Story and Photo By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN — The public has until Thursday, March 31, to comment to the state Department of Environmental Protection on a plan to make various changes at the Claypit Creek section of Hartshorne Woods Park.
The Monmouth County Park System operates the park along Claypit Creek, which flows south into the Navesink River, just east of the Oceanic Bridge. The proposed work includes:
Public restrooms in an existing carriage house.
Replacing an unpaved parking lot off Locust Avenue and increasing parking from an estimated 25 or 30 spaces to 90 spaces. It will have a paved travel way, but the parking spots will be permeable stones.
An open-sided shelter, an estimated 60 feet by 40 feet.
A shoreline boardwalk for such activities as fishing, crabbing and viewing.
A dock to launch kayaks and canoes.
A pedestrian trail.
A permeable material patio with creek views.
A wildlife blind overlooking a freshwater pond.
Rebuild a spillway on the pond.
A three-bay storage facility, an estimated 50 feet by 30 feet.
Removal of a deteriorated bulkhead.
Remove invasive phragmites reed grass.
Create a saltmarsh to create wildlife habitat and protection against erosion.
The county says it needs DEP approvals for various permits under the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, waterfront development and work in freshwater wetlands.
The state has classified the area waters as Category One, meaning they are significant environmentally, recreationally, for fisheries or for drinking water. So, the state wants to protect them from major changes.
In a Park System memo to director James J. Truncer, parks landscape architect Joseph V. Sardonia says, “The proposed plan satisfies all of DEP’s requirements, while allowing and improving public access to a variety of natural features, habitats and trails. The proposed design protects the site, improves habitat and provides minimal user-support facilities.”
But a Facebook page, Claypit Creek Development, has raised concerns about such issues as changes to the property, renting out the area to groups and parking needs. Those concerned were not immediately reachable.
Anyone wishing to comment on the project can contact the DEP, Division of Land Use Regulation, Mail Code-501-2A, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ, 08625, Attention: Monmouth County/Middletown Township Bureau Chief.
The cost of the project has not been determined, Sardonia said.
He said some work could be done for free, either through volunteers or through a contractor to satisfy a DEP enforcement action. Also, according to Sardonia, work could be done as money becomes available.
If the permit process goes smoothly, the spillway could be repaired later this year, Sardonia said. Then, the rest could get going next year, Sardonia said.
“It’s been a longtime coming,” Sardonia said. “Once it was done, I think, people’ll be really happy with it. We’re trying to protect what we have.”
The county obtained the 44-acre Claypit Creek section – also known as the Fisher-Stern property – in June 2005, Sardonia said. He said the property is enticing because it is on the water and has easy access to the water.
Overall, Hartshorne Woods is 794 acres, Sardonia said.
