Environmentalists Optimistic About Open Space In Asbury Park

The property on the North End of Asbury Park's beach is part of the redevelopment plan and was slated for townhomes. Earlier this year three of the five Monmouth County Freeholders came out in favor of an oceanfront park on the property.

"It's a very big fishing spot so there's lots of striped bass, there's surfers, there's beachgoers, the dog beach in Asbury Park so tons of people use it," says Joe Woerner, Chair of the Jersey Shore Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

Asbury Park owns the land and iStar Financial has the development rights. The developer has said that it's willing to negotiate with potential partners looking to obtain the land.

"If you have a County park down there, all of the other areas that are around there, all the property values are going to go up and it's going to increase revenue more than residential development," says Woerner.

The Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners recently agreed to fund an appraisal of the property.