Cold Plunge

The Sea Girt Patriot Polar Plunge was held for the first time. Shivering swimmers charged into the waters on a cold February morning in support of Habitat for Humanity and dedicated to the memory of a National Guardsman, Juan Fajardo. Boats, Mounted Police, helicopters and the Sea Girt Beach Patrol ensured plungers got into and out of the ocean safely.

Russia invaded Ukraine and Sea Girt responded by donating several truckloads of essentials to supply civilians and care packages for Ukrainian soldiers..

The Sea Girt National Guard Training Center opened its Militia Museum to the public. They also began to host public events at the camp again. Justin Macko, Police Chief, was recognized by the State Police and State Troopers Eagle Scout Association for his and the Department’s work to support the Boy Scouts of America New Jersey Camporee at the Sea Girt National Guard training center in 2022. The event is held every three years. It was an important time to have a positive event for the Boy Scouts. Scouting had been through a very difficult time. Abuse charges going back over a generation of scouting had led to the bankruptcy of the BSA, and a $2.4 billion dollar settlement and tens of thousands of victims.

Over 7,000 scouts from all over the Northeast enjoyed a weekend of camping at Sea Girt. The presence of law enforcement and the support of the military helped to reinforce an atmosphere of safety and security for parents who were happy to see COVID restrictions eased, and their kids have a normal experience.

Sea Girt residents learned of the result of a 10-year battle over two corners downtown. William Sitar’s companies have long owned the plots on the north and south side of Washington and Fifth around his realty office east of Rods. In 2012 the Philadelphia Blvd. resident intended to build 16 apartments on the two properties. He asked for a zoning variance for the ‘Sea Girt Village Apartments’. Council members wanted the lot coverage reduced and the required retail commercial space on the ground floor. They rejected the application.

One of the tenants on the north side of Washington

He resubmitted in 2017. He was rejected again.

The State Constitution requires that municipalities set aside a certain amount of development for affordable housing. New Jersey has a complex formula (because it’s NJ), under the Fair Housing Act, and initially administered under the Coalition on Affordable Housing COAH. But they were deemed ineffective in 2014, and the jurisdiction has been moved to the courts. Sea Girt has a seemingly impossible 286 affordable units to build under two eras of NJ Affordable Housing regimes. Sea Girt also has zero ‘affordable housing’.

The frozen custard stand and picnic area will come down for the southern apartments. The business relocated to Spring Lake.

Courts are sympathetic to adjusting those numbers for available land, and Sea Girt’s actual numbers are likely much lower. The same issue exists in many of our neighboring communities, and the law allows for developers, or the Builders Association, to sue for the right to have zoning friendly to affordable units. A town with an unfulfilled affordable mandate can lose its ability to control what can be built in its community. A judge can throw out all of the local zoning rules and permit the builder way more latitude. Municipalities can also be required to pay the developer for the cost of the suit.

The borough tried to educate residents about the labyrinth of Affordable Housing Requirements.

In theory, a builder could suggest to the court a 20-story building in our little downtown with a certain percentage of affordable units and win. About 25 percent of the towns in NJ are under such suits. Towns mostly settle, and pay consultants and lawyers to have courts re-certify their true affordable housing requirements to prevent future suits.

By the late 2010’s, the Sitar development was stalled, and their properties were leased to a number of businesses. Surfside Frozen Custard and a consignment shop occupied the south buildings, and the north building was a series of businesses: Jones Bar, The Girt, Loblolly.

Sitar Realty filed a builder’s remedy suit against the Borough in 2020. The suit asked the town to approve the zoning for 42 affordable units. By 2022, there was a settlement. Sea Girt adjusted the zoning for Sitar to build three affordable units at the company’s Northern Washington Blvd. location. This building would have 9 apartments and 2,300 ft, of commercial space, preserving the look of the Sitar Realty building. The Southern building would be 10 apartments, no commercial, bringing the total to 19 units.

The borough relaxed the requirement to reserve the entire ground floor for commercial space, and they adjusted the zoning on Route 71 to allow for at least two more affordable units. Sea Girt had fulfilled its mandate until 2025, and Sitar finally finished plans for the apartment buildings. Construction finally started on Washington Blvd in 2025.