ASSEMBLYMAN SEAN KEAN, COUNCILMAN UNGER HOST FORUM ON TAKANASSEE BEACH CLUB
RESIDENTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, HISTORIANS WORKING TO PRESERVE SITE

Assemblyman Sean Kean and Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger hosted a public forum in Long Branch Tuesday evening to discuss efforts to save the Takanassee Beach Club which is targeted for development.

An application to develop condominiums and townhouses on the site is currently pending before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

There are many people who feel the Takanassee Beach Club is worth saving and we wanted to provide them with an opportunity to make their voice heard and join the fight to save this historic property, said Kean.

"I truly believe that we can put the funding into place to do this,” said Councilman Unger. “The state has indicated a willingness to prioritize Takanassee for Green Acres acquisition, and Congressman Pallone has indicated this project will be eligible for federal funding. So I think it’s up to us to convince Mayor Schneider and the rest of the Long Branch City Council that this is a realistic proposal. It would be a shame and shortsighted to walk away from this and not pursue it as aggressively as possible.”

The forum featured panel discussions on the environmental and historic significance of the site which is home to the buildings of United States Lifesaving Service, a precursor to the United States Coast Guard. Another panel focused on the policy implications of preserving the site.

A number of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the Surfrider Foundation, the American Littoral Society and the Surfers’ Environmental Alliance were on hand to discuss the environmental impact of allowing the property to be developed. Also taking part in the forum were representatives from the Long Branch Historical Association, Monmouth Conservation Foundation, Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute, and the Elberon Voters and Property Owners Association.

If we are going to be successful in preserving Takanassee we need to form a broad coalition of concerned citizens and organizations that will help achieve that goal, said Kean.  This forum was a valuable step in this process that we hope will lead to preserving this site that is environmentally sensitive and represents an important piece of our history.

Every citizen, public official and candidate needs to prioritize this project and tell the voters and taxpayers how important preservation of Takanassee is, and how hard we are working on it,” concluded Unger. “We all need to talk to and write our representatives and elected officials in decision-making roles, from Long Branch to Freehold to Trenton. That’s the only way we’re going to win this.”

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