Beach Access - Some Towns Just Don't Get It

There was an NJ Legislative Hearing on beach access earlier this month. I was denied access to the microphone, but had I spoken, the Senators and Assembly Members would have heard this: Some towns completely disregard the State's beach access rules, despite the fact that the State strengthened and clarified their rules earlier this year.

Thirty years ago, a court case called Borough of Neptune vs Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea found that towns can not charge different fees for residents and non-residents. Yet 30 years later, Brick Township continues this practice. Oddly, the state's own beach access website lists the different fees for residents and non-residents. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/cmp/access/paoceanbrick.htm 

Up the road a bit in Mantoloking, the town's website stresses that the town provides no services, no lifeguards, no nothing.  Furthermore, beachfront owners actally do own the beach and visitors therefore need to stay below the mean high tide line.  That's fine, but please tell me what the $12 beach fee is for?   The state's rules say below the mean high tide line is the Public Trust area where town's CAN'T charge you to be there.  See the towns own website.  http://www.mantoloking.org/beach08.pdf I won't even get into the Apartheid-like system of different colored badges. 

The information is so simply available, it is amazing to me that the state doesn't just look around for the violations in their own rules.  They are right there for all to see.