BAYSHORE REGIONAL WATERSHED COUNCIL

MINUTES

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Keyport Borough Hall

7:30pm – 9:30pm

Attendance:

Lou Andreuzzi (Union Beach)

Christine Balint (Aberdeen)

Marie Biro (Matawan)

John Coffey (Hazlet Mobile Homes)

Valerie Craig (Middletown)

John Curran (HAQLA/Hazlet)

Annie Eng (Hazlet Township)

Fran Donnelly (Hazlet)

Ann Klepner (Cliffwood Beach/Old Bridge)

Michael Lane (Keyport)

Joe Martin (Middletown Township)

Bill McFarland (Holmdel Township)

Joe Pobego (Hazlet Township)

Joe Sheridan & son (Keyport)

Joe Reynolds (Atlantic Highlands)

Paul Rinear (Aberdeen Township)

Ann Waters (Monmouth County Planning Board)

Anna Will (Clean Ocean Action)

AGENDA

1)     NY-NJ HEP Water Access Grant for Cliffwood Beach

Joe Reynolds reported that he submitted the grant application on July 12^th to NY-NJ HEP for $200.00 to help defer costs for our “Spend a Day in May Along Raritan Bay” water access event, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2008, and to take place from 12-4pm. Proposed activities include: a) seining, b) fish printing, c) shell gathering and painting d) kite flying, e) guided nature walks, and f) the creation of a 10’ long by 4’ wide mural with the theme of a “Living Bay” that will be colored in by the public to showcase the diversity of local bay wildlife. A funding decision by NY-NJ HEP should be received sometime in the fall.

Paul Rinear reported that Aberdeen Shade Tree and Environmental Committee have given their approval to be co-sponsor of the event.

2)     Bayshore Regional Dredged Material Mgmt. Plan

Joe Reynolds reported that the DMMP sub-committee had a meeting on Wednesday, July 18^th, at 5pm at Clean Ocean Action headquarters on Sandy Hook. The forum was discussed as well as an outline of the DMMP. Another meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, September 19^th at 5pm inside COA headquarters. Also, another DMMP public forum is tentatively scheduled for late autumn in Atlantic Highlands.

3)     Fish Kills & Dirty Water in Bay/Atlantic Highlands Clean Marina

Joe Reynolds reported that the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council has not passed the latest version of the Clean Marina ordinance due to the on-going debate of what to do with fish waste from recreational anglers. Presently, much of the fish waste is deposited in harbor waters.

Joe Martin reported that he observed recently many commercial fishing party boats using bleach to clean the outside of their boats. Much of the waste was being deposited directly into bay waters to create a sudsy or foamy layer on top of the water.  

On Thursday, August 9^th, another dead fish event occurred in local bay waters. The latest episode took place soon after the heavy storm event that flooded streets and subway tunnels in New York City. Many dead Menhaden, Blue Fish, Horseshoe Crabs, and Blue-claw Crabs were found floating in the Atlantic Highlands Harbor. In addition, there was much street trash floating on the water, including scores of cigarette butts and plastic bottles. NJDEP was notified.

Paul Boyd reported by email that earlier in the day on August 9^th, Monmouth County Health Department was called in due to very black water that was located near the Atlantic Highlands Harbor. The black water was due to an algae bloom.     

4)     Waackaack Creek Watershed Restoration

Bill McFarland reported that discussions are still going on among interested people in the county and various local officials in hopes of starting a restoration plan for mitigating flooding issues along Waackaack Creek that would involve all municipalities in the sub-watershed region: Holmdel, Hazlet, and Keansburg.

5)     Bayshore Region Pump-Out Boat Status

Bill McFarland reported that the Pump-out Boat committee did not meet on Thursday, August 9^th with the Monmouth County Freeholders. At the last minute, a message was sent from Freehold to wait until the Pay-to-play issue was resolved. It was also decided that the Pump-out Boat committee would meet first with county Board of Health officials to see if a line item could be put within their 2008 budget for the creation of pump-out boat for the Bayshore region.

A new brochure was distributed that outlined the need for a pumpout boat in Raritan Bay and the funding program in place to start it.

6)     Bayshore Regional Implementation Collaborative Update

On Wednesday, June 20^th, a meeting was held to update stakeholders on affordable housing issues. The meeting took place at 6:30pm inside the Cullan Center in Hazlet Township. In addition to affordable housing issues, it was mentioned that there might be a “welcome center” created for the Bayshore region at the vacant Valley National Bank building in Keyport, along Highway 36. It has since come to the attention of several HAQLA members that this is not going to take place.  

7) Open Space & the Preservation of Eight Endangered Areas

A) Cliffwood Beach

On Wednesday, July 25, a Zoning Board meeting took place in Aberdeen Township to determine the fate of the property located on Beach Drive. In attendance from the watershed council were Joe Reynolds, Fran Donnelly, Eric Johnson and his wife, and Tony Washington. Eric & Tony presented a good argument about the need for CAFRA permits and that the proposed development site was located on two properties, not one. This argument won over the zoning board attorney and it was decided that the case should go in front the Planning Board in the autumn.

b) Keyport

Mike Lane brought council members up-to-date on the latest threat to open space in the Bayshore. The NJ State Office of Smart Growth has a want within the proposed NJ State Plan to classify the entire Bayshore region as urban, similar to Jersey City, New Brunswick, and Trenton. This distinction would open the door for increased development. For instance, near Browns Point Marina in Keyport, the current designation is a PA5 area for the site at the mouth of Matawan Creek. Both sides of Matawan Creek are undeveloped with large wetland and PA5 environmentally sensitive areas at its entrance to Raritan Bay. The proposed enlarged PA1 areas are designed to support a high-density condo project, small marina operation and walkway. This threat would be high all wetlands along the Bayshore region, especially to those wetland areas that were once developed or are near a brownfield. If approved, it would have ripple effects to other coastal communities in the Bayshore region.

Council members are reminded that if there are items in your town's Master Plan & Cross Acceptance Report that you do not agree with or want changes/amendments such as reconsideration of designated areas labeled hubs, villages, centers, main corridors, etc now is the time to duly record your concerns and document your comments during the State Plan Cross-Acceptance hearing for Monmouth County

WHEN:           Tuesday, August 21, 2007

TIME:             6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE:         Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive,  Manalapan, New Jersey 07726

For more information check out these websites:

http://www.co.monmouth.nj.us/03230planboard/crossacc.htm

http://www.co.monmouth.nj.us/03230planboard/CrossAcceptance2004/Cross%20Acceptan

ce%20Main%20Page.htm

c) Flooding and the need for updated Flood Maps

An on-going debate took place among council members about poorly planned development and increased flooding within the Bayshore region. Every municipality in the Bayshore region has at least one area that suffers greatly from flooding during storm events. Council members agreed that there is a need to limit new growth within floodplain areas and to educate people about flood prone areas within their communities. There is a need to get federal FEMA flood maps updated & out in the public domain.   

8) Osprey Platform Grant

Joe Martin provided council members with an update of the Pews Creek Osprey Platform nest. This nest site has been the most successful out of the new platforms installed in Middletown, Hazlet, Aberdeen, and Cheesequake last spring. The Pews Creek Osprey pair gave birth and raised most likely two young. 

9) Flat Creek NJDEP Project Grant Status

Joe Reynolds stated that after careful review of the scope and requirements of the NJDEP Action Now grant for Flat Creek, the opportunity is narrow and only allows for remaining grant funds, approximately $45,000, to focus on the ecological health (i.e., water quality) of the Flat Creek watershed region upstream from the Ambient Biological Monitoring (AMNET) Station AN0459, located near Middle Road in Hazlet Township by assessing the benthic macroinvertebrate community at the station. The goal of this grant, as directed by NJDEP, is to improve the benthic macroinvertebrate community at the monitoring station through improving water quality within the grant project area by raising the monitoring station’s macroinvertebrate impairment score by three points at Middle Road from its present score of zero.

As for dredging a small portion of Flat Creek near Bethany Road, before dredging can be done, permits must be applied for and approved by several federal and state government agencies, such as the Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish & Wildlife, and NJDEP. Approval is granted based upon the method and procedures for removal and the impact that the dredging operation will have on aquatic life and other nearby wildlife. In addition, we would need to develop a method to confine the dredged material, which is expensive in its own right. The total cost of dredging a portion of Flat Creek, including the acquisition of permits, is way beyond the disbursement of our grant funds and the time and energy that this all-volunteer organization can do. Moreover, this grant must be concluded by May 2008 or all grant funds would be forfeited. Regrettably, grant funds cannot be directly devoted to this significant flood issue.

The BRWC will help in any way we can to improve the quality of life for the residents of the Garden Park Mobile Home community. The BRWC will work with the residents of community to gather support from various county, state, and federal government organizations to help investigate long-term solutions. 

On Monday, August 20^th, at 10:30am, Joe Reynolds and other watershed council members will meet with Edward P. Carroll, Property Manager of Garden Park Associates, to examine the site and past flood damage.

10) Reports from Bayshore Communities

a) Joe Sheridan provided to council members an update on the renovation of the public waterfront area between Beers and Broad streets in Keyport.

b) Joe Reynolds reported that he recently attended an Environmental Partnership meeting of local environmental commissioners within the Two River region. He was disappointed that the organization does not allow public comment or public participation during their meetings, even though each member is a government official.

c) In the latest newsletter from US Rep. Frank Pallone, it stated that he introduced federal legislation known as the Beach Protection Act that would require new beach water quality testing and public notification standards within two hours or less.

d) The NY-NJ BayKeeper is having their annual clambake fundraiser on September 9^th at Sandy Hook. For more information, contact the BayKeeper office at 732-888-9870.

e) To look at by council members, was a manual for water quality volunteers entitled: “New England Freshwater Wetlands Invertebrate Biomonitoring Protocol, published by UMASS Extension, Department of Natural Resources Conservation.    

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