Ocean Township receives wetlands exhibit for Ocean Glades and a municipal tree plan

Town staff told the Ocean Township Council on June 11 that ARH, the township’s engineer/LSRP team, produced a preliminary exhibit delineating wetlands on the Ocean Glades parcel and indicating 150-foot and 50-foot wetlands buffers. The exhibit—intended to align with a pending letter of intent—will be circulated to council members for review.

Manager David Brown described the exhibit as the first clear delineation of wetlands versus areas that could be usable for development and said he would email the exhibit to the council. He located the site as adjacent to Cindy Lane and behind the township’s affordable housing units.

Separately, the council received the Ocean Township Municipal Tree Plan from the Shade Tree Commission. The manager reported that staff and Shade Tree volunteers (represented by Patty) plan to explore grant funding to support planting, but that council approval is required for specific locations and expenditures; more detailed discussion was scheduled for the July meeting and Patty may be invited to present.

Why it matters: The wetlands delineation helps clarify environmental constraints and usable acreage on a site under consideration for future development or conservation; the tree plan points to near-term opportunities to secure outside funding for public plantings and underscores a council role in approving plant locations.

Next steps: Staff will circulate ARH’s exhibit and the municipal tree plan and will return with details about grant opportunities and recommended planting locations. Any development proposals for Ocean Glades will be assessed against the delineated buffers and will require standard planning-board review and approvals.