceptions including real estate signs and CMA signs. Maybe Ms. Dickert should revisit these questions.
And last year I was told that our yard sailors could attach a flier on their porch. That was done then without any concerns. And the “Art on the Porch” distributed fliers attached to metal yard frames stuck in the ground in front yards all over town, and that was OK.
So if you OG residents run into any complaints about signage better get a lawyer or hope that no one reports you and places you in the clutches of Neptune signage regulators.
And how about these public signs which were allowed in the past? Why shut out “We-The People” who want to have some yard sales?
MICKEY AND SYLVIA:
Nameless: Your analysis is nonsense. Neither of those two events, Yard Sales and Arts on the Porch cause parking problems in June.
If that Foundation banner was given permission to be shown, then so should our banner for the Town-Wide Yard sale.
The CMA was inconsistent in this matter, showing favoritism to the Foundation. Once the CMA did what they did, a precedent was established.
No justifications on your part are applicable. The CMA did not offer us any excuses for their rejection. We were irrelevant while your group was recognized.
There’s a significant difference between the Yard sale and the OGBF golf outing. ALL profits raised by the Ocean Grove Beach Foundation events, such as the golf or bowling events, are used exclusively to help and/or improve things for the OG Lifeguards, beach safety and/or the beach.
We are not part of the CMA. And unlike the Yard Sale and/or Art on the Porch events, we do not cause any parking issues nor do we generate monies for your individual event participants. Our events are held after hours or at locations outside of the Grove.