Ocean County Bluegrass Festival

34th Ocean County Bluegrass Festival: Sunday, Feb. 6 , 2011

 

      Noon:  High Strung

 

      12:30pm:  Heidi Olsen & The Night

        1:00pm:  Jim Murphy & The Pine Barons

        1:30pm:  Terminal Five

        2:00pm:  Jeff Propert

        2:30pm:  Intermission

        3:00pm:  Past Times

        3:30pm:  Borderline

        4:00pm:  Cindy Giejda & Friends

        4:30pm:  South Jersey Bluegrass Band

Albert Music Hall is:

"The No. 1 Thing to Do at the Jersey Shore" - Asbury Park Press

One of "52 Things Every New Jerseyan Must Do" - NJ Monthly

Albert Music Hall has been inducted in the American Folklore Center, Local Legacies Collection Archive at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

The Pinelands Cultural & Historical Preservation Society and Albert Music Hall are registered in the Moving Image Collections Directory, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Albert Music Hall is located at 131 Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532) Waretown, NJ

Karl Hess, Ocean County Real Estate

 

Adult Admission: $8.00/Children: $1.00. Doors open at 11:00am for this event!

Featuring...

Stafford Twp Education Foundation Fundraiser

On Saturday, February 26, 2011, the Stafford Township Education Foundation will be holding is fourth annual Celebrity Waiter Dinner and Dance to support its Innovative Educator Award Program and the Foundation's ongoing efforts to establish an endowment. Local "celebrities" are needed to volunteer to be the servers at this fun event.

This year, the event planning committee has elected to make a few changes to further elevate the party atmosphere and respond to the interests of past attendees - nearly 270 each year. As part of the planning, the event this year will be adopting A Greco-Roman Holiday theme allowing every attending adult to truly "let her or his hair down" while helping to raise much needed funding.

Delicious theme-inspired professionally catered food, a cash bar, dancing, and simple fundraising games led by the volunteer "Celebrity Waiters" from the area are just a few of the details that make this the annual event not to miss.

The Foundation's Annual Celebrity Waiter fundraising event is no simple dinner party, but an opportunity to be entertained and waited on by the most respected people from the community. Consider it this way, how would it feel to be waited on by your doctor or your child's principal or a local politician...Great fun!

The net proceeds from the event (admission fees, waiter tips, raffles and super prizes) allow the Foundation to encourage innovative teaching while also planning for a tomorrow, which could easily make realizing new educational concepts a thing of the past. So, you might say, the real theme of the event is doing good while having fun.

To further promote the inclusive community focus of the event, the 2011 event will be held at the Stafford Township Firehouse. With that said, the Board, staff and volunteers of the Stafford Township Education Foundation invite you to play a role in making our 2011 Celebrity Waiter Dinner and Dance the most successful to date!

Call (609) 489-8600, (609) 978-5700, extension 2000. The Stafford Township Education Foundation is a 501c3 not-for-profit arts and education community service organization dedicated to improving the overall quality of life in Stafford Township and southern Ocean County through opportunities in life-long learning, education, the arts and humanities for children and adults. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Saturday, February 26, 2011
Stafford Township Firehouse
Dinner, Dancing, Friend & Fund-raising

Karl Hess, Stafford Township Real Estate

 

LBI, Consolidate or Lose Funding

New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney says he is working on legislation that would pull state funding from municipalities that do not share services with neighboring towns.

Long Beach Island is 18 miles long, with six separate municipalities and local governments and five police departments and police chiefs. Long Beach Township is the largest police department and patrols 12 of the island's 18 miles.

As an example, if you eliminate four of those chiefs and you could see a savings of $170,000 per chief between salaries and benefits. You don't need five police chiefs. Just add some more officers and have one department cover the whole island.

On Long Beach Island, steps have already been made to share some police services. The Long Beach Township Police Department currently provides police dispatching services to the Ship Bottom, Beach Haven and Harvey Cedars departments, although Ship Bottom is considering moving its dispatching services to the mainland municipality of Stafford Township.

But according to Sweeney's plan, this is not enough - and he's calling on local mayors to step up and accept savings through shared services.

Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini said he thinks taxpayers are afraid they will lose their town identity and the personal touch of police departments through consolidation.

"I'm a firm believer that the island municipalities should share as many of the services that we possibly can. It just makes good sense. I really feel that the island is moving that way. I really don't think Trenton is looking at making it one town, I think they're looking at making one police department, one DPW, one court system, and that's where it has to go," Mancini said.

Surf City Mayor Leonard T. Connors said a lot of services already have been consolidated on Long Beach Island, including police dispatching and water services. As far as consolidating police departments across Long Beach Island, Connors said if the other towns agree to it, he might also agree.

In Ocean County alone there are 33 different municipalities, so conslidation only makes sense, right?

Karl Hess, Jersey Shore Real Estate

This article orginally appeared in the Asbury Park Press

 

 

The Big Read

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

According the NEA website; The Big Read answers a big need. Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, a 2004 report by the National Endowment for the Arts, found that not only is literary reading in America declining rapidly among all groups, but that the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young. The concerned citizen in search of good news about American literary culture would study the pages of this report in vain.

The Big Read aims to address this crisis squarely and effectively. It provides citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. The initiative includes innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, comprehensive resources for discussing classic literature and an extensive Web site providing comprehensive information on authors and their works.

Each community event lasts approximately one month and includes a kick-off event to launch the program locally, ideally attended by the mayor and other local luminaries; major events devoted specifically to the book (panel discussions, author reading, and the like); events using the book as a point of departure (film screenings, theatrical readings, and so forth); and book discussions in diverse locations and aimed at a wide range of audiences.

For Ocean County residents, go to The Ocean County Library web-site to sigh-up.

Karl Hess, Ocean County Real Estate

 

New Housing Development Discussed by Lacey Twp Planning Board

The topic of the township's land holdings, the need to update its master plan and the future of proposed developments has taken over township committee meetings.

An 84 unit townhouse development, Lacey Town Village, was approved as an age-restricted community in 2005 but has yet to be constructed. Now the project applicant, Lacey Township Builders Associates, is seeking to build the project without the age restriction. The proposed project would be located in the vicinity of Railroad Avenue and Laurel Boulevard

Lacey Township Mayor Gary Quinn is quoted as saying, "The town has always tried to stay away from non-age-restricted. We would prefer to have age-restricted because they are good ‘ratables', most of those developments take care of their own services, like Sea Breeze. It's a gated community so there is less of a burden on the township itself when it comes to the services and they generate very good tax dollars, senior citizens certainly spend a lot of money in town,"

The reason the builders are coming back to the Planning Board goes back to when Gov. Jon Corzine signed a bill in July 2009 to allow developers to challenge towns over the age-restricted status of pending developments. This law applied to developments that were approved but had yet to begin construction or sales. Corzine issued this legislation with hopes of stimulating the building market and economic growth.

Under this legislation, if a builder came back to the municipality seeking to change to non-age-restrictive condominiums, construction plans would have to remain the same. The problems arise due to different infrastructure requirements (parking, schools, etc) for a non-age restrictive development which are more expensive for the city, than age restrictive homes.

The Lacey Township Planning Board will continue to hear arguments on the proposal, but some fear that the issue may have to be settled in court.

Click here for a complete list of all homes for sale in Lacey Township with photos and maps and search-able data base with the most up-to-date information.

Karl Hess, Lacey Township and Ocean County Real Estate

 

Gardening and Barnegat Bay

Using hardy, native plants will save YOU money, time AND help the environment.  What's not to like?

Writing about gardening in January seems a bit odd, except here in New Jersey where Governor Chris Christie has recently signed landmark legislation to set into motion the strictest regulations on using fertilizers.  The fertilizer industry actually thinks that this legislation, initially targeting Barnegat Bay, with statewide implications, will be the example that other states will follow.  

Conservation groups and county and state government agencies trying to protect Barnegat Bay are asking people to cut back on their use of fertilizers, garden chemicals and lawn sprinkling; so the time seems perfect for a new landscaping style that saves homeowners money and frustration, and could help save the bay from an escalating flood of nutrient pollution.

The "Bayscape for Barnegat Bay" project aims to get homeowners acquainted with the concept of using hardy, native plants in landscaping without need for heavy watering, fertilizing and chemical treatments that can pollute the bay.   The project is sponsored by the American Littoral Society with funding from the Barnegat Bay Partnership, which coordinates research and conservation efforts on the bay and its 660-square mile watershed.  

Over the last nine months, the society organized workshops and presentations to local community groups and a native plants sale during the Barnegat Bay Festival at Island Heights in June.

Bayscape for Barnegat promotes gardening that that is designed for low maintenance and features many grasses and species that thrive in the sandiest of soils for a natural, seaside look.

The hope is that folks will be inspired to help reduce polluted runoff going into Barnegat Bay by planting these types of gardens in their yards. If you don't live in the Barnegat Bay watershed, these plants will thrive in most areas of Ocean County and will help improve a waterway near you.  For a list of native plant suppliers visit www.littoralsociety.org/shore_stewards.aspx.  For more information contact The American Littoral Society.

Karl Hess, Your Jersey Shore Real Estate Expert

Waterfront Homes for Sale in Forked River

Waterfront Homes for Sale in Forked River for under $500,000 with Photos and Maps
There are 12 waterfront homes for sale in Forked River under $500,000. The homes have at least 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.  Square footage ranges from just under 1200 to almost 3000 square feet of living space.  Prices of these waterfront homes for sale in Forked River range from $299,900 to $500,000.
Forked River is an area located within Lacey Township, in Ocean County, on The Jersey Shore with a population of almost 5,000. Here is a complete list of properties available in Lacey Township.
Many Ocean County residents commonly refer to all of Lacey Township as Forked River with the first word pronounced with two syllables (FOR-ked or FORK-ed). Pronouncing the first word with one syllable (forkt) is a certainly a sign of a new resident or someone not quite familiar with the area.
Forked River is a great place to raise a family with good schools, dining and recreational activities, and as you can see by the picture, easy access to boating, fishing and The Jersey Shore beaches.  Forked River is located on Route 9, minutes from the Garden State Parkway and Routes 70 & 72, which makes commuting to Philadelphia or New York simple.
Are you curious about whether the real estate market as stabilized or about the value of your own home? You can keep up with the very latest real estate market conditions in your neighborhood, or anywhere in Ocean County including The Jersey Shore, by simply clicking on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ.
Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.
Looking for Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses in Barnegat and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com
If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in Forked River, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps.
Karl Hess, Forked River, Lacey Township, Ocean County Real Estate Agent

Helping Veterans with Homes

A new home is being built on Long Island. Not really big news right?  Well, it should be; Using volunteer labor and supplies donated by his fellow builders, Mark Baisch of Landmark Property intends to have the home ready for occupancy by April. The price tag will be $100,000, although Mr. Baisch put the actual market value of the house "well over $300,000."

There is just one condition for any prospective buyer: he or she must be a veteran returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

The house is one of four in Suffolk County that Long Island Home Builders Care is planning to build for soldiers coming home. Mr. Baisch donated the $80,000 property to Long Island Home Builders Care, a nonprofit group that is the charitable arm of the Long Island Builders Institute, which has more than 500 builders and re-modelers. The house is one of four in Suffolk County that Long Island Home Builders Care is planning to build for soldiers coming home.

Lois Fricke, the director of development for Long Island Home Builders Care, described the homes for service personnel as the newest mission of the builders' group. The house can be customized to the needs of the veteran.

In Nassau, Long Island, work is under way on a similar plan "that will substantially include veterans housing," said Carl Schroeter, the director of Nassau County Real Estate Planning and Development. Some of the homes will be refurbished for returning veterans.

Nassau is also working with Homes for Homecoming Heroes, a nonprofit group in Jericho, to acquire a vacant lot in Hicksville for a new below-market-rate single-family home for a returning veteran.

Larry Sklar, the director of Homes for Homecoming Heroes, said the house, to be built with volunteer labor under professional supervision, would be the first of a succession that he intended to build for veterans across the Island. Veterans will be required to put down only 1 percent, versus $700 on houses costing $9,000 each in Levittown, the large postwar planned community.   What a great idea, let's hope it catches on.  

 

Karl Hess, Ocean County Real Estate

 

Pebble Beach, Barnegat Homes For Sale

Pebble Beach, Barnegat Homes for Sale with Maps and Photos

These Pebble Beach, Barnegat homes for sale have 3 to 5 bedrooms and range in size from just under 1000 square feet of living space to over 2700 square feet.  Priced from $165, 000 to just under $700,000 there is a wide selection. Homes are located on Denville Street, Tulsa Drive, Newark Road, Edison Road, Montclair Road, Dune Lane, and Bayshore Drive.  

Barnegat gets its name from nearby Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet. The inlet was originally "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," and was named by Dutch settlers in 1614 for the waterway's turbulent channel. Barnegat Township has a total area of 40.8 square miles, of which, 34.7 square miles is land and 6.2 square miles of it (15.09%) is water.  

Since 1970, the township's populations has jumped from 1,539 to 22,643 - an increase of 1,371 percent. And the township still has 2,500 to 3,000 housing units already approved that have yet to be built.

Even through the economic downturn, 120 to 150 new homes a year have been built in Barnegat. Development is still very active in Barnegat Township and in all likelihood will continue.  

Are you curious about whether the real estate market has stabilized or about the value of your own home? You can keep up with the very latest real estate market conditions in your neighborhood, or anywhere in Ocean County including The Jersey Shore, by simply clicking on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ.

Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.

Looking for Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses in Pebble Beach Barnegat and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com  

If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps

Karl Hess, Barnegat, Ocean County Real Estate Agent

Long Beach Island Chocolate Week - Valentines Day in the LBI Region

Long Beach Island Region Chocolate Week is ‘chockfull' of fun things to do on the island and surrounding area from February 11th to February 20th.  Celebrate Valentines Day with romantic gift ideas; dinner, a night at a B&B, a massage, and of course, chocolates!  

February 11 - Daddy O Restaurant presents Valentine Themed Wine Dinner offering 4 courses all paired with a different wine and decadent dessert.   

February 12th  - The LBIF will be giving out "Chocolate Turtles".  While you're getting your chocolate fix, learn about green technology.  Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences 120 Long Beach Blvd, Loveladies.  

Feb 12 - Our Gang Players present Hello Dolly featuring a chocolate themed intermission during their Saturday performance at the Ocean First Stage Performing Arts Center in Manahawkin.  

Feb 16 - TGIFriday's Chocolate Week Bartenders Competition: Bartenders will be creating libations featuring chocolate while being judged their showmanship. Drinks will be auctioned to crowd.  

Feb 17- Healing Hands of Manahawkin Patient Appreciation Day with special chocolate gifts, in office raffles and giveaways. Chocolate Treats for office visits during the week and free New Patient Evaluations just by mentioning Chocolate Week!  

Magnolia House B&B is offering their romantic, cozy rooms for $175 or less (depending on the room) for one night; need more than one day Magnolia House B&B is offering a second night stay at $99!   Lavish Salon is offering 10% all services in the month of February and 10% off all sugar and chocolate skin care products during LBI Region Chocolate Week.  

Island Wellness Center Chocolate Week Valentine Special includes a 60 minute Blissful Massage for singles and couples ($40 each) and a complimentary chocolate bliss drink, an energizing blend of intense Mayan gold chocolate, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fruits and exotic botanicals from around the world.  

Engleside Inn and Restaurant offering Chocolate Martinis, Chocolate Profiteroles and Chocolate Lava Cake. Reservations are not required but suggested.  

Buckalew's Restaurant and Tavern offers Chocolate Week and Valentine Specials, Feb 14 - Valentines dinner for two for just $99 featuring 2 appetizers, 2 soups or salads 2 Entrees 2 Desserts and a bottle of wine or champagne.  

MyJerseyShoreHomeFinder.com is offering a free comparative market analysis for your home in Ocean County and a complete market snapshot of your neighborhood. If you're curious about whether the real estate market has stabilized or about the value of your own home or home values in your neighborhood, simply click on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ and you will get your analysis within 24 hours!

Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.

Can't seem to find all the Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses in the LBI Region and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com  

If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in Ocean Township, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps

Karl Hess, LBI Region and Ocean County Real Estate Agent

 

This Month in Real Estate Video, January 2011

This Month in Real Estate is a monthly video news series that offers an inside look at the national real estate market. Each edition provides a snapshot of the numbers and trends that drive the real estate market, as well as expert opinion and analysis. For information on your local real estate conditions, please contact Karl Hess, your Keller Williams Jersey Shore agent. 

 

Real estate trends is a generic term used to describe any consistent pattern or change in the general direction of the real estate industry which, over the course of time, causes a statistically noticeable change. This phenomenon can be a result of the economy, a change in mortgage rates, consumer speculations, or other fundamental and non-fundamental reasons.

Click on the link below it get the latest in Real Estate information on a two minute video.  This months topic: Home Affordability.

http://karlhess.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalPageGetAction.do?addlPageName=tmire

Karl Hess, Ocean County and Jersey Shore Real Estate

 

 

Berkeley Twp Ponders Consolidation

In an effort to reduce costs, Berkeley Township, Ocean County has assigned a committee to investigate a "modified consolidation" between the local grade school district and the regional high school district.

The Berkeley district is made up of four schools, with a student population of about 2,000 in preschool through sixth-grade. Those students move on to the Central Regional School District, which also has about 2,000 students in seventh through 12th grades. Central Regional, based in the Bayville section of Berkeley, has students not only from the township, but also from Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park.

Under consideration is a customized version of consolidation where, for example, should a person with a particular job skill in the Berkeley schools retire, district administrators would determine whether there is someone in the Central Regional district with a similar position who could fulfill that job.

In my personal opinion, this consolidation of school districts in long overdue. There are over 500 school districts in New Jersey, in comparison, California has 1100 school districts, but has a population of 37 million compared to NJ's 9 million, not to mention the extreme differences in size.  Hopefully school district consolidation will be a growing trend within the state, especially considering the tightening of local, state and federal budgets.

Click on this link for local community information and for homes for sale in Berkeley, NJ.

Karl Hess, Ocean County and Jersey Shore Real Estate

 

 

 

Life on Barnegat Bay on Local TV

"Life on the Barnegat Bay," a documentary about the ecological deterioration of Barnegat Bay and hopes for its restoration, will be broadcast on local cable television systems Jan. 11 through Jan. 16.

Produced by the Barnegat Bay Partnership and the staff of Ocean TV-20 at Ocean County College, the film features Paul D. "Pete" McLain of Toms River, a veteran wildlife biologist and former deputy state wildlife director whose professional and personal life has been intertwined with the bay for most of his 80-plus.

The airing of this documentary comes on the heels of the recent bills signed by Governor Christie in Waretown which will have a signifcantly positive impact on the Bay. According to legislative testimony by Scotts MiracleGro in August of this year this bill will become the model for most other states. The law will be the first in the country to regulate the content of fertilizer rather than merely rely on homeowners to read and follow the directions on the bag as the mechanism for protecting estuaries.

"Save Barnegat Bay" who is responsible for pushing the legislation, is a not-for-profit environmental group working to conserve undeveloped natural land and clean water throughout the Barnegat Bay watershed. They were founded in 1971 as a local chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, a leading national environmental organization.

The film also features a look at the Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center near Island Beach State Park, and the Lighthouse Center in Waretown, where environmental education programs are teaching a new generation of students about the bay's problems.

The documentary will be broadcast Tuesday at 8 p.m.; Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; and again Sunday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. It can be seen on Ocean TV-20 on Comcast of Toms River, Long Beach Island Channel 20, and on Verizon FiOS in northern Ocean County, Channel 24.

Karl Hess, Jersey Shore Real Estate

Toms River Diner Wins "Most Popular in NJ"

The Four Seasons Diner in Toms River has been named the most popular diner by the "Jersey Diner's Choice Awards."   Ace of Cakes Duff will Make Appearance

According to thier web-site, The Four Seasons Diner is not just any other diner added to the Jersey Shore! Actually once you step foot into the Four Seasons, you will see that the only thing diner about us is our name. We have a diverse menu that has classic breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees as well as more contemporary cuisine with some SERIOUS comfort food.

We almost forgot....Pizza!! But not your normal pizza......brick oven thin crust pizza with many new twists!! One thing we can promise you- Four Seasons Diner has something for just about anyone! So stop in, grab a bite and indulge in something exciting at the Jersey Shore!!

Ace of Cakes celebrity Chef Duff Goldman will make an appearance at the Four Seasons on January 21.

The Paramount Diner was voted the Best Breakfast; JB's Diner was found to have the Best Burgers, Best Specials and Most Jersey; and Four Seasons Diner, which received the largest number of votes, won Best Cakes and Pies, Best Fries and Best Salads categories.  

 

The Four Seasons Diner is located at:

823 Fischer Boulevard
Toms River, NJ 08753-3836
(732) 270-8778

Karl Hess, Toms River Real Estate

 

 

Waterfront Homes Berkeley Twp, NJ Under $400,000

Photos of Waterfront Homes for Sale in Berkeley Township, Ocean County NJ under $400,000 with maps.

There are 12 Waterfront Homes for sale in Berkeley Township, Ocean County for under $400,000, with at least 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms and square footage ranging from 1000 sq ft to over 2300 sq ft. These homes are located on Bayville Ave, Topsail Ct, Ronald Ave, Cedar Run Rd, Longview Drive, Spinnaker Ct, Travelers Way, Albatross Pt, Cedar Drive, and The Moorings; all in the Bayville area of Berkeley Township.

Here is the complete list of all homes for sale in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, NJ.

According to the US Census Bureau Berkeley Township has over 40,000 people living within its boundaries. The township has a total area of 55.8 square miles of which 42.9 square miles is land and 12.9 square miles (23.12%) is water.

Berkeley Township is located in the central part of Ocean County along the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Approximately 72% of Berkeley Township's land area is within the federally designated New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. Approximately 38% is within the State's Pineland Area, which is within the Pinelands National Reserve. Toms River Township forms the northern border of the Township, Cedar Creek and Lacey Township form the Township's southern border. The barrier island, on which South Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park are situated, is the Township's eastern boundary.

Are you curious about whether the real estate market as stabilized or about the value of your own home? You can keep up with the very latest real estate market conditions in your neighborhood, or anywhere in Ocean County including The Jersey Shore, by simply clicking on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ.

 Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.

Looking for Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses in Berkeley and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com  

If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in Berekely Township, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps

 

Karl Hess, Berkeley Township, Ocean County Real Estate Agent

 

Christie Signs Barnegat Bay Legislation

Good News for Barnegat Bay!

Governor Chris Christie was in Waretown today and signed three bills into law morning aimed at protecting the health of the bay and its inhabitants. The bills establish regulations for fertilizer usage, standards for restoring damage soil, and requirements for the state Department of Transportation pertaining to the maintenance and upkeep of storm-water drains and basins.

Barnegat Bay stretches approximately 30 miles, along the coast of Ocean County. It is essentially a long estuary formed by Barnegat Peninsula, a long barrier peninsula, as well as by the north end of Long Beach Island. The bay is fed by several small rivers, including the Toms River and Metedeconk River, which empty into the bay through small estuaries along its inner shore. The communities of Toms River Township, Berkeley Township, Lacey Township, Long Beach Island Township, among others sit along the estuaries on the bay.

The bay is entered from the ocean through the Barnegat Inlet, along which sits the Barnegat Lighthouse. The bay is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, entered on its north end by the Point Pleasant Canal and connecting on the south end with Little Egg Harbor via the small Manahawkin Bay. In a broader sense, the bay is sometimes considered to stretch to the south end of Long Beach Island and to include Little Egg Harbor.

 The area surrounding the Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet were described by Henry Hudson, in 1609, as "...a great lake of water, as we could judge it to be ... The mouth of the lake hath many shoals, and the sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it." The bay was originally named in 1614 "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," by Dutch settlers, referring to the waterway's turbulent channel. During the American Revolutionary War, the bay was used as refuge by American privateers.

Are you curious about whether the real estate market as stabilized or about the value of your own home? You can keep up with the very latest real estate market conditions in your neighborhood, or anywhere in Ocean County including The Jersey Shore, by simply clicking on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ.

Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.

Looking for Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses along Barnegat Bay and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com  

If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in Ocean Township, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps

Karl Hess, Ocean Township, Ocean County Real Estate Agent

 

Homes for Sale Ocean Township, Ocean County between 200,000 and 300,000

Photos of Homes for Sale in Ocean Township, Ocean County NJ between 200,000 and 300,000 with maps.

There are almost 180 homes for sale in Ocean Township, Ocean County.  Here is a list of homes for sale in Ocean Township between $200,000 and $300,000, with 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms and square footage ranging from 1200 sq ft to over 2600 sq ft.

Here is the complete list of all homes for sale in Ocean Township, Ocean County, NJ.  

Ocean Twp has an outstanding public school system coupled with a wide array of municipal amenities including an expansive park system, a public library, a community pool and tennis facility and a comprehensive offering of recreational programming have made Ocean Twp a great place to live. Other community benefits include close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean beaches and the presence of two country clubs and a public golf course nearby. Quality shopping and dining opportunities are plentiful both in Ocean Township and within a close radius.

 Are you curious about whether the real estate market as stabilized or about the value of your own home? You can keep up with the very latest real estate market conditions in your neighborhood, or anywhere in Ocean County including The Jersey Shore, by simply clicking on Home Values in Ocean County, NJ.

Looking for something do this weekend in Ocean County or just want to keep up with current events? The Jersey Shore News will keep you informed with local community information, happenings and the latest real estate news.

Looking for Open Houses in Ocean County? Get a complete list of Open Houses in Barnegat and the rest of Ocean County at Open House Ocean County.com  

If you're interested in buying, selling or investing in Real Estate in Ocean Township, Ocean County or anywhere along The Jersey Shore, click on The Jersey Shore Home Finder.com and get free access to thousands of home listings with photos and maps

Karl Hess, Ocean Township, Ocean County Real Estate Agent

 

 

Beach Access on The Jersey Shore

New Jersey DEP has proposed new rules that take a step backwards for public beach access on The Jersey Shore.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's proposed beach access rules won't increase oceanfront beach access, but they will make it easier for inaccessible beach towns to get state beach replenishment money.

The current beach access rules are good. The state DEP plans to issue new beach access rules later this month, designed to balance the public's right to use beaches against the cost to towns and property owners of providing public access.

DEP's proposed beach access rules won't increase oceanfront beach access, but they will make it easier for inaccessible beach towns to get state beach replenishment money.

If our taxes are going to dredge and dump sand on a beach, we should be able to get to that sand. The new rules don't do that.

 The current beach access rules are good. We want the state to leave them alone. The state should distinguish between Atlantic Ocean beach access and access to private marinas, back bays, and waterfront industrial sites.

The proposed rules are voluntary for the towns to comply with and the state would have no way to make the towns comply.

A new poll finds most New Jerseyans want shore towns that get public money for beach replenishment to offer better public access to those newly widened beaches.

The state Department of Environmental Protection plans to issue new beach access rules later this month, designed to balance the public's right to use beaches against the cost to towns and property owners of providing public access.

A Rutgers-Eagleton survey paid for by the Surfrider Foundation, a beach access group, found more than 82 percent of those surveyed want towns that get beach replenishment funds to provide better public beach access on The Jersey Shore.

The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots, non-profit, environmental organization that works to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches. Founded in 1984, Surfrider Foundation's most important coastal environmental work is carried out by Surfrider Foundation's 60 chapters located along the East, West, Gulf, Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian coasts.

Karl Hess, Jersey Shore Real Estate Agent