Ocean Grove Community Association

Dear Members:

2024 was a year of activity and changes.  The biggest change was that you, our members, voted to include long-term (12 months or more) renters and the OGHOA is now known as The Ocean Grove Community Association (The OGCA).  We kept you informed regarding all things Ocean Grove and Neptune while also providing engaging and entertaining programing.

2024 began with a visit from our new Police Chief, Anthony Gualario. The Chief placed an emphasis on community policing and heard an earful from us about speeding and traffic concerns on Ocean Grove’s roads and boardwalk. Chief Gualario listened. Last summer, the police took an active role in getting bikes off the boardwalk including ticketing.  The Neptune Police Department also conducted a speed study on Broadway, and installed permanent speed readers on Broadway and Main Avenues.  The OGCA is following up with Chief Gualario on how well they are working and on additional traffic safety measures for the Summer of 2025.

Monthly meetings varied from the introduction of Nancy Ann Gillan the new president of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association and Natalie Stevens-Stewart, the current COO of the OGCMA, to candidates forums, both on Zoom, with the League of Women Voters for the Neptune Township Committee Democratic Primary race last June, and in person for general elections.  Congressman Frank Pallone, Assemblywoman Margie Donlan, County Commissioner Director Tom Arnone and then Neptune Township Mayor Tassie York all spoke at the August Breakfast at the Olin Street Firehouse.

We continued our  “Notable Neighbor” series with Andy Levine, host of Second Act Stories, an award-winning podcast, who reprised his Ted talk on second acts.  We also heard from Deb Osepchuk and Jenny Shaffer of the HPC, Tax Assessor Dawn Crozier and Jeanne Power-Galli about what’s happening at the Jersey Shore Arts Center.  We ended the year with a festive holiday breakfast at the JSAC, with a delicious breakfast from Downstairs Kitchen and holiday music by Neptune’s Scarlet Sound, fresh from its Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting performance.

Our committees have been busy and you, our members, have stepped up in increasing numbers to join in to improve Ocean Grove and to help those in need. We created a new Giving Committee and a new Membership Committee. The Membership Committee is working to attract new members and retain existing members and enhance the benefits of membership for all members.  The Giving Committee has made a difference to many in our community providing boxers and tees to the Market Street Mission, Simple Things for Seniors at Manor by the Sea, school supplies in a joint drive with the Ocean Grove Chamber of Commerce, linens, blankets, quilts and towels for the Humane Society and the ASPCA, baby supplies to Love Lifts Us Up and Toys for the holiday toy drive at the Dream Center. That’s just in 2024. So far, in 2025, the Giving Committee’s Night of Gratitude raised over $5200 for Neptune EMS and at the same time provided a delicious and fun evening at The Majestic and has collected eyeglasses for the Lions Club. 

In addition to beach access, the Legal Affairs Committee monitored and explained the settlement of OGNED’s lawsuit against Neptune, and the subsequent proceedings for approval of the Amended Redevelopment Plan before the Township Committee and the site plan before the Planning Board. On February 26, 2024, Ocean Grovers came together to fill the meeting room and urge the Township Committee to reject the proposed settlement of the North End Redevelopment litigation unless OGNED complied with our Historic Preservation Guidelines.  Despite the huge effort to educate members of the Township Committee, share Ocean Grove’s concerns and ask tough questions, the Township Committee voted to approve the settlement.  OGNED’s proposal was on the Planning Board’s agenda in September 2024, but OGNED pulled it after a jurisdictional issue concerning the Amended Redevelopment Plan was raised with the Planning Board.  OGNED received final site plan approval from the Planning Board on February 26, 2025, for a plan with eight rather than ten single family houses. OGNED is expected to seek the Township Committee’s approval of second amendment to the Redevelopment Plan to permit it to increase the number of houses to ten.  The Legal Committee will continue to keep you informed at every step.

The Preservation Committee tracks structures in dangerous or dilapidated condition and works with Neptune’s Code and Construction Department to highlight dilapidated and dangerous  properties.  The Preservation Committee may put itself out of business as the number of structures they were tracking with Code violations has decreased from 27 to 19 after significant repairs or demolition.  Most of the remaining properties are undergoing renovations or are for sale, leaving only a handful that have seen no improvement.  The Green Committee is working with stakeholders, including the OGCMA and the Fletcher Lake Commission, to provide native plantings at the South End near the parking lot and Fletcher Lake bulkhead. 

The Parking Committee is trying, once again, to improve the parking situation by bringing residential permit parking to Ocean Grove.  Since November of 2024, the Neptune Township Committee has considered a residential permit parking pilot much like the one before the Township Committee in the winter of 2023, but the details have not been made public. Many of you have expressed your opinions to the Neptune Township Committee via emails and/or comments at Township Committee meetings. We encourage you to give the Township Committee the benefit of your views on parking and all other issues affecting Ocean Grove.

As you can see, you, our members, have stepped up and become increasingly involved.  We encourage you to continue to stay informed and engaged–adding your voice makes us stronger.  Please share this letter with your friends and neighbors and encourage them to join us in the Community Room at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month.  Please join or renew your membership in the OGCA and help us to protect our community and quality of life in Ocean Grove.

Thank you for your support, and your involvement with our community.  We look forward to continuing to work with you toward our common goals.

Best,