By JF Grodeska
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – The Harbor Commission held its monthly meeting March 7 at Borough Hall. During the session, commissioner James Krauss provided a report on recreational fishing, which he explained is “extremely important to our head boats, our charter boats, and a huge percentage of our power boats.” Head boats generally take larger numbers of guests out to fish at one time while charter boats are usually contracted by smaller private parties.
While striped bass regulations remain the same, allowing anglers to keep fish be- tween 24 and 28 inches, new fluke regulations require a 28% reduction in recreational harvest. That reduction, in addition to other regulations for a variety of fish, led Krause to conclude that “it may be a tough year, particularly for the people who are trying to earn a living on their head boats and their charter boats this season.”
In better news, commissioner Michael Curry reviewed the harbor financials and explained that, while harbor revenues appeared down year-to-date by 7%, this deficit was a matter of timing as rent payments had not been received when the financial report was written. With the inclusion of rent revenue, the harbor is on pace to hit financial goals.
Krauss also reported that harbor moorings and dock slip lease renewals are nearly at full capacity for the 2024 season.
“We have waiting lists on the slips,” said harbor manager Louis Fligor. The Atlantic Highlands Harbor is one of the few area marinas with easy ocean access.
In other harbor news, the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club is moving forward with engineering tests of a support structure for its proposed deck on the roof of the Shore Casino.
Fligor also reported on repairs to the senior center’s roof, necessary maintenance on pier decking and electrical services.
The Atlantic Highlands Environmental Commission named Larry Goldberg Harbor Steward for 2024.
Borough council member Alyson Forbes gave the Clean Marina Report. The next Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon April 13 at First Avenue Beach. Volunteers will meet at the harbor parking lot, 5 First Ave. Volunteers can register to participate at cleanoceanaction.org.
The Harbor Special Events Committee is currently working with the borough recreation department and the borough council to create a set of procedures for using harbor facilities. This will ensure the departments’ procedures complement one another and create a more efficient process.
Upcoming events include a sunrise Easter worship service from 6 to 8 a.m. Sunday, March 31, at the Harbor Gazebo offered by Central Baptist Church in a joint service of the Area Association of Community Churches.
The Lucky Dog Surf School in Sea Bright will hold a skateboard clinic at the Atlantic Highlands Harbor Skate Park during the weeks of June 24 and July 22.
Planning Board Updates the Outdated
Applicants commonly approach the planning board for a hearing without the necessary documentation or case studies required to proceed. This causes the board to delay the meeting while the applicant commissions the proper professionals to create the required reports. Eventually, the project is added back into the planning board schedule, creating an unnecessary backlog.
At its most recent meeting, the planning board unveiled its efforts to amend the Borough Development Plan Checklist so it complements the borough’s Master Plan.
The 12-page amended checklist contains several requirements that will assist developers and the board alike in streamlining the processing of applications.
“This is essentially codifying… requirements,” explained council member Brian Dougherty.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the amended checklist, which can be viewed online at ahnj.com; the borough council will vote on Ordinance 07-2024 to formally amend the checklist at its meeting March 14.
These changes to the Development Plan Checklist are the beginning of the Atlantic Highlands Planning Board’s herculean task of reviewing outdated building ordinances and requirements that compete with Atlantic Highlands’ current Master Plan.
The article originally appeared in the March 14 –March 20, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
